The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-11-21

urn lot Engsn ports, with iar amount OF engage
ments.
Diplomatic and Military Aspect OF the
slidell and Mason Affair.
The arrest of Messrs. Slidell and Mason, on
board of British mail steamer not only con-
tinues to produce intense excitement through
out the United States; but ire comments of the
Canadian press upon the subject, begin, also, to
afford some idea of the probable state Of feeling
that will be created in England when the intel
ligence shall have reached there of the action
of Captain Wilkes. Articles which we give in
another part of our paper represent it as the
"most offensive outrage that Brother Jonathan
has ever dared to pcrpetrate upon the British
fag;" as "wanton, unprovoked, and indefensi-
ble" and as an "unjustifabie infraction of inter-
national law II is also reported that Lord
Lyons, and the attaches of the British En-
bassy, as well as other gentlemen, at Washing
ton, connected with foreign missions, have
deemed the occasion u fitting one to manifest
considerable Indignation against the federal
government, and have intimated that the Court
of st. James will demand prompt PREPARATION for
the imagined insult that has been offered to its
dignity, and, perhaps, the immediate surrender of
the two rebel prisoners. We sincerely hope that
the most ordinary rules Of diplomatic prudence
have not been thus violated and that no such
indiscretion, has been committed as the proffer
of semi-offcial opinions, before the facts of the
case have been explained, and Instructions from
abroad have been received. If, however, the
remarks attributed to Lord Lyons and other
members of the diplomatic corps, at the
federal capital have really fallen from their lips,
they will not materially alter the substantial
features of the case, nor will it be in their
power, individually to impair seriously the
friendly relations existing between this coun-
try and Great Britain.
This is not the first time that excitements
have resulted from circumstances or acts, cal
culated to endanger. friendly intercourse be-
tween the mother country and the United States,
which, it was confidently predicted would re-
suit in war. more unheard of outrage than
the firing into the Chesapeake by the British
ship ofwar Leopard, has seldom been recorded
in maritime history; yet the matter was settled
automatically, and, though hostilities eventu-
ally grew out of similar insults TO the American
flag, it led, of itself, to no breach of peace be-
tween the two nations. The hanging by General
Jackson of Arbuthnot and Ambrister, in time
of peace, produced flame of wrath in Great
Britain; but, after several years of negotiation,
the affair died out of itself The burning of the
Caroline, during the Canadian rebellion, was so
monstrous an act of assumption that the glOomi-
est forebodings respecting the future, took pos
session Of the public mind on both sides of the
Atlantic; nevertheless amicable intercourse con-
tinued undisturbed, excepting in the notes that
were exchanged on the subject. The North
eastern boundary question; the Oregon difficult
ty; the boarding of vessels supposed to be en-
gagged in the slave trade, under the protection
of the American flag; each gave rise to
such heated discussion, that, for while.
an appeal to arms was considered inevitable.
Common sense, and the financial and CONNER
cial interests of the respective nations re-
strained however, all these questions within the
limits of diplomatic communication, and they
were settled peaceably. The boarding of the
steamer Trent, and the removal from her Of
Messrs. Slidell and Mason is only the second
instance, among these we have cited, where the
agents of the American government have been
supposed to be the aggressors. In all the others.
the wrong has been on the part of England,
and for obvious reasons, we are confidently
persuaded that the trouble now pending will be
ended as they have by negotiation. Secretary
Of State Seward will in fact, have 50 little diff
Guilty in making manifest to the Palmerston
ministry that we have acted rightly, and in con-
formity with precedents universally admitted in
probably be persevered in. Mr.. Seward will
not need to refer to the Vattels, Martens,
Puffendorffs, d'Hautefeulles and Wheatons of
international law, but requires only to base the
legality Of the action of Captain Wilkes upon
English writer's, English statesmen, English
antecedents admitted English authorities and
decisions, Of which an abundant number are to
ment. He can demonstrate to the satisfaction
of the civilized world, that the administration
have acted properly in committing the two
traitors to Fort Warren, and will be justified in
keeping them there.
We anticipate no conflict with Great Britain,
nor do we believe that any serious trouble
will grow out of Messrs. Slidell and Mason's
arrest. On the other hand, the quakings
Of timid and interested abolition croakers.
who are striving to fill the public mind with
gloomy anticipations, and make it appear, from
q military point of view, that it would be dsas-
| trous to have foreign war on our hands, while
engaged in suppressing rebellion, are equally
| contemplate, cowardly and causeless. There
| never was period in our history when we were
80 well prepared for foreign war as now; there
| never has been such combination of circum-
| stances, insuring certainty of success to our
arms, in contest with an enemy like Great Bri-
tain, as exists at the present time. We do not
say this in a spirit Of menace, and the figures
we quote below exclude the idea of cxaggera-
ton or bombast. 1t is neither for the interest
of the United States, nor England that the
friendly relations OF the two countries should be