The national Republican., 1861-12-30
qHE MASON AND sL1DELL AFFAIR.


will rhow tho manner in which the two great
maritime powers OF Europe united in viewing
the aifAi, Of the Trr't We have. for the pres.
ent. hut Ibis single observation To make upon
them, that in neither is the point taken, that
CaptaA Wilkes should have brought the Trent
into port for judicial determination. That has
been reported to be the point made BY the
English crown lawyers has been much in
IS ID upon by many newspapers, and Is the
ma,n feature Of Governor Stewards reply tc
Lord Lyons. But it is net alluded to in tn
dispatches of eithur Lord Russell or of N
fhMlyenel.
TIE action Of our Government in the prem
isea Is explained in a letter OF Governor Sew
ard Of December 26, to Lord Lyons, occupying
thcec columns in the Intel igsncer the couclu.
sion OF which is, that We surrender Mason and
Slidell and place them at tie disposition of Lord
LyVl., which is acknowle lodged by the latter il
IN, l,Iowiug note:
WASHINGTON, December o. 1861.
IN" Hon. WILLIAM H. SEWARD, 40, &c, &c.
Sin | have this morning received the note
when You did me the honor tu address to me
Yesterday, IN answer tr tr, Russell's dispatch
ni the 3Oth Mo- enber last, relative to the re.
moval -pf Mr.. Mason, Mr. Slideli, Mr.. Mscfar.
land, and Mr.. Euotis, from the British mail
packet Trent.
Will, without any loss of time, forward t.
her MsIc>ty's Government copy of the I'M
pOrtdnI Communication which you have made
| me.
Iw!il .!sn, without delay, do my self the honor
go confer with you personally on the arrar ge.
Tent. /" he made for delivering the four gen.
,iemeE 1" NE, III order that they may be again
placed under tue proto Cuon of the British flag.
h4N np la he uh Al nnp
sideratlon, sir, your most obedIent humble
servant, LYONS.
la tie letIer o, December 26. Governor Sew.
ald argIcs that the seizure of Mason and Sill
GeI. justified by the law OF nations, but
.tha, The American Government is not permit
I'd. citr" hy souod policy or The grounds
which il has taken in times past, to maintain
hat Cap ain Wilkes could rightfully decide
Ills question. He holds thai the Trent should
hats /. "n brought in tor a Judicial trial, and
tat ,h- not haviug been done, Mason AMI Sli
dell Glust be surrendered. We cannot publish
Gurrrl.yr Stewards letter entire, but the fol-
u wing ,xract viii give "a correct idea of the
j., ,,I..,4. which be occupies
Il nave not been unaw are that, in examining
this question, | have fallen into an arg unent
iur Wnat seems 10 be The British side OF il
nSolnst ny own country. But l am relieved
l'Um all embarrassment "n that subject. had
h,rdis ttlien INTO that II g Of argument, when
discovered that | WAS really defending ana
1nhlulaIhing, hot an exclusively British interest
e.: huI IL "li, hUnoTed and cherished Anne riCan
cause, not upon BRUSH authorities. but upon
rJILCiiIss mat constitute Il large portion OF the
n,eunotiSo p" icy by which the United States
u.Nt LeVtiUped the Tos 'urces OF u continent,
Au' tuUs becoming IL considerable maritime
Power, have wun the respect and confidence nf
p i1 ~ !. l,xtH
dow: Tor us N 1904, by James Madison, when
SeCrU Try "i , as in the Administration &, [
il1mas Jt hersUb, IN instI ucipns given ~ lanes
M"IIIue, our Munster to England. Although The
'r~e heiVIe nm CUuCegued desCri ptlOn If
persons I.u-lGnt Il ON those who are incident.
ally NE subjects of The present discussion, the
-."und lie assumed then WIS the Same | now
Elupy, ana the arguments by which he sus
t.. ncl himself up,n 1t have been an inspiration
Il me III preparing tins reply.
NBehcNtr, lie says, property found in u
Eculr"l NcsNei N Sa.pUsed I" be liable un any
tr"un" - C.tfture ana condemnation, the rule
r. ,th "istS IL, that The question shall not be
d.'ld. "y ,hr r"pt.r, bat he carried before n
irgni hihunri whcre Il regular trial may be
uhu, where Me CAfiUr nlinselt is liable 10
damages H.. abuse "i his power. Can it be
rrosy-oh!c, ,ne or Just, that beiige rent
r"i' m'".s' NAU Is thus restricted and thus
resp"ma'u'u Ia case Of mere property oi
lrvl,L amount, should he permitted, without
recurring 10 d. ~ II, Duuai whatever, To examine
tnp g tw "l neutral vessel, TO decide the i'm
I'ur ....tQ ,,n TT thGtr espective alleg
hUq tniHl .H"I decision into execution by
tIuh'g "Tr. ,nu!vIuuA ne may choose iulO u
a~ivC, .hHuIIent !" his feelings, cutting hin
fl T. III .l, most tenJrI q nnecIluns, expCslnt
b = mind and his person - The most humliaiint
d.SCIl lHn', hH! his lie nSelt t. the creates
dtuS+rt Reason, justice, and humanity unite
IN pr"t, sung again t 80 xtravagant proceed
M.
II decide lhS case in favor of my Owl
tr. EtIHmeHt, must dlshN oW It's most cherished
,.r.., i'Iso, II reverse .tnd forever abandon
- -. enlla' policy. The country cannot alfor'
the sacrlir". 1t ma MAIN those principles
.u.d adhere to- that policy, | must surrender tn,
'.,sG itself II viii be seen, therefore, tina, thi
Government could not deny the justice of tn,
claim presented to US IN this respect upon ii
morlls. We are ASKED 10 do to the British ma
non just " hat We have AWAY insisted all ma
tons ought to do 10 us"
&c !nlued ate ,ase OF Mason and Slidell /
luu- disposed ot, but the question of the right
t,un~,s OF lhelr seizure, / he Trent had b. el
hj T. ,A' iato port, is much afoat as ever
Hvw ~4I prizs courts might decide it, is opl
maIrrr VI conjecture more or less probable
AID in whatever way they decided it, their de
csions woIld have no force binding upon for
tign GOveTnmrLt,.
The moral or, as as some clergymen woult
say the improvement Of this whole busi
n.ss, is well summed up in the following artic
an, the New York EUening Pos:
rHE FRUITS OF DIsUSIoN.-If any proof wer
rcle0 "l the absolute necessity, for the homo
ard peace of America OF preserving the UnioI
tuNrc, Il my be found in the attitude ohEuro
cav nations towards us since the outbreak o
Suuu rrn rebellion. In the fable, when tn
~ lay HlSh d"h wtS thought to be dying, h
.u:m." Il 'ierers, lhe by ena, the jackall, an
'I' ''N, gathered round to insult what the.
u"i'' "ert htS 0|st tn mems, and waited i'm
,' rI'F o. iaaS' upon Eis carcass. So, n
" s'.. ,r Ild tho Souhcru conspiracy break ou
at" reneIhnD, than the Powers Of Europe be
" 10 calculate what advantage they nigh
- OF our weakness-what share they Nigh