Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser., 1861-12-19

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large advance. Satpetre advanced from eleven
to fifteen per cent, and birthstone was kept out
of the market Sterling exchange advanced to
10, which is above the point rendering the
shipment of specie profitable
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hsTT The British gunboat Landrail has reach
ed New York. The statement made in Hall
fax journal with regard to the indignity put
upon the Landrail by the San Jacinto is not
borne out by the actual facts of the case. Com
mander Martin, Of the Landrail, had no flag
flying when first observed by the San Jacnto
IN the Gulf of Florida, and considered the sum-
mons Of the latter perfectly right and proper
!
E9 Mr.. RuSsells last letter to the London
Times brings up his record of the war to the
10th of November. His structures on the con-
diton Of the Federal army of the Potomac will
scarcely add to his popularity at Washington.
He asserts that it is absolutely impossible for
Mcclellan, or any other General to convert the
mass of men under arms about the Capital into
a we'll disciplined army; and he cites various
instances Of familiarity between the private sol
dier and little The sAs
former is subordinatcd to the latter. Mr.. Rus
sell grows sarcastic over the reported Union
majority at the late election in Maryland. He
remarks that the result of the election 'swould
have been more satisfactory and conclusive if
General Dix had not done his gendarmerie work
so effectively in Baltimore" He still inclines
to the belief that General Mcclellan, with the
consent Of those who are masters Of public suf-
frage if not of public opinion may be forced to
set aside the constituted authorities and assume
the office Of Dictator, and points out the diff
cultes that would follow any attempt to re-unite
the shattered fragments of the Union, even if
complete success were to attend the Federal
arms. The possession of Beaufort, Mr. Bussel
thinks, cannot be of much use, as any attempt
on the part of the Federal commanders to march
into the interior would be fatal error Never
thess if the Federal forces entrench themselves
at Beaufort 'they can cause immense inconveni-
ence and constant anxiety to the Confederates."
The London Times the Mason-sliden
Seizure.
The following comments upon the Trent affair
appear in the Times of November %:
1t requires strong effort of self-restraint to
discuss with GOODNESS the intelligence we publish
to-day An English Mail Steamer sailing un-
der the British flag, and carrying letters and
passengers from Spanish port to England, has
been stopped on the high seas and overhauled.
Four of the passengers have been taken out and
carried off prisoners, claiming, and vainly
claiming as they were being forced away, the
protection of the flag of Great Britain. These
are the naked facts. We put out of sight the
accidents that the four gentlemen thus kidnapped
were accredited with diplomatic mission from
the Confederate States Of America to the Courts
of Europe, and also the peremptory manner in
which the Federal frigate acted in making her
seizure The intention of the Federal Govern
ment evidently was to act upon their strict
right, and to do so in as little ceremonious
manner as might be. If they are justified by
their rights as belligerents in what they have
done the manner of doing it is mere question
of good or bad taste. If a rude fellow claims
his rights coarsey we must yet give him his
rights and if we would not find ourselves in
the wrong we must not quarrel with him on
account of his i'll manners.
! Isit, then, true that every officer of the Ameri
can Navy can stop and overhaul our ships
wherever they may be found, and can take out
of them any persons whom he may claim to be
citizens of the United States or officers of the
Confederate Government ? If we were to ad-
NIT the Federal view of their own position i:
would be PLAIN that no such rights exist. They
tell us that they are not at war, but are only
putting down rebellion. They say, or said, that
they were not blockading their own ports, but
are simply enforcing law which has closed the
Southern ports as ports of entry. They insist
upon putting their quarrel upon the same ground
as if the Queen of England were putting down
rebellion in the Isle of Wight.
Now, if this were so, it is clear that the Fed
eral States of America have, in stopping our
mail steamer, been guilty of an act Of aggression
which could only be properly punished by lay
ing an embargo on every American ship in
British ports and sweeping their little navy from
the seas. They would, according to their point
of view, not be at war; and would have none of
the rights of belligerents over neutrals. They
would no more be belgerents than England
was after the celebrated Smith O'Bren battle in
the cabbagegar and they would have no
more right to stop our ships and carry off our
| fhan we chnul1 how bo1 f, Sfo