Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1861-12-20
MASON AND SLIDELL IN ENGLAND

day. under the intelligence Of the action of
federal steamer San Jucipto in taking the
Southern commissioners, Messrs. Shdell and
Mason from the British mail steamer Trent
An indignation meeting was promptly held.
and resolutions were carried by reclamation
denouncing the insult and calling on the
British government to maintain the dignity
Of the flag
Some prominent merchants spoke against
precipitate action, and said the matter had
better be left with the government. The
feeling of indignation. however, was very
general, consuls declined in London 10 per
cent, and Illinois Central shores 2 per cent"
FURTHER ACCOUNT or THE LIVERPOOL IN
DONATION MEETING.
The Hansa brings the London Times Of the
2Sth, which contains an account Of the meet
ing in Liverpool. The following placard was
posted on Change
Outrage on The British Flag Southern
Commissioners Forci5'y Removed from Brit
ish Mail Steamer A public meeting will be
held in the cotton sales room at 3 o'clock"
The room was crowded to excess The
chair was occupied by James Spence, who read
the following resolution
Hesoired, That this meeting, having heard
with Indignation that an American Federal
ship of war has forcibly taken from British
mail steamer certain passengers, who were
proceeding peaoeably, under the shelter Of
our flag, from one neutral port to another do
earnestly call upon the government to assert
the dignity Of the British flag, by requiring
prompt reparation for the outrage.
This resolution was received with great
enthusiasm. The resolution was advocated
by the Chairman who considered that he was
expressing the feeling Of the people when he
said that it was the duty OF the people to
press on the government the imperative ne
cessiy Of indicating the honor and dignity
Of the British name and flag
Mr. John Campbell considered there was
reason to doubt whether the facts related and
acted upon by this meeting were in reality
breach Of international law, and referred to
the opinions of the law officers Of the Grown
as being in some measure inclined to show
that such step as was taken in respect to
the Southern Commissioners was iustifable
under the existing state of the international
law, and urged the propriety Of postponing
the consideration of the subject until to-mor-
row.
Mr.. TORI sustained Mr.. Campbells views
The chairman suggested that to meet the .
objection of Mr.. Campbell he would strike I.
out the words d" by requiring prompt repara-
tion for this outrage, and thus amended the .
resolution passed nearly unanimously.
Several merchants expressed their views
after the adjournment. that the meeting and
action were premature.
The London Times is more moderate in it,
comments on Mason and Shdelrs capture
than the Ns'cs. While denying that the fed
eral government, in its own position that the
existing war is mere rebellion, has a right
to overhaul neutreal ships, itnevertheless adj
nits that England has established presidents
Int now tell against her in this matter ofthe
Trent. But these presidents were made un-
Ter circumstances very different it asserts
rom those which now occur England was d
hen fighting for existence. and did. in those ,
lays, what she would not do now, nor allow
theirs to do. In discussing the question :
'hether Mason and Slidell were liable to cap E
are as belligerents or contrabands on board 4
ne Times states it is the opinion of very emf :,
ent jurists that this was not the question to 70
adjudicated by the boats crew The 5.
gal course would have been to take the ship r.
to port for adjudication. 1t concludes with n
e expression that "Englishmen will discuss T.
e question with calmness," and appeals to y
C federal States not to provoke war by such
is
The London Daily Ne,os Of the 2Sth says IN
gard to the seizure of Mason and shde"
The remote consequences VIC shall not
tempt to predict. Enough for the present
nat it Is one which will make it the duty OF
ur government to insist on ample, com
lete and Immediate satisfaction Its wan
on folly bids us hope that Lieut. Fairfax
was acting without instructions, and that the
Cabinet will no sooner learn /
what has taken place in the Bahama Channel, +
than it will disavow the act, restore Mason
and SHdell. and tender the fullest apol-
ogy. Nothing short Of this reparahon can
be accepted Until there has been time
to receive news from Washington we must
consider that q seizure of passengers on
board the Trent was an act as much in excess
/ of duty as it was in violation of public law.
No government should know better than that
of the United States the line that separates
rights of belligerents and neutras respectively.
While this war lasts we must submit to have
our mercantile vessels stopped on the high
seas by both parties in search Of contraband
goods. Had Lieut.. Fairfax confined himself
to demanding MIR. Shdell's dispatches, and
taken them off, we must have acquiesced in
his visit as one of the di'agreeabe occurren-
ces incident to a voyage in the neighboThood
oil conteRding foes but the seizure stands
on a different footing. In the eyes of Mr..
Seward, Messrs. Slidell and Mason are
rebels in our eyes they are simply pas
sougers, and the Washington government may
rest assured that we shall no more permit
it to take rebels out of our vessels, thanYwe
should concede similar right TO Austria OF
Russia"
The dispatches Of the traitor commission
ers escaped the vigilance of the officers oil
! the San Jacinto, and safely arrived in the La
! Platte, in charge of gentleman Of the party
On arriving at Southampton the favorites Of
$ Slidel and Mason, With their suite, went on
e board the NashUMe, and the next day the dis
patches were taken to London.
= The Indignation on board the Trent was
t intense, and all the passengers were ready
I for a fight if the Captain wished 1t is also
stated that the Captain Of the Trent supplied
b stores to the San Jacinto for the sustenanct
e of Slidell and Mason.
II The London Star has this statement in re
n gard to the Mason and Sldell affair 18th,
e event has not been unanticipated. 1t wa
u expected TO have come off on this side Of thu
It Atlantic 1t is notorious that federal ship
y have left our own ports to watch for the mai
d steamer with the deliberate intention of takin,