The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1861-12-19
Mason and Siideil...BritishN Neutrality.

Mason and siideli-..British Neutrality.
Though they had not heard in England
when the steamer Africa left, of the ar.
res, of Mason and Slidell, events were
preparing the public mind for discus,
sion of that intelligence when they
should receive it. The James Adger
was supposed to have been on the watch
for the English mail packet La Plata, on
board which vessel the rebel emissaries
were reported to have taken passage, -
According to The Scotsman, whose sr,i-
Gle We copy in another column, there had
been some communication on the hjcct
between her Majesty's Government and
the Uui'ed States minister, Mr.. Adams.
and the latter had denied all knowledge
of any orders from our Government for
the seizure Of the rebel agents. But the
same paper further says, apparently up.
on authority, that the case had been laid
before the law officers of the crown, who
had in,imatcd that the seizure Of Brit.
ish vessel. even in British waters, would
be justitiable, il it could be proved that
she Ind on bonrd the emissurics and tl's.
patckes of the enemies Of the United
States Government. If tbs be true We
may dismiss all anxiety as TO any trouble
arising from the act of Capt, Wilkes -
lie proceeded upon knowledge of the no,
torieus fact of the public character Of
the persons he took from the Trent, and
Of their presence on board of that vessel
II the question whether Mason and S!i.
dell were the ambassadors of the rebel
States should tc raised, it hiss been set,
tied by the admission of JEFF Davis in
his message to the rebel Congress.
Indeed the possibility that the james
Adger might have captured the British
packet for carrying con,rabands, evidcn:
ly attracted less attention in England
than whether We had not right to com.
plain of the violation of the proclamation
Of neutrality by the landing at South
ampton of the crew Of the Harry Bircl
from the confederate steamship Nash
vile. The burning Of The Harvey Birch
is very generally denounced as wanton
act of destruction Of prep .rty, and of
cruelty to unarmed and peaceful marri-
ners, and it is even suggested that the
captain Of the Nashville be arrested and
handed over to the custody Of the Amer.
ican Consul, unless lie can show some
more authority for exercising the right
Of a privatecr than the mere fact that she
sails under the confederate flag. Even
the London Times, which never wants
! for boldncss in defending its southern
frieuds, feels that the right Of landing
prisoners in England is questionable
one, and endcayors by an elaborate dis
! cussion Of the subject, to show that there
has been no violation of neutrality. |,
admits that had The Nashville brought in
the Harvey Birch as prize, it would
have been the duty of tic Government
to refuse her admittancc into British
port; tu. as shc did not do this, the Go.
she had on board the crew Of the vsscl
she had burned 1t is not Il: all likely,
the Times persuades itself, thoug!. it may
hope to convince its readers BY such fall
lacious reasoning; for ii a vessel cf Ell
ther of the be!Iisereu's may land persons
taken from Il captured ship, without q
violation Of the proclamation of neutral
ity, because the government is not bound
to recognize anything, unless it be tow
ed alongside or as,cru, why may not the
same principle apply to goods? Had the
Harvey Birch had on board cargo Of
French silks, which the captain Of the
confederate steamer appropriated to HIM
self, aud if he should propose to land a
portion of them, as a little venture OF
his own, at Southampton, would not tie
British authorities be disposed to ak how
he came by them? If not, then all that
privatecrs have to do in the future who
wish to sell goods in English Iorts, is to
be careful to dispose Of the vessel from
which they were taken, and stow :hem
away in their own holds. England will
l,k no questions unless she sees cap
tured V s>el in the wake of her cap'or. -
If the ground is tenable in regard to per
sons, it is in regard to merchandise, Cor
persons arc very often a more valuable
acquisition to an enemy than goods, and
DI knc otbcT ~ oitAh
that to get rid Of prisoners might be a
much more valuable privilege than that
Of landing goods. The Times would GER
,aiuly have not entered upon defense
of this righ, of conf, dcra,c steamer had
it not seen that the United States had
good ground Of cou plant against the
British Governn ent for permitting vi
olation Of its assumed neutrality by ou,
inemies, and that necessity existed OF
getting up false issue on behalf Of that
journal At any rate, the supposi'ion,
which seems general in England, that We
have a grievance in this matter, and the
dis ,ussion Of the question whether per
sons are contrabaDds of war, is an excel
lent preparation for the reception of the
intelligence that Mason and SliGell hac
been taken from British vcssel.-A
Y 7rtL.
{" Brother Against BrOther."