Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1861-12-17
The search OF the Tfent-The views
OF the RrItIsh AIInIsterIaI Organ.

The search OF the TFent-The views
> OF tho British MinIsterIal Organ.
tFrOm the London Morning Post, Nov, 2s)
The Government ofthe United States has
taken a step Of avery serious character.-
By its direction the captain of the war ship
San Jdeinto has stopped and boarded the
West India mail steamer Ttent, and has bY,
force of arms seized four of her passengers
who claimed the projection Of our flag
The account of this will be found in an
.Eother column. The facts are before the
Illegal advisers of the Crown, and upon their
4 decision US to the Legality of the proceed
ing will depend the action Of the Govern.
Il ment. -.s,-r., ,5.--.-
4 sItwould be therefore premature for us
to discuss the Consequences Of this impOr
tant event We may, however, observe that
A there can Be no doubt that Il is competent FIR,
the United States or any other 6eifigersnt
4 GoueFnnie1lt to slop any NaeyehdRtUlqn on NE
high seas, and 10 seize any soldiers, arms, dis
patches, or eoatrd6GRd oftcdr she may eonrey,
4 But the question is, eau belligeraut search
4 a merchSutman, and take out of her what
passengers be may be pleased 70 seize upon2
] The tilct of the Trent being a mail steamer
4 does not temoVe her from the simply COM
mercial class of ships.of-war and
transports being alone strictly sacred from
search. The point, therefore, to be deter
I mined ia the case ef tts Iifflt is simply
\ whether the British N overs her Passen-
/ sepgers, without distfnctiou of couu
\ try, SO long rs those passenger are not
/ military, nor clnssable nnder the definition
/ Of contrdbdHd Of toar. - "a.
| Our own opinion Is that the Federll
Government had legal right to stop the
4 Trent and to seize upon contraband Of war,
/ under which definition, We believe, dis
| patches belonging TO the enemy are in
i clude,l But no Saeh dispatcheS trere search
4 ed for, nor, indeed, did the Trent convey any.
4 -Four pas -engers only, tOho bore no ctEetak
/ character, were taken ont of the ship, We
4 think that this proceeding was NOT accord.
4 ing to International law. The opinion OF
the law officers will, however, very short
4 Is decide this question. ,4 4555 +
j five are right. the British Government
will clearly be entitled to reraration and
I apology, and no repdrdtion could be COM
pleie tgftholt The feStoTdtiCtl Of The O1SsengerS
I l.tdken from uRder our flag. II we are wrong,
ofconrse we shall have 70 submit 70 the
Flaw. But,we shall not the less keenly feel
Ian affroht Which must prove to us how lit
sIltlethe Federal Government appreciates the
courtesy, discretion, and generosity with
j which we have Invariably acted. j.
l.
Hand could really be no matter of great
ipmoment. Mr. Yancey has been here for
mouths could it matter 1t &r. Ma
SON had arrived safely? His presence was
not likely to effect the precise and settled
Il policy which We pnIsne. The insult, there
fore, in any case was most gratpttopsi and
lfG as 1rs hIlk, Il iCds lntodErdnted 6y H-
4 code Of hdiioHi Il toitl not only be desplgelt,
buf duly feseHted. 80
ECommentshbyt the New York Times
on the above. .ii -g,1-f
The Aorniny Posi- enjoys the reputation
II Of being, Mtnisteriali organ, Immediately
INSPIRED By Lord palmerston. To Its
columns other London Journals look for
Indications of Governmental policy and
its ANNOUNCEMENTS are accepted oy the
british public as entirely authentic and
authoritatiye. Its opinions, which are
6snaiiy withheld ,uattl less, oFaenlar, medi-
i nuas have had free speech, dlast be aerept-
sed as, more nearly representing those Of:
the cabinet thnn the ordinary current OF
editorial discussion running throngh the
4 British Press. Aud as the article which
4 we copy above from its columns appears
there in large type, the garb in which i is
accustomed to iuyest its more important
declarations, II becomes entitled to pecq-
\ liar respect Let us see, thesetore, hpY
the affair, of the Trent presents itseli,,et r =
frs. and imperfect glance, to the Govern
ment of Grept Britain sss.
Evideutly the earliest and most irritating
1 impression is made by the error. that Capt.
Wilkes was acting upon. direct ipstrIctiens l!
from the Government of the United States.
| The Post places this error ~ the ioFe-
ground Of its argument. lt Is assumed
that the search and seizure had been DE-
i lliberately' planned at ashington that the
San. Jaeinto was dispatehed on the qrrande d
I. from an American port, and that the feet.
/ in all If:soutrageous and insulting features
was directly the act of the American Go
ernmeut. The getty Of New York ear;
lried out the correction of this cardinal
mistake, The ruth that go tar from the
1 search having been proierte at washington,
the news was nowhere received with pro-
Founder surprise Ihaa itencountered there,
was doubtless known 10 Londou before the
\ Enropa sailed from Liverpool, and a sub
sequent arrival must have proved % me
conviction of the British Government and
people, that the act of Com. Wilkes was
Eohly approved 10 the United States Aftsr'iE,
was shpwnto hare been done on bis OWE
responsibtlity aud With every Fs5sryesi2n
! Sf respect aud observance toward the E1g1
ifIsh. ! And it is needless TO say, that these
I circumstances. which places, 80 difeFsHt