New-York daily tribune., 1861-12-30
EARL RUSSELL TO LORD LYONS,
Surrender Of MasOn and Slidell
Demanded.
Rs0LY OF SECRETARY SEWARD.
MASON kND StIDElL GIVEN TP,
AfT. Se,sord 10 Mr. Adams.
DsrAkT.ESr oY sIArsy

hir. Se,'ord 70 Mr. Adams,
Dsr.syS2ss NIT ,Ss1as' Ss ss.TsS X, " rsa}
ceAs,Ys TSAScIs ApIyt 80, d. Sr.
Sn,: Year eorteet,tihl sole OF The 18th OF Noyem.
her, not marked &c N akpateh, has been submitted
@ the President and hasten to, reply TO IN tune
Cor tie Wsdnesday's u'ail.
Nc Ministef ever spoke or 3ctea more wisely, In
sriss Which excited deep pushc soiicitude than you
dis OIL che occasion Of he Lord Mayors tioner.
We are impressed very tAvorably by Lord Palmer
PsonA eoDVsrs ii with you. You spoke the simlt
fact VIXEN you teo him that the life Of this iosarrec
den is snsinsd by its hopes Of recoeI ion 10 Great
Bfsain and IN France. Ii would perish Ia ninety
Zys'if those hopes s5eald cease. have never for
xcuisnt believed that egch recognition could take
,lace wibou; producing Immediately war bs, ween
abe United state aud AL tle oSog'izing Powers.
tave not Supposed ii possible that tGe Bfitsn Gov
'srsneGt ocald fail 10 See this and al the rsDe tine
i have sincercly BELIEVED tie British GoyeIDmeut
nnst in iis limos, heart, be rs svesse from saeb
war as L know tiis GoyerrEent Is.
| am sure tbtt this GoSefDlnent han carefully
ayoi6ed giving any cARfe Of otirise OF i7i;aion 70
Great Britain. Bat 1t las seemed 10 ne tlai tie
British Government has eco insttentive TO the cur
rents that seesed TO DO bringing the two countries
Into collision
Infer frcTr I,erd Pslmersioas remark, thai the
Eritsh Government il now awake to The impoIisnce
OF ayer,ing pos iDe conflict, aud GsPosed 10 confer
and act wiih esgLestress TO tbat end i 20, we are
disposed 10 net thesi lii the spirit, as naton
chiefly OF Bit sh lineage, sentiments, aud sympa-
thies a civilized and hueaaHe nation, q Christian
people. ,.,,
Sinee that conversation was bsld, Capt. Wilkes
In the sesuer San Jacnto, has bearded Bnilsn
eooni4l steamer, and taken from her deck two In
surgeats who were proceeding TO Eurcpe On an er'
rand OF treason against thslr own country ms Is
anew Incident, unknown TO, and Unforeseen, AZ ieasi
In It's e;rcums nces by Lord PaiInerson. IL is to
be net ard disposed Of by tie two Governments, II
possible ia the spirit 10 which | have adveT1ed.
Lord Il ons has psu6enlly retained from orenlng
the snbiect to me- az presume waiting instruc ios
from bone We have done nothing on tue sub
feet to anticipate the dscussioni and we have
DO. furnished you with any eApknauGn..
We adhere to that course now, because We LLlnk
more oru6eat thai the ground taken by the BIiIish
Cove, ,nuent thond he first made known 10 VI here,
and that the diseussioo. If there must he one, al
be bad here. IL is proper, however, that you should
know one fact In the case, without indicating iha
We attach Importance to IT, nauely, that III the cap
tare of Aiessrs. Msson and Sldeil on board Dnhst
vessel, Capt. Wilkes having acted without any In
etrueiois Iom tie Government, the subject is there
fore free from tie embarrassment which might hav
resulted II the act rad be specially directed by us
l trust that the British Government viii contide
<he subject in friendly temper aud it may exIec
she best disposition Oh tie psrs Of his Government
Although tLis is d col ufdeuiisl note, shall no
object 10 your reading ii to Earl Russell and Lore
PslmerstoI If you deem II eypediebt.
WILLIAM Ii. SEWARD.
Esrl Russell 10 Lord LIONS.
IA. Lo,d LYess, r. C. h. DC Sg.' 8r ~ '''''
MY LORD: Intelligence If q very grave nature has
seached her Maiestys Government.
Ttis intelligence was conveyed officially TO the
knowledge OF the AoHigalty by Commander VIII
hams, agent for mails board the eoDtractstesmer
Trent.
Itappears from the letter Of Commander Williams
dated % Royal Mail Ceutrae. Packet Trent, at sea,
Nov. 9, that tie Trent lett Havana on the 7tb inst.
with her Majesty's mss for England, having on
board numeroos passengers. Com Williams states
that, shortly after tho ,h. steamer having
che appearance OF 8 uIan-oi-wsr, but not showing
e0lors, was observed ahead. On nearing her at rs
p. u. she 6feo a round sbo: from her pivot-gan
across the bows Of the Trent, and showed American
colors. Willie the Trent wss approaching her slowly,
the American vessel discharged q shell the
bows of tho Trent, exploding half cables length
ahead Of heg.
The Trent then stopped, and sn officer with large
armed guard Of marines boarded her. The officer
demanded list OF the passengers, and comp paiaace
with this demand being refused. .be officer s1d be had
ordefs.o arrest neesrs. Uason Saidel McFarlsne and
Eusiis AID that be had Information Of their being
passengers in tbs Trent While some parley was go
ing upon tbS matter, Mr.. Sidell stepped forward
and told the American officer that the four persons
he had named we're standing before lin. The COM
Erancer Of the Trent and Commander Williams pro-
teeted against the act Of taking. by force ont OF the
Trent four passengers then under the protec-
<on of the Britisa flag. But the San Jacinto at
chat time only 200 yards from the Trent, her ship
company at quarters, her ports open and tonpions out
Resistance was, therefore, out Of the question
and the four Reptemen before named were foicibly
4sken out Of the slip. further demand was made
chat the commander of the Trent elond proceed on
board the Gan Jscinto, but he said be would not 20
nEless forcibly compelled Likewise, and this demand
Was not insisted upsn.
IL thus appears that certain individuals have been
forsibly taken from board British vessel, the
chip Of neutral power, while such vessel pur-
s,,ing lawful aud Innocent voyage, act Of vio-
hence which Was an afr0nt te the B.i.ish flag and
violation OF International law.
Her Majetty's Government, bearing In mind the |
Eiendy relations which have leng subsIsted between
Great Britain aud the United Staes are willing to |
mnted the aggression WAS not acting In compliance |
wi'h any authority from lis Government, that II
Ne conceived hmseR TO be authorized, he greatly
msnnoefstosd the nstrucGons which he had re-
ceived.
For the Government Of the United States must be
ieny aware tL'st the Biitial Government could not
aiow sach an shront 20 the national honor 10 pass
without au IeBarsiion, and her Msjestys Govern
meni are UNIV ig TO believe that il could be the de-
hberate intention Of the Government of the United
States unnecessarily 70 force into Discussion between
the tHo Governments question of 10 grave q char
scter, and With regard TO which the whole British
nation would be sure 10 entertain sach ufIapmIty of
feeling. Her Majesty Government therefore, trust
that, when this matter shall have been brought under
che confederation of the Government of the United
States, that Government will, of its own accord,
efes 70 the British Government such redress alone
could satisfy The British nation namely:
The liberation oil tbe four gentlemen, and their
delivery TO your l0rdslip, III order that they may
again be placed under British protection and suit
uitisd
Should these terms not be offered by Mr.. Seward,