The New York herald., 1861-12-30
BANQUET TO u0M. WILLIAMS, OF THE TRENT.
Very Graphic Account OF the Seizure OF
Mason and sliden by Mail Officer Will
From She london Post. Dec. 14.l

-
Al interesting meeting holden on Thursday even
ng a the Royal Western Yacht Club of England, at Mill
bay, Plymouth. Commander Williams, r. NJ, who was
the mail agent on board tho royal mail steamer Trent
when she was stopped by the federal war steamer san
Jacinso and Messs, sde and Mason, the Confctarate
Commissioners taken from her. Is member Of the Royal
Western Yacht Club When Il became known bow ably
he bad acted ha, trying occasion OF his brother
members thought would be well to entertain the gallant
ncer ~ dinner at the club his return to his home az
Stoke, 1pvonport. No sooner the suggestion made
than was adopted, and very quite many names
accommodate. Commander Williams having accepted
the invitation the dinner was fixed for Thursday IL
took place In the club dining reo and was attended by
The Ci.nMay-rhs next toast which ] have tho
pleasure Of proposing to you s health Of our gallant
and worthy guest, Commander Williams -(grcat cheer
ng}--who has kindly accepted the invitation Of the
members and subscribers Of the Royal Western Yacht
Club, who were desirous Of inviting him to dinner as
mark II their admiration Of his conduct the occasion
Of the late insult offered TO the British flag board Of
the royal mail steamship Trent (applause)
Tho toast drunk in the most tatcrng manner, the
company giving cheer after cheer.
Commander WILyAAs who upon rising was received
with enthusiastic applause which was again and again
renewed, sad:Mr. Chairman, Mr.. Vice chairmcn, gon-
emen and brother members of this the Royal Western
Yacht Club. II is not with the feelings of arrogance
and presumption which Hr Fairfax has thought proper
20 mpate to mo that will now endeavor, we'll as
severe lin will permit mo, TO convey TO your minds
the deeply seated gratitude that feel not only to the
chairman for the complimentary language and too partial
language used by him, whom have found for the
last four or ave years kind and conserate friend but
mas been received by you-you, many OF whom are old
md tried friends Of mine, and many whose faces have
never met before. Therefore take it TO be not so much
personal matter but national matter(hear hear)-
that you have taken this opportunity OF throwing around
my shoulders the mantle Of your appreciation Renewed
appiause Gentlemen If fail TO convey to you-if fail
TO convey to you from the poverty u my language the
throbbngs that swell up from the well Of my heart beg
you to believe that am sincere in all that shall say
(Bravo and hear hear This compliment never look
ea for BY me- tNc believe H. Williams. will endeavor
to be as little cgotfca as possible but in the present
instance IL may be necessary that should speak in
measure OF self III consequence Of what has been said
about mo in the New York papers, and which has been
referred TO by Punch. The New York papers have
thought proper to aluGe 10 me n nwarraned language
and which fear has been counenanced by Mr. Fairfax
Before say one word about Mr.. Fairfax, or the pro
cecdings which took place board The Trent which,
perhaps, you would liko to hear from my own lips
C'We should " aud applause )and the manner in which
the Trent was boardcdI your Indulgence TO allow
me to refer to notes. am not 4 pracisod speaker I
have never had to speak any occasion like the present.
and, therefore, must crave your indulgence to allow
to refer TO notes which have this day made from
tracts taken from different papers, in order that might
not omit any portion Of such evidence should wish
lay beforoyou throw myself on your Indulgence tHear
hear and Cheers believe, NJ all events, that have On
my side truth and power. To nce you OF that truth
cannot give you the chapter and these extracts
that am going read to you, because have neither
had time nor Lave had the heath 20 put myself to the
task OF tkiagany notes of the particulars Of the dates
in such papers CLEAR, hear But read ia the press
the opinions Of the Americans mean the Northern
portion Of the union the federal states In audng to
the attack the Trent il sayssJr the itself is JUS
tNaue the, manner III winch II was performed IS
ceptionabe." (Oh! and dersive laughtcr) AS to the
man aer IN which IL was performed was, at the time
Captain Moir came 10 to say that suspicious vessel
was ahead, on the main deck, with pipe IN
my mouth reading the ''Essays and Reylews.n ] did
not then think FOL moment that such atrocous
thing would have been done as that which was enacted
by gallant officers the San acnto To take as prison
OF war, contrary and violation of interna tiona
law the sostyled Commissioners from The Confederate
States The argument that appeared presented itself
TO my mind-the argument Of the moment-as flash Of
lightning was that if slave, fugitive slave, once sue
ceeds III putting hs foot u free Stateputting aside
Great hritanthat that slave from that moment was
free from his bondage. tEnthusiastc chceriug) The
manner in which II 10 performed s "unexcep nablc.o
Shortly after tho San Jacino seen, very few mi
nutes after tho vessel deserted, hosted en-
sign. II was not responded TO- AS approached the
san jacnto shot fred across our bows. Iaypoal
to you now-ta you oa.ccrs af the army and navy
Is II usual for neHtral power, when wishing to
speak with another vessel 10 ire shot across her
bows to order her TO heave tor mo, certainly
We proceeded slowly. We put her helm stai board
and approached her. We were not half cables
length from her would say she stopped-except that
she had s'oerage way-when shcii was fred across
her bows {shamc) )aGa that IS the way which It has
been thought proper - style as nncxcepiion bic ron
ical lauEhter.) mal them present OF that (Hcar
hear and langher) Captain Wilkes says.'In the pro
Of arrest he glad to say everything conduct
Ell properly and nothing occurred which did honor
to the American navy" {Oh oh) will not dilatc up.
on that. II they thak that honor, let them hug it to
their souls bnt God forbid that her Britannia Maesty's
navy should hug honor such act to their soals
(Bravo and repeated applause) Now, gentlemen / mp.
poach subject with great didence, for il personally
AiteCS loBoT, IL personally uUcCtS my character.
(Hear hcar Before say word regarding the notes
which have before ipe, viii tell you the manuer in
which sIr. Fairfax and paried. Gtear) Mr.. Farfax
the main deck, hat in hand, and sail -ssr,
have painful duty 10 eriorm an il in o eSctemrl
Of the moment have said aught that IS possblity"-t
can't say this is word by word what be sad but he
sutsta1cc--(bear and slhate al We wat t--.if Aavo
saiI a1r That ~ possibility be construed Il er.
sona oLopre an lasu owards you, aa. haubly beg
your parton ~, far never meant ~ lreplicd, sNr
Fairfax nave Lad pent'i 10 witness scene II
dsgraiatjon g ny country dag fiear, hesr) 10
mn thele is my hand, sir. and your forgive
ne ~ lAppause) J ask you now, gentlemen, that
Nj Fairfaxl do not say that no has said so-but cay
he las cpnntonancei u n he American papers hc has
count,nanccd the exp esston, "Gasconn,Aer." (Loul
cries, "Davo they dar.a and shame, shame)
He, Mr. Fatfsax says "that my manner was SO
violent he compelled to request Captain Moir
to' remove me from the deck'-(oh oh)--and
"that there was no union existing between Cap
tain NOR and myself Gentlemen, utterly deny
that there occurred one single instance Of want Of
unity between Captain NOR and mysclf--(bravo, and
That's refutaion and am proud TO have this op-
portuny OF saying that boar testimony 10 the high
sailor the most urhane gentleman, with all the courte
sizes Of life TO cndear him TO those with whom he
ciatei has ever been my lot 10 meet in this world
(icpeaed cheers.) confess that have been advised
10 speak az no length on account OF health. But
moi hep it, lei the consequences be What they may.
Hear hearl must explain to You what has never vet
appeared in the pubic papers. (ear hear) IL said
by the American papersbut cannot put my hand
nov, though have real it over and agan--it
strgctons from his government at Washington FOR that
he On his retnn from The Western Coast or Africa,
vending his way through the Bahama Channel
10 New York. What do you Think | do not
know whether 1t has before your notice all but
what do you believer How will you put in tho
veraeity Of such men who viii write such things when
on the 10Th Of October the San Jacnto off st.
Thonasy cannot remember now whether IL on the
night of the 10th on the mernng Of the nth.
on my way 10 Mexico, going to Havana, Vera Cruz
Tampico. On my return to Havana, the 9th OF No.
venber found that the sun Jacinto had been to Havana
ST. Thomas that she had coaed there and that two
of her picers passing themselves OH SOucsners IN
their hearts had lunched with Mr. Sde and family and
extracted from them their intended movements (sensa
tun Hear, hear; and THAT out before,
'Bravo') again say that going approach
subject with great didencc am going speak OF Mrs
Sidc ard her daughters (iear hear, and "Cheers for
them tell you sir, that Mas Slide branded the
officers TO his face with hs nfsmy having been her
father gues.not ten days before ('Disgracenln and
Bravo for Miss sGsl No words of mine shall pass
my ps political point have political feelings
do as am ordered Mr. Fairfax denied that the marines
made rush towards Miss Siidcif at the charge with
Bxed bayonets. / believe when lay my hand my
heart (suiing the action the world and say hope
for mercyin the day Of judgment, IT is true that
they did So (liear, hear) Miss slidcll---and no
girl n this world has been panied al
the mention OF her name in tine public papers than
she has been by the manner in which per
have alluded 70 IL not panied by their having stated
the IN which she acted--fcheers) but of
the public papers described bor having slapped Mr.
Fairfax's face (Cries Of "Serve him right if
she did, and "Bravo.'O She did strike Mr.. Eairfcs.
,f.n ha~a .gS.f.