Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1861-12-31


! publican institutions, while contoundng the
| schemes of their enemies, will more than meet
the expectations OF their friends"
The Boston Daily Advertiser says:
! The secretary of state has undoubtedly
/ covered the retreat in the Mason and Slidell
case with mastery skill. Drawing from the
| weil-siocked armory OF our old arguments for
the rights of neutrals, he has readily found q
| weapon etfcctuai to parry the savage thrust
made at us by England. A casus beli he has
converted into an occasion Tor procuring the
settlement OF great question of International
law. We do not now inquire into the nature
OF the argument, by which he decided that to
be wrong which the ablest jurists have declared
TO be right and Ivy which he claims to pre-
serve national consistency in a surrender
when the capture itself had been well argued
| TO be consistent with theory and precedent
1t is perhaps enough for this aspect OF the
case to say that the grounds OF adjustment are
no doubt such as in the long run will be
satisfactory 10 this country, which ia mainly
interested in the liberal Interpretation of neu-
trail rights, and might hereafter be matter
for some regret to England, who has a cor
rtspondingly paramount interest in belligerent
rights,-if indeed that power ever hesitated
to exercise any right, for which might can
| furnish the law
The Providence Journal speaks as fol-
lows =
1T will be noticed that the president and
cabinet are unanimous in their decision. This
fact ought to have weight with all rght-mind-
ed citizens. They could have no object in
view but the good of the country. They are
in Il better position than we to view the ques
ton in all its bearings. They have more to
lose by false step than we. Yet they are
unanimous in their opinion Not only SO. So
| far as we have learned, tue pubcists of Eu-
| rope with few exceptions have decided against
| us on the legal question. The powerful gov
eminent Of France takes occasion to tell us
formally that she thinks England is entirely
right in her demands in this case. Nor
should it be forgotten that the rebels will be
more disappointed than any of our citizens
can be at the surrender Of the prisoners. For
their fond hope Of seeing us involved in war
with England fades away.
Many, we presume, who do not agree with
Mr.. Stewards reasoning, will yet be gratihed
that the cause OF difficulty with England is re-
moved. They feel that we can not afford to
have war with her now, that if we have to
contend with her must inevitably lose the
south. They prefer to settle our domestic
t.oubles before engaging foreign foe. While,
therefore, we expect to hear some loud remon-
strances against the decision OF the govern
ment, we think that a great majority of the
people will be satisfied.
AS we have met the demand of England so
fankly, we trust that our government will ask
the British government to rebuke their consul
at Havana, who sold the tickets for the passage
on the Trent to the rebel commissioners,
knowing full well their character and eIrand.
We hope, too, that the suggestion of Mr..
Seward respecting reyisal of the maritime
code and definite settlement Of questions
now open Will be needed by the European
powers.
The following paragraphs are from an edi
torial in the New York Evening POST
Few public documents have been read with
such eagerness as the correspondence publish
ed by US OH Saturday, relative TO the seizure
of Mason and Slidell on board the British
steamer Trent, closing with u settlement of
the dispute in which il involved us with Great
Britain. The public mind is sensby relieved
by tine ASS urance that the cloud of war, which
so many looked at with alarm, is over. blown.
The part OF the correspondence which was
conducted by Mr.. Seward is universally adj
mitted to be exceedingly able and ingenious,
and seems to be generally regarded as putting
the best face on the surrender of Mason and
Slidell Which the attendant circumstances will
admit. We must confess, however, that, clever
and ingenious as il is, we are not satisfied with
tile predicament in which it leaves u.s. In that
correspondence we. have asserted right which
we dare not put in practice. MIR. Seward
claims the right to stop and search neutral
vessels conveying the emissaries of rebels pro.
ceeding on their GRAND of treason to foreign
country. Great Britain tells Us in the dispatch
of Earl Russell that she will not permit this
to be done
tits clear, therefore, that our cruisers can
not NEEDLE with the English vessels in case
like that of the Trent without provoking a
Another atfpmut enforce what uufIl
now had been regarded as the law of nations
against British vessel with either contra
band wares or cUntraband passengers on
board, would bring the British navy upon our
coasts without any previous demand for re-
paration.
II we turn to the other great maritime
power of Europe-krance-for France has,
within a few years, become powerful on the
seas--we find ourselves met by the threat of a
quarrel with France if we interrupt her yes
| sells proceeding from one neutral port to
| another. "Modern international law" says
| the French minister of foreign affairs, allows
no such restrictions on the freedom If COM
| merce.' Modern international law teaches
that in cases like that of the steamer Trent,
| "the flag completely covers the persons and
| the merchandise it carries" Such is the
| French doctrine, and if we Go not respect
| it in our dealings with France we have war
| with that country on our hands at once. 1t is
| pretty certain that all the continental powers,
| small and great, which have any commerce by
sea, jealous they have always shown them
| selves of the exercise of the right of search,
| take the same view of the question that France
| has done, and that we should involve ourselves
| in serious quarrel with any OF them Should
| we attempt 10 interfere with their carrying
trade in the manner which, in this correspond
ence, we have claimed the right OF doing.
| That right is, therefore, a barren right, from
| which we can derive no possible advantage.
| While MIR. Stewards letter to Lord Lyons is
| elaborate and vouminous the English part of
! the correspondence is SO drawn up as to imply
that the case is not one for argument or nego-
! tiation Earl RusselPs dispatch is couched in
| the briefest possible terms, and the demand of
"wbat will alone satisfy the British nation" is
| made in such manner as to imply that he
wants nothing else. The note of Lord Lyons
in reply to Mr.. Stewards long letter initiates
the laconsm OF his principal, There is no no.
tice taken of MIR. Stewards arguments, there is
no expression of satisfaction that an ugly af-
fair has been settled. No mastiff ever carried
off from his antagonist the bone that BE has
| growled for, with less ceremony.
MASON, SLIDELL, &c.-The Boston Trav-
eller states that the Niagara will leave Boston
to-day or to morrow, for Liverpool carrying
Mason and Slidell, and that this is in conse.
| T