The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1861-11-22
Highly Important from For
tress Monroe.
TAKEN FROM A BRITISH VESSEL
BY A U. S. NAVAL OFFICER.
Arrival Of the San JacintO.


rived from the coast of Africa, via the West
Indies, where she has been cruising for six
weeks.
Old Point was electrified by the tidings
that the San Jacinto had on board Messrs.
Slidell and Mason, who were going abroad
as Ministers of the Southern Confederacy.
Captain Wilkes reported the Jews at head
quarters in person, and will forward his dis
patch tonight.
Aspecial dispatch to the Tribune SAYS
Messrs. Mason and Slidell were aboard a
British mail steamer. Capt. Wilkes sent
aboard and demanded their surrender. The
reply was ''there is not force enough to take
them" Wilkes sent additional force and
put the San Jacinto in convenient position.
Slidell and Mason were then surrendered.
The English steamer took them on board,
not knowing who they were, their business
or destination.
Capt. Wilkes, it is understood, acted on
his own responsibility.
SlideIl had bis wife and four children
aboard, who were allowed to proceed to
Europe.
Com. Wilkes had an interview with Gen.
Wool and expressed the opinion that be did
right, and said that, right or wrong, these
men had to be secured, and if he had done
wrong be could only be cashiered for it.
ANOTHER ACCOUNT OF THE AFFAIR.
BosToN, Nov. 16, 1861.
Captain Hunter, of the steamer Delta,
from Bermuda, at Halifax, reports that
when be left Bermuda the British steamer
Fingal and the rebel steamerN ashviIle were
in port.
The Fingal had transferred her cargo of
arms to the Nashville, and the latter had
put Messrs Mason, Siidell and suite on
the Fingal, which would take them to
England, while the Nashville would run
the blockade with the arms The name of
the British vessel they were taken from has
not, as yet, been transferred. All the doc
uments and papers of Messrs. Slidell &
Mason were seized. Their families were al.
lowed to proceed. The Captain of the
British vessel delivered up Slidel and Ma
son under protest. This is the substance of
reports by passengers on an Old Point boat
FURTHER DETAILS OF THE CAPTURE OF
THE REBEL COMMISSIONERS.
Capt. Taylor, who arrived at Washing.
San Jacinto stopped at Cirlnfuegos, the
escape OF Slldell and Mason was ascertain
ed. Proceeding thence to HAVANA, it
was understood that they had taken passage
on the 9th on the British Mail Steamer,
Trent, plying between Vera Cruz by way
OF Havana and st. Thomas and Southamp
ton.
While the San Jacinto was in the north.
western part of the Bahama channel about
"a miles to the westward, she met the pack,
ct, and as usual 10 such cases, fired a shot
across her COWS and brought her to.
Two boats were sent to her under command
Of Lieut.. Fairfax, who, boarding the pack.
ct arrested Mason and Siideil, who were
personally known TO him.
They at first objected to being removed
without the employment of force for that
purpose. However, they were soon after
removed without further trouble, aud con.
veyed to the San Jacnto.
Their respective secretaries, Eustus and
McFarlane, were also brought on board,
aud are COW on their way to- New York.
The packet had no other, save her own
flag. The remainder of her passengers, in
GLIDING the ladies connected with the Slidell
and Mason party, were not mOlested, and
were therefore LETT tree to pursue Their jour.
ney.
The ofhcial dispatches are voiumnnous
and INCLUDE several accounts of the capture
together with protest of Sideil and Mason
against being taken from a British ship
THE SEIZURE OF MASON AND SLIDELL
JUST,FIrD BY TIE LAW OF NATIONS.
The National Iuteytgsncer of this morn
ing contains an elaborate article folly iusti
tying the capture OF Mason and SlidelI.
1t cites authortits to show that, under the
acknowledged law OF na:iOus, Captain
Wilkes Was auth rized to board the Eng
fish steamer and demand the delivery of
persons charged with rebellion against the
government. Il is believed here that this
article tOr,sbadOws the ground which viii.
be taken by the State Department on this
question,
A gentleman who has just arrived here
from Richmond, brings 200 letters from the
federal prisoners in that city, all ranked by
Congressman Ely.
The people OF Richmond are reported to
be III great alarm, and are exceedingly anx.
ious Tor the future. The rapid and heavy
P'"uo va VIC SOfStuucut icuC tutm W Ealu
tary reflection.
Col. Kerrigau's regiment having been
thoroughly weeded, is new in excellent con
diticn. IL OF its officers have been dis
missed
SEIZURE OF MASON AND SLIDELL.
There is increasing confidence in the en-.
tire correctness OF Captain Wilkes, act in
taking Sidell and Mason, and | am inform.
ed that Secretary Chase has expressed his
regret that Captain Wilkes did not seize
the vessel. Count De Gur-Owski is certai in
that Great Britain will take exceptions to
the act.
The Herdid's special correspondent
states that the President ard Cabinet are
quite elated over the arrest of Slidell and
Mason. The proposition is, il England de-
mands satisfaction, to dsavOw the act, and
say that Wilkes made the arrest on his own
esponsibility-apologise if necessary, and
frOwn at Wilkes.
Orders were sent this P. N. to convey Sen
ator Slidell and companions to Fort War
rem.