, 1861-11-20

q rnNEspAr, NOVEMBER 20. 1861.


" El5NEG0AAs AsN ~ -
mAson AND sEEDHLL AGAxR.
Mile we do net doubt our right, &C
..: ding to the law Of nations, TO seize the
!. ',cl dispatches and their bearers, Slidan
!. Mason, On beard the British packet
s :mcr Trent, We warn our readers that
t.. case will not be concluded Without
IL. stance on, the part Of the British e.os"
+. .mcnt. to the application OF the DOCTRINES
~ .ich English jurisss and courts OF aam'-
,Ny have laid down. Whether the re-
81 tance will be confined to diplomatic
1,otest, and a series Of irritating letters,
t,r whether she will demand the punish
ment Of Commodore Wilkes and the sur
render Of Mason and Slidell, we canaot
vt determine. We explained, yesterday,
that the situation Of the Ministry will be
exceedingly embarrassing. There is
party in England, BY no means small or
unimportant, which desires nothing so
much as the humiliation or destruction Of
the Republic; and the clamors which it
will set up over the pretended violation of
!;hat it will call established maritime
rights, will net be cheaply nor easily 81
1er.ced. The indications already afforded
1s7 portiou Of the Canadian press, are
sufficient premonition Of the senseless rage
:n1 fury that will animate its organs and
insy,ire its orators. They will be ready,
su.a is their hatred Of al that is
democratic, to disregard usage, forget
authority and invoke only the
Jaw Of force; and so numerous
and Influential are they that the Ministry
which is :ble 10 resist their appeals to the
pcpulace, must be strong indeed. We
doubt not that the legal learning and the
conservative opinion Of England will, on
a full examination Of the case, be ready, If
ct to completely justify our act, at least
10 put it in the category Of questionable
.Aiags, the prorriety Of which, as
!: rule and precedent, is to be
determined by treaty or convention
hereafter. But the British Government
dtrcuds as much apon popular opinion Us
cur own; and in England as we'll as IN
America, the parry which first resorts to
the sYo,d fnr the arh:tramen. ef strife, is
That which is almost sure to win. Id to
1le cause hinted at above, the belief, sure
10 be inculcatcd, that & WIT With the Unit
ed States will open the ports Of the South
AID secure q supply Of Gotten, tor which
:L1cc n4illiens Of operatives suffer, and
.per q market among eight millions Of
mon who manufacture nothing for them
scIy,z, and We Lave reasons enough to
n;akc US apprehcnsive that VIC shall not
tscarc ,he host;iisies which the Canadian
press already threatens.
In this emergency we cannot afford to
Go v1cag; least Ct ali can we afford to
f*llow wrong-doieg by brayado and gas
co3sde, to which. unfortunately, Ameri-
newsraps:s are addicted. The matter il
dispute il, If 1ot outside the domain
otjournali:*m, one the amicable arrange
n4en. Of which will rot be hastcneu by TIL
discussions which it will be likely to re
celve. The case belongs to lawyers Of tn
!roadest and mcst comprehensive learn
s1:g il lie principles and precedents Of til
international code; and to them and til
Cabinet it should be left. Tt
: danger is not that wise men in Grea
Britain ard the United States will invu1v
he TWO countries in needless and IL
st1uc:iye strife, but that their tlesireto cfe<
d settlement Of TIE matter in dispute, npo
the basis which sl nations recognize 6
Fair and just, will be tLwartel by the pa
s!en aud prejudice, the appeals to nation:
pride, the needless aa0 criminal bravad
ald the calling tarnts in which newspaper
ignorant Of the principles which resula
the comfy Of nations, are always tempte
to indulge. Our Government, If We b
1!evc it competent to protect the commt
interest and line national honor, must Il
be embarrassed by outside pressure CO.
pelInS it 10 this course or that. II on {
examination Of the authority upon viii,
Commodore sVilkes's act is supposed
rest, it is found uuttnable and bad, ]
clamer for braying out the wrong mu
prevent the Government from maxi!
apology and restitution; and if it pro
hat the officer did not exceed his du
and that his seizure is justified by law q
precedent, let nothing interfere with
prompt maintenance Of cur rights by
item cans that nations may use. We
ieye that our cause is in good hands; a
that however it may be determined,
national honor will not be taruish
With thai We are content,