Arkansas true Democrat., 1861-12-12
The Capture of Aaas)A aAG Sildejl.

orders of the national government, It re- mains to inquire int, the grounds by which this proceeding k justified in the light o international law for, however eXpedlent may seem the success gained by the arrest and detention of the Contedriate repre>en- tatives, whether regarded in point of pollt- ical or military strategy, 1t would be dear " purchased at the cost of single primer pie of that public morality whose rules govern, or should govern, the conduct ot civilized and Christian States Tn thelr mu- tual intercourse in peace and war.
 Those, therefore, who are not already familiar with the principles involved Tn the proceeding of Capt. Wilkes, will learn with interest that it is fully justified by the rules of international law, as those rules have been..expounded by the most illustri- ous British iurists and compiled by the most approved writers on the law of na- tions. So far from having transcended the powers with which he was clothed by that code. Capt Wilkes did not exhaust the iull measure of his authority, for he not only hat an undoubted right to arrest these ambassadors' of the Confederate govern ment on their passage to Europe, but might have justly captured the vessel on which they were found, and brought her into port to be condemned as lawful prize.
 The points Of public law involved in the case, and on which it turns, are as follows:
 l. The right of visiting and searching merchants ships on the high seas, whatev- CT be the ships, their carroes, or their des- tination, is an incontesuOle right of the lawfully commissioned cruisers of bellig erent nation. Being a purely belligerent right, essential to the capture of enemy's property and the discovery of contrabanda of war on board of neutral vessels, 1t Is, from it's very natare and definition in com potent to astate of peace, but accrues to each belligerent on the outbreak of war
 }. To engage in the transportation of military persons, bearers of dispatches, and dispatches themselves, is of the same nature with he carrying of contiaband goods and a vessel SO engaged in the service of one bel igerent IS suDIecJ 10 capture ana cohnSca- ton by the other.
 3. A beIigerent may lawfully arrest an am bassador of the adverse belllgeIent' Il 1 founl at seq in a neutral vessel on hls pas sege and therefore before he has arrived in i the neutral country, or has assumed the functions of his office near the government to which he is accredited. But, when h. ficiaI reat '. ion n-'; T.; been adnitteI ln hlS "f 'esentarive and intel li.ationaI elli.ractcr r | I. The fact that the voyage Is made tC neutral port does not change the lesa | character of the tran action, where c0ntGa band of war-including of course miItar, persons dispatches, and their bearers-i, 1 found on neutral vessel
 These principles are believed to cover completely the case presented by the cap ture of MessrS Mason and SlideIl
 A letter from w. -L:"Sron to the New York u~'aId says:
 The Trent belongs to a private company and plies between Vera Cruz. Havana and 1 St. Thomas. She had no pennant flying 1 when boarded. She is merchant vessel, carrying the British mails, which arc usual ly, as in this case, in charge of some retir ed British officer and mail agent. No re- sistance was made by the prisoners, nor any protest offered by the officers of the Trent, but the arrest produced great con- sternation among the families and at ten dants of the prisoners.
 No action has yet been taken by Lord Lyon on the subject of the arrest of Mason and Slidell on board of a British vessel He has no official information to act upon yet. It IS stated that the Spanish minister was quite indignant when he heard of the arrest of the arch traitors, and is reported to have expressed the hope that the vessel from which they were taken was Spanish ship, in which event Spain wouh immedi- ateIy declare war against the United States
 Speaking of the incidents that transpired, when the arrests were made, the Washing. ton correspondent of the Philadelphia Press writes;
 When about forty miles off Matanzas, in the oid Bahama channel, the Trent hove in sight, and the two vessels were soon within hailing distance. Com. Wilkes sent shot across the bows of the Trent To this my attention was paid, when another was directed near the bow. This brought the steamer to. Lieutenant Fair fax to whom both of the Confederate pas sengers were personally known, was sent on board in boat supported with two more boats, filled with marines, Lieut. Fairfax went on deck and called for Messrs. Slidell and Mason, who soon appeared Lieut.. Fairfax politely informed them of the objects of his mission, and asked them to go on board his boat. To this they ob jected, Mason remarking that they had paid their passage to Europe, othe British Consul at Havana, (who acts as agert ft r the mail steamship line, )and he would not leave without force Lieut. Fairfax point ing to his marines drawn mp on the decks of the British steamer said: " You see, sir, have the force, if that is what you reouire!" "Then you must use it.' re- piled Mason. With this Lieut.. Fairfax placed his hand upon the Senator should CT and pressed him to the gangway. At this iunrture the passengers rushed forward, somewhat excited, and attempted to inter fere The marines immediately showed their bayonets, and Mason consented to the decision of Lieut.. Fairfax. asking that he might be permitted to make his protest in