Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1861-12-21
w. d. wALLACH.
GENERAL SCOTS LETTER ON THE
AMERICAN DIFFICULTY.

q, ~. ObAh OH 1 ou were r1gnt In doubling
the declaration imputed to me, to wit: that the
Cabinet at Washington had given orders 70
seize Messrs. Mason and SlideIl even under
neutral nag; for was not even aware that the
6oyernment had had that point under copsid-
Grafton. At the time Of my leaving New York
II was not known that the San Jacinto had re-
turned to the American seas; and 1t was gem
srsIy supposed those persons had escaped to
Cuba for the purpose Of re-embarkine In the
Nashville, in pursuit of which vessel the Jas
A9ger and other cruisers had been dispatched
think can satisfy you in few words that
you nave no serious occasion to feel concerned
about our relations with England, If, as her
rulers profess, she has no disposition to encour-
age the dissensions in America.
In the first place 1t is almost superauous 10
say TO you that every instinct of prudence "a
well as Of good neighborhood prompts eur Gov
eminent to regard no honorable sacrifice too
great for the preservation Of the friendsbip of
Great Britain. This must be obvious ts all the
world. At no period Of our history has her
friendship been of more Importance to oar
People-at no period has our Government been
In condition to make greater copcessions 10
preserve 1t. The two nations are united by
interests and sympathies-commercial social,
Ponucai and religious-almost as the two arms
70 one body, and no one Is so ignorant as not
10 know that what harms one must harm the
other In corresponding degree
am persuaded that the British g Goyernmsnt
can entertain no doubt upon this point; but If
t.does, feel that may take It uoon myself
20 say the President Of the United States. when
made aware OF its existence, will lose no on.
portunity Of dispelling 1t.
NOR is there anything, / venture to affirm,
an the seizure OF these rebel emissaries which
ought TO receive an unfriendly construction
from England. Her statesme en- will not oues.
ten the legal right Of an American yesssi.of.
war 70 search any commercial vessel Justly
suspected OF transporting contrabsnd of war:
tnat night has never been surrendered by Eng.
Iano IL was even guaranteed 70 her by the
treaty OF Parls, and British guns frowning
down upon nearly every strait and inland sea
upon the globe, are conclusive evidence that
she regards this right as one the efficacy Of
winch may be not yet entirely extinguished
VI course there Is much that is irritating and
vexat1ous in the exercise Of this right under the
most favorable circumstances, and il is To be
noPed the day Is not far distant when the ma
rltlme States Of the world will agree In placing
neutral commerce beyond the reach of suc6
vexations. The United States government has
been striving to this end for more than fifty
years; to this end, early in the present century.
and In its infancy as a nation, il embarked in
a war with the greatest naval power in the
world, and 1t IS even now persistent suitor at
every maritime court in Europe for a more
I1oeral recognition Of the rights Of neutraIs
than any Of the other great maritime nations
have yet been disposed to make But till
tnose rights are secured by proper interpa-
uonal guarantees, upon a comprehensive and
enduring basis, Of course England cannot COM
plain Of an act for which in all its material
bearings her own naval history affords such
numerous precedents.
Whether the capuyes from Trent wer o
contraband of war or not, is question which
the two governments can have no serious diff
Guilty in agreeing upon. If Mr.. Seward can
s. Ea- 10 81 a.
no doubt Earl Russell will be able to satisfy Mr.
Seward that they were not: If they were, as
all authorities concur in admitting agents of
the rebellion, Ii will be difficult to satisfy i'm
partial minds that they were any less contra
band than file Of rebel soldiers or 3 battery
Of hostile cannon.
But even should there be q difference of
opinion upon this point, it Is very clear that
our government had sufficient grounds for pre-
suming itself in the right to escape the suspi-
cion Of having uantonly violated the relations
of am'ty which the two countries profess q de-
sire 20 preserve and cultivate.
The pretsnce that We ought to have taken the
Trent into pert, and had her condemned by
prize court, in order to justify our seizure Of
her passengers, furnishes q very narrow basis
on which 70 fx q serious controversy between
two great nations. Stated in other words an
ofsnss would have been less if 1t had been
greater. The wrong done to the British flag
seiIing the four rebels, We had seized the ship,
detained all her passengers for weeks, and con-
fscated her cargo. I am not surprised that
Capt. Wilkes took different view Of his duty,
and Of what was due to the friendly relations
which subsisted between the two governments
The renowned common sense Of the English
people. believe, will approve Of his effort to
make the discharge Of q very unpleasant duty
a. little vexatious as possible to all innocent
parties.
III, under these circumstances, England
should deem 1t her duty, in the interest Of civ
iliEation, 10 insist upon the restoration Of the
men taken from under the protection Of her
flag, 1t will be from q conviction, without doubt,
that the law Of nations In regard to the rights
of neutrals, which she has taken the leading
part in establishing, requires revision, and
with q suitable disposition on her part to es-
tablish those rights upon q Just, humane and
philosophic basis. Indeed, am happy to see
an intimstion In one Of the leading metropoli.
tan journals which goes far to justify this In.
ference. Referring to the decision of the Eng.
lish Admiralty Courts now quoted in defense
Of the seizure Of the American rebels On board
the Trent, the London Times of the 18th oi
November says
so far as the authorities 90, the testimony
Of international Law writer's is all one way
that . belligerent war cruiser has the right tc
stop and visit and search any merchant ship
be remembered that these decisions were given
under circumstances very different from those
which now occur. Steamers in those days did
not exist, and mail vessels carrying letteri
wherein all the nations Of the world have i'm
mediate interest, were unknown. We were
fighting for existence, and We did in thos<
days what We should neither do nor allow
others to do, nor expect ourselves to be al
lowed 20 do in these days"
II England, as We are here encouraged II
hope, 10 disposed to do her part In stripping
var Of half its horrors by accepting the policy
long and persistsntly urged upon her By oul
Government, and commended By every prin.
ciple Of justice and humanity, she will ind nc
ground, in the wish Of the Trent, for eontro.
vsrsy With our Goyernmsnt. am sure the
President and people Of the United States
would be but too happy to let these men &c
free, unnatural and unpardonable as theil
ofsnsss have been, II By ft they could smanci.
pate the commerce Of the world. Greatly ~ II
would be TO our dissdysntsge at this present
erisis 10 surrender any Of those martins priv.
ilsgss Of belligsrents which are sanctioned By
the laws Of nations, feel that take no
responsibility In saying that the United States
will be faithful to her traditional policy upon
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