The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1861-11-18
THE FRIGATE SAN JACINT0
TAKES THEM FROM The
THE ENGLISH MAIL
STEAMER TRENT.
Particulars Of their Capture and
Protest by the Rebels, and
by the British Captain,
Their Familiei allowed TO
Proceed.

steam irgatc san Jacinio, Capt. wilkes arrived
in the Rlidstcad At l2]I T. NJ, having on board
the rclcl Commissioners, Sldcll and Mason.
They we're TAX, II from the English Mail Steamer
Trent on the sth inst, On Bermuda. 1t appears
that the San Jacinto was ordered home from
Africa, and ON her way stopped at Cicnlucsos,
where the escape Of Sl,ddl and Macon hal Ice
come known. The San Jicntu proc 'edel from
thence TO Havana, and there learned that the
rebel Commissioners had taken passage on the
1ih inst. an the British mail steamer Trent,
pts ing between Vera Cruz and Southampton,
by the way of 81. Thomas and Havana. Cup
t.in wilkes accordingly left Havana with a
determination TO overhaul the British steamer,
which he could easily DO, the Trent being quite
a -loc .,.lcr, and thc San Jacinto fast one.
While the SIN Jacnto WIS in the nnrrovcst
part Of the Bahama Channel, She came up with
The packet q considerable distance to the west
I'd, and, m u,ul in such cases, fired shot
across her bows and brought her 10. Two boats
were sent to her under the command Of Lieut..
FaiifdN, who boarding the packet, arrested
Mnsou and Slidyll, who were personally known
to him.
They at first objected to being removed with
out the employment Of force for that pur-
pose. However they were s,on after removed
without further trouble, aud conveyed to the
San Jarnto.
1t Is said tia the commissioners descended
from the deck Of the vessel aud sought their
statc-rooms for security from arrest, bu, being
promptly followed up by file of marines, they
found that resistance WAS useless snd submitted
to the arrest. a rather affecting scene occurred
On the separation from their families, which
Icing reported to Captain wilkes, he CAV
i the families permission to accompany tn, COM
| missioner, but they declined, and continued on
| thor voyage to England.
| The Commits toner's were accompanied by thcii
secretaries, Er-rIs and MoFNRLANp, both %
( whom were arrested and taken on board the SIr
,lncn'o as was also Al the baggage and paper.
Of the rcbcl4 Upon he Trent bcins bonrlr,
] by the Lieutenant Of tho Sln Jacn,o all ID,
IasscT gers were gathered upon the deck to know
tie cause, and among them the two Comnis-
sioncrs and The Secretaries. The lieutenant in
| formed the captain that he had como on board to
| arrest those luus gentlemen. Mason said h.
should resist, and asked il his orders were that
they should Ire tax N 10y force, to which the
lieutenant replied tia, his orders were that they
should he hrou-ht ON board the san Jacinto, AMI
stated that he always ocycd orders
Capt. Wilkes stood at the side of his vessel
| when the prisoners came up Mason AMI ST.
| dell, 10th Of whom knew him perfectly " IL
passed over the side quietly, but without recoS
milton. Eustis followed, and was swa.garna
otlcn,iycly by, when Capt Wilkes said, Il an
CAPTAIN Of this ship, Sir;" whcrcupon Eis'is,
touching his hat, said, II beg your pardon, Sir,
ini passed ON.
They did not leave the vessel at Fort Monroe
but {, ais having been obtained, they were pu
at once cp route for Fort Lafayette.
| Tie captain OF the steamer ravcd and swor'
called the United States officers ''piratical iai
| kc,y," ard other abusive names. The Engli,
steamer had taken them on board with fl
knowledge Of their names, position, and di
lnction, but her captain, together with Il
rebels, made formal protest against the sci
urc.
EoME ACCOUNT on THE COMMISSIONERS.
Mason is '.ucndcd from one of the first vi
GINA families, and was born in Fairfax count.
near Washington, in 1921, lie studied law an
commenced practice in Richmond in lS20.
1887 he was elected to Congress, where he scry
hut one term. In 1917 he was elected to Il
Senate. lie was reelected in 1919, for the ter
commenting ON the ith OF March, lS'
and was again elected TO the S'nl
in December, 1858, for the term commencing
the 4th of March, 1857, and to expire on the 1
Of March, 1869. lie was thus a member of &
Senate for fourteen years. His position
Chairman Of the Senate Committee on Forci
Relations, which lac held for several session
may be said to have given him quasi supari
tcndence Of tho proceedings of the S'a'c ID
| plrtment, and brought him into intimate CO
tact with Buchanan and other dignitnrics II
consprators at home and abroad. Daring
long C.ngrc sSionll career he has never dist
guished himself by bringing forward or carryi
| ont any Of thosc great and bcliiccnt acts of les
n,iou which alone can make prominent 20
| ton nltstliuus. lie was violently pro-SlaNel
j and took a momo,all part in the debates on
Fugitive Slave llw.o the kau,A5-NohrlskI b.
and on all the questions which involved in a
Nay the everlasting; negro lie will be rene
.ercd as the priucipal concoc or OF the Fusitj
y Slave ii i'll.
Mason IL man of narrow and feeble int
lect Of yirulent temper and Of insolcnt mannc
O and why jeff Davis ever sent him as II pie
| potcntiary to England, il one of those Comic
rate mysteries which it is not given to oriini
J.. mortals TO comprehend. The probability is Il
A | he had eyesight enough to foresce the dsas
that was about to fall upon the cause on VIII
he had staked his neck, and, being an arm
coward, obtained the appointment as means
escape from the ruin which he saw would 50
| ovcrtake him.
John Slidell is a native Of the State of n
York, born in the year 1893. On arriving
l. manhood he went to New Orleans to seek
=, fortune. He arrived there poor, friendle
= and alone y but, as he had received a good ed
cation in Liz native state, he shortly underlo
~ the practice Of law in that city. His skill a
u adrotness soon won for him high place at
New 0rlOaus bar His success ~ lawyer v