Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1861-12-27
GEN scOrr-s LETrER.
The following is the letter Of Gen Scott
on the Trent affair, which has been Published

The following is the letter Of Gen Scott
on the Trent affair, which has been Published
in the Paris papers;
NJ Delr Sir You were right in degAtng the de-
carati1n imputed % me- % wit that the Cabinet al
Washington had given orders seize Messrs Mason and
slidei even under neutral flag for was not even r.
that the government bad hat point under consider
Auln At the time nf my leaving New York, il was not
known that the San Jacnto had returned 10 the Amer
and II generally supposed those persons
had escaped % Cuba the putpo or re-emharNns IN
the Nashville, in pursuit of Nhl,h vessel the James "a
ger and other cruisers had been dispatched ih"iA
can .aisfy you few words that you have no serious
occasion 90 feel cuneeiued about onf rEiAios WIN Hu
land IT, as her ruler. profess, she has no disposition TO
enc luragc the di,sen-iurs ia America
In The dft place b. is almost sepeihuous % say to YOU
hat every instinct II prudence well of good neigh
horhood prompts government 10 regard no honora
e Al sse too 2 eat fr the prescrN alton Of the friend
slip Of Great Britain. This must be obvious 20 all the
world A. no period Of our history has her friendship
been Of imp rtauce 90 our people al no PERIOD
has government been in condition 10 make greater
concession o. preserve &C. the Two hauohH ale uned
bv interests ani sympathiescommercia social, polite
al and ,eliglus-amost as the two arms to one BODY
end is so ign1rauta As not - know that "hathHms
enc must harm tie other in corresponding degree
am persuaded that the British Government can enter
isiu no doubt upon Mi, point but II it does feel that
may take upon myself to say that the President of
the United States when made aware Of its existence,
will lose opportunity Of dlspelhug II,
Nor is there anything, venture TO Affirm in the sez-
ure Of these rebel emmissares, which ought to receive
an uufdendly construction from England Her states
men will mot question the legal right Of an American
vessel of search any commercial vessel Justly sua
pected II transporting eontraband of that right
has never surrendered by England. IL was even
guaranteed 20 her by the treaty OF Paris and BRUSH
Kuns, houing down upon nearly every strait aud inland
upin the globe conclusive evidence that she
CARDS This right one the efficacy Of which may be not
or course there is much that is irritating aud vexato
in the Of ibis right under the most favorable cir
tant when toe maritime States Of the world will agree in
placing neutral commerce beyond he reach Of such yex
ations The United states Dovefnment has been sty-
ing % this end Tor more than my years 10 ms ehd
esry in the present century and il It's infancy as nation
it embarked n with the greatest naval power IN
the world and IL is persistent suor At every
maritime court in Europe flr liberal recognition
Of the rights Of neuras than other great maritime
nations have yet heen disposed to make but I'LL those
rights are secured by proper International guarantees
upbu A comprehensive and enduring basis, Of course
England cannot complain Of an act for which, in all IL
material bearings her own naval history affords such
/ numerous precedeuts.
Whether the cap,ives rom the Trent were contra
band OF or not, is Aquesinn which the two govern
ments csn have serious diheulty in agreeing upon
II Mr. Seward satisfy Fart Russell that they were
have doubt that Ear Russell will be able 10 saAfy
Nj Seward that they were not II they were as AL au
thorities concur 10 admitting agents OF the rebellion II
will be difficult 20 satisfy impartial minds that they were
ANY less contrAband than file Of rebel soldiers or bat
tery Of hostile cannon,
But even should there he difference Of opinion upon
this point 1t is very clear that Government had suif
unt grounds for presuming its in the right TO escape
the suspicion uf having wonnly violated the reauon'
Of amy which the two countries profess desire to pre-
serve and cultivate.
/ The pretense that ought to have taken the 7ren
into port and had her condemned by prize court, IL
order Justify seizure Of four Of her passengers
furnishes very narrow basis which TO fix seriou
controversy between two great nations Stated in othe
words oense whould have been best II IL had beer
greater The wrong done 10 the British flag would hay
been mtgated IT, instead OF sezing the four rebels WI
had seized the ship, detained all her passengers 70
weeks, and conhso ted her cargo | am not surPIize'
that Captain Wilkes took different view Of his duty
snd Of what due 10 the fennly relations which sub
sisted between the governments. The renowned com
mon Of the English people believe, will approx
Of his effort 10 make the discharge OF very unpeasan
duty little vexAtious an possible TO all innocent par
ties.
IT, under these circumstances, England should deem
her duty in the interest of civilization TO insist upon th
restoration Of the taken from under the protecto
Of her flag. Il will be from conviction, without doub
that the law o nations in regard the rights Of neura
which she has token the leading part IN establishing, r'
quires revision and with suitable disposition on h'
part to establish those rights upon just, humane an
philosophio basis Indeed, am happy to see an intm'
ton In Of the leading metropolitan journals whle
goes far justify this inference. Referring 10 the d.
cisons Of the English Admiralty courts now quoted
defense Of the seEue Of the American rebels on boa
the Trent the London Times Of the 2slh Of Noyemb'
J says