The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-10-21


thority of Congress is necessary in order to JUS
tify the arbitrary arrest and imprisonment Of
British subjects" The authority Of Congress!
Is it a small matter that these law officers of
the British Crown set themselves up at Wash
ington as the Supreme Court of the United
States or in giving this utterance to their in
soient opinions, is it to be supposed that Lord
Lyons was inspired by any other than consde-
rations and purposes hostile to the cause of our
government in its war against this Southern
rebellion?
The reply of Mr. Seward-upon this point es-
peciaily-is bold, frank, explicit and satisfac-
tory. He tells Lord Lyons that offences
against the government in the midst of civil
war. cannot be treated with the "dilatory rene
dies" of state of peace; that in this crisis
our ''chicf interest is not the enjoyments
OF society, nor the profits of trade,
but the saving of the national life;' that
"the safety of the whole people has become'
In the present emergency, the supreme law"
and that the law officers of the British govern
ment cannot expect the President to accept
their explanations of the constitution of the
United States, especially when, under these ex
plantations, the government would be fettered
and the hands Of our traitors in arms against it
would be strengthened. In oil this Mr.. Seward
speaks, as becomes an American statesman,
with dignity; decision and fcarlessly to the point
and TO the purpose. But what has be to say
| touching 'the arbitrary and despotic power" of
| which he is accused by Lord Lyons. Mr.. Sew
| ards response is in that dainty paragraph in
which he says that "he has to regret that after
SO long an official intercourse between the gov
crnments Of the United States and Great Britain
it should be necessary now to inform her Majes
| TVS Ministers that all executive proceedings,
whether ofthe Secretary of War or of the Secre
tary Of State, are, unless disavowcd or revoked
by the President, proceedings of the President
Of the United States"
In thus reproducing the salient points of this
remarkable diplomatic correspondence on both
Sides our readers will, at glance, be enabled
to appreciate the gravity Of the subject dis
cussed, the offensive character of Lord Ly-
| ons' remonstrancc, the clear and unanswera
! Bile vindicaion Of Mr.. Seward, and the secret of
his circular to the Governors of our loyal
States concerning our seaboard delences He
clearly suspects the British government as a
stealthy supporter of Jefferson Davis and his
| rebel confedcrates, and as industriously seeking
| pretext for an open alliance with them. 1t is
to be regretted that Lord Lyons months ago
was not furnished with his passports. The
reader will remember that when, in April last,
ferocious secession mob took possession Of the
city OF Baltimore, and when the State Of Mary
land was in imminent danger of being plunged
headlong into this Southern rebellion, Go
vernon Hicks, in despair, proposed to Mr..
Seward The settlement of this whole sectional
difficulty through the arbitration of Lord
Lyons. From that moment his lordship was
open to suspicion an advocate of Southern
confederacy, and known as such to the conspira-
tors in this rebellion.
Every other manifestation Of sympathy from
the British government from that day to this,
and from the first overt acts of this rebellion,
has been in favor Of the disruption of our Union.
The indecent haste Of the British Cabinet
in recognizing our Southern insurgents
as belligcrents; the activity Of Lord Lyons
in his efforts to disparage and embarrass
our Southern blockade; the visits of mem
bers of the British Parliament to Rich
mond, with complimentary letters of intro
duction to Davis and his Cabinet; the
case Of the steamer Bermuda, with her large
supplies Of arms and munitions of war; Shoes
clothing and provisions for The rebels at Sa-
vannab, and many other such things, are among
the abundant evidences that Lord Lyons at
Washington may be justly considered as an
authorized British emissary in behalf of the
spurious government Of our so-called Confede-
rate States. His letter under review has evil
IDENTIFY been thus construed at headquarters;
and, while we approve Mr. Stewards spirited
response, we think he would have treated the
provocation equally well in few short, sharp
and decisive sentences, suggesting that, at this
crisis the presence Of Lord Lyons had become
undesirable as the representative Of her Males
TVS government at Washington.
Where there is such manifest purpose, as in
this matter on the one side, to provoke Il quar-
rel, we think that all obligations on the other
side of kindly apologies and explanations and
PREPARATIONS have ceased to exist. But, perhaps,
after all, this menacing correspondence and
Mr.. Stewards circular may mean peace. The
Interpretation lies with her Majesty's Cabinet
If they desire to reassure us of their pacific in
clinations let them recall Lord Lyons; or let
them not be surprised should he close his diplo-
matte services here after the fashion of Minister
Champion.
| The POLITICAL PARTIES IN THE CRY AND THEIR
NAMEs.-From present appearances the voters
| of the city of New York will have Herculean
task to select their ticket to vote on the first
Tuesday Of November next. There are already
some thirteen tickets in the field, and fair pros
| pect of q score more to be trotted out before
/ Tho follnwinr arnf tho of 4l,.n,