The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-12-10
THE MAsNn.sllpELl AFFAIR.
The Protest or the Rebel Commissioners.
MASON AND sLIDELL s PROTEST.
urlrED STATES STEAMER SAN JAcIsTo,


MASON AND sLIDELL PROTEST.
IrlrED STATES STEAMER SAN JAcrsro,
AT SEA, Nov. y, 1861. I
CAPT WuErs, U. s. N, commanding San Jacinto:--
sR--We desire TO communicate to you, by this memo
rantum tho facts attending arrest yesterday
beard the british mail Trent, by your orders
snd our transfer to this ship.
We. tho Undersigned, embarked at Havana the
It'll inst as passengers board tho front, Capt Mor
bound tho island OF st. Thomas the being one Of
the regular mail passenger line OF tho British Royal
Mail Steamship Company running from Vera Cruz via
Havana TO st. Thomas, and thence to southampton Eng
land Wo paid our passage money for the whole route
from Havana TO southampton, TO the British Consul at
Havana who acts the agent representative Of the
said soanphip companyMr. sidoil being accompanied
by hs family consisting u his wife, four children and
servant, and Mr. Eustis by his vie and servants
Tie Trent left tho por, OF Havana about eight O'Clock
A. NJ On the morning Of tho 7th inst, and pursued her
voyage nnterrnptedy until intercepted blythe United
States steamer San Jacinto under your command tho
day following thc sth mst) in the manner now TO BIO
When tho San Jacnto nrst observed several miles
distant the Trent was pursuing the usual OF her
voyage along tho old uaama or Nicholas channel;
about 2l0 miles from Havana and in sht Of the light.
house Of Yoradon Grande the san Jacnto then lying
tonary or nearly So about tho middle OF the channel
ard whore IL fifteen mics wide, shown
on the chart the nationality Of the ship being then
known. When the Trent had approached enough
for her ig 70 b. distinguished ii hoised at the peak
and NJ TO main, and so remained for time. No flag
was shown by tho San Jaclnto. When the Trent had
parsui1s the duo course Of her voyage a sho,saa
gun fred from the latter ship across the
Of the Trent and the United States flag ut the
Same time displayed at the peak The British nag was
agsin immediately hosed, before by the Trent and
| SO lemained when the Trent had approached s, on
her course within from two TO three hundred yards OF
| the San Jacnto second shotted gun fred from
your ship again the course OF tho Trent. When
the front got within haling distance, her captain in
CURED what wantedY The reply was understood to
be- They would send boat Both vessels wero then
! stationary with steam shut off A boat yerv soon mt
Oft rrm INN
boats with full crew. and armed with nuskos sdc
arms lieutenant in the naval Uniform Of the Un;e
states Navy, and with side arms boarded the Trent and
IN the presence Of most OF the passengers then assembled
the upper deck sad to Captain NOR that he with
orders t. demand his passenger list Tie captain refused
to produce ~ and formally protested against any right
visit hs slip for the purpose indicated After some
! conversation, imparting renewed protests the
part Of the captain against tho alleged object Of
the visit and on the part of the officer OF the acnto
that he had Only to execute his orders the latter sad
That two gentlemen, named Sidell and Mason were
Known TO DO on board, az also two other gentlemen
naming NJ. Eusts and Mcfarland, and that his orders
t. take and carry them board the San Jacintou
II should have been noted that first addressing the
| captain lie announced himself a lieutenant Of tho
United States steamer San acnto Tho four gentlemen
thus named being present. tho Lieutenant addressed Mr.
Sdel, and afterwards Mr.. Mason, repeating that his
orders were to take them, together with Eusts and
Mcfarland, and carry them on board his ship. Messrs
sdei ana Mason II reply, protested II the presence Of
the captain OF the Trent, his officers and passengers
against such threatened violation Of their persons and
their rights, aud informed tho lieutenant that they
would not leave the ship they were in unless compelled
by tho employment or actual force greater than
| they could resist, and Mcssrs Eustis and iicgar-
| land uuited with then in expressing a like pur.
| pose. That officer stated that he hoped he would
not be compelled 10 resort to the OF force but il il
would become necessary to employ in to execute
his orders he was prepared b do He was answered
By the !dursigned that they would submit 10 such
force The lieutenant then went to the ran.wav
where mis- boats wore the undersigned going at the same
time to their sataoos on the deck next below fo,owcs
by Captain Mor AMI by tho other passengers The ou
tenant returned with party OF his men, portion Of
whom armed with side arms, and othors--appear
ing TO be squad of Misunderstanding rluskets and bayo
nets. Mr.. Sdcl was in his statcrooni, Immediately by
and in full Tho lieutenant then said to Mr. Mason
that having his force present, he hoped 10 be re.
ieved from the necessity OF calling into actual use
That gentleman again answered that he would only sub
init to actual force greater than he could overcome when
the lieutenant and several Of his men, by his order took
hold OF him. and in manner and in numbers sufficient
to make resistance Ruthless and Mr.. Sdell joningtLe
group at the same time Of the armed party
took like hold of him and thesc gentlemen at once went
into the boat During this many the passengers
became highly exasperaed gave vent 10 the sronet
expressions OF indignation seeming indicate purpose
Of rcs stance on their part, when squad armed with
muskets with bayonets fixed, made sensible advance Of
one or two PAGES with their arms at charge II must
he added here, omitted in tho Of the narration
that before the party left tho upper deck officer Of the
Trent, named Williams, In the naval uniform of Great
Britain and known to the passengers having charge of
the mails and accompanying Thorn to England said to Tho
his government he felt called upon language as srops
md emphatic he could express to deaouce the whole
proceeding asa piratcapect.
Mr. Siidel and Mr. Mason, together with Mr. Estis nna
Mr. McF arland against whom force In like manner had
been used were taken TO the San Jacnto as thew
entered the boat When they reached your ship YOU re-
ceived them near the gahsway, announcing yourself as
Captain Wilkes, commander OF the ship and conducted
them to your cabin, which you placed at their dis
posal Whom the undersigned camc aboard they found
the men at their quarters and the guns bearing on the
Trent After some time occupied in bringing on board
baggage and Effects the San Jacino proceeded to the
northwad through the Southern channel the Trent hay.
ing been detained from three TO four hours.
The foregoing believed to be narrative IN
substance Of the facts and circumstances attending our
arrest and transfer from the British mail steamer the
ship under your command and which doubt not will
be coroborated by the eutenan. present as we'll as by
| all who witnessed them.
The incidents here given in detail may not have seen
witnessed by each one OF tho undersigned individually
but they were by ono more OF them As for tho most
part, they did not pass under your notice we have
deemed II proper to present them this form before
you, expressing the WISH considered incorrect in any
part tho inaccuracies may be pointed ont with q re.
specful request that you will transmit u copy OF tho
paper to the government Of the United States ozether
with your report of tho transaction; to facilitate which
| copy Is herewith enclosed.
We have tho honor to be, yerv respectfullv co,r
obsdient servants, JOHN SLIDFLI..
J. NJ MASON,