The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1861-12-20
GREEN MOUNTAIN FREEMAN, DEC. ~, 1861.

breasts of many the suspicion that their KIN
dred in England wish them evil rather than good,
But the statesmen to whom the political inter-
ests of these two great people are contded act
upon higher responsibilities and with better
lights aud you may rest assured that an event
So mutually disastrous as a war between Eng
land and America cannot occur without other
and greater provocation than has yet been
given by either nation.
We believe Gen. Scott has done this country
a signal service in thus putting before the read
ing public of France and England such d clear
yet temperate and dispassionate view Of the
Mason and SlldelI seizure.
The letter is of additional Importance frem
the comments which it has elected from the
English press. The .Nevs at first one of the
most belligerent of the London press, thus
speaks Of the letter.
1.-The veteran discusses law like q soldier, and
evidently has no taste for the presidents of
Hautefeuille. or Phillimore. But although the
m after cannot be disposed Of exactly as the gen
eral imagines, we may confidently say that, if
The Washington government is prepared to treat
the affair Of the Trent in TIE candid and straight.
" Ndlu SpIIit u / lS uiUSG lluStIlUuS tluCCE, IL
ought not to be difficult to arrive Il, a result
which shall spare US a wal from which We in
effectively %recoll, deliver us from the horrible
necessity of subscribing the slave cause which
we abominate, and enable the two governments
to settle the law Of the sea on 4 basis more in
accordance with the needs Of the extended COM
mercial intercourse of our times. This would
be a better issue Of the Trent dispute than the
finest list OF ships burnt, sunk and destroyed,
and at present we see no reason to despair OF
such an agreement
From the above extract it will be apparent
that the excitement at first SO general in Eng
land. was very mucl! inhamed by, if it did not
have its origin in, q belief that the seizure Of
Mason and Siidcll was not only authorized by
our Government, but was intended as q Girec,
insult to the British flag. Pcrsons and presses
in England in the interest of the Southern Con-
lederacy, have been for months prejudicing the
minds Of the English people against this Gov
eminent, hoping to bring about a rupture be-
tween the two countries. They have been dis
tllling a slow poison that has found it's way into,
and indamed the blood Of the English people,
and the Trent affair in their first version of it.
ret them on FIRE.
Gen. SCOTS letter has already done much to
allay this feyerish excitement, end when the
English people find that this government is dis
posed to treat tho Mason and Slidell seizure in
precisely the same spirit and temper shown by
the old hero, they will see that there is not the
smallest apology for war. It isa question for
diplomacy and if England is willing to accept
g the policy long and persistently urged upon
her by our Government, and commended by ovc-
ry principle OF justice and humanity that the
Flag protects all that is found beneath it, Gen.
Scott does not go too far in saying that "the
and people Of the United States
would BE- but too happy to let these men 90
free, unnatural and objectionable as their Of
lenccS may have been, if by it they could eman.
cipatc TIC ommcrc Of the world"