Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1861-1862, 1861-11-07
A Government, Of spie. and Informsrs.

A Government OF Spies and Informers.
The correspondence between the British Minister at
Washington and Liucon's yzier, which we published
some days ago. deserves something than passing
notice Lord Lyons letter Is one of the most remarka
BILE il the annals Of diplomacy. Assuming to in,erpre.
the Constitution and lave Of the Yankee Government,
and to expound their true meaning and intent TO the
horities is to the last degree impu1ent and Insulting
That foreign minister should take upon himself such
authority argues not SO much insoenoe and arrogance
on bis part Ii denotes the degradation Of the Govern
ment to which Ii Is addressed. is doubt his duy
to that the subjects Of his sovereign arc not OPP
pressed and wronged by the Government to which be Is
commissioned but when he goes behind the laws, and
undertakes to nerprerthem, he impinges on the indie
pendeuce Of the power he addresses however mild and
respectful the terms he empoy The letter deservese
production in full the deliberate arrsgnment at the
bar Of public opinion end the cvil1 ID world Of the Lin
cou despotism
WASHINGTON, Oct. IA, 1851.
Sin Her MsIestys Government much concern
ed TO find that British subjects Mr. Patrick and Mr..
Rahmng had been suhec arbitrary arrest and 81
though they had learnt rom teegraphc despatch from
ne that Mr.. Patrick bad been released they could not
but regard the requiring their very serious
consideration.
Her Msrsty's Government perceive that when British
subjects as well American citizens, arrested they
are Immediately transferred military prison, and
that the military authorities refuse TO pay obedence to
writ OF hdbeds corpus.
Her Mjsstys Government conceive that this prs.ice
IA directly oppaard the of the Constitution Of
the United States, that person shall be deprived Of
lie. liberty or property without due process OF law"
Her Msj;stys Government are willing, however, to
make every allowance for the hard neces,ies Of time
of internal trouble; and they wond not have been
prsed II the ordinary securities of personal liberty had
been temporarily suspended, would they have
planned If British Subjects falling under suspicion, had
suffered from the consequences of that suspicion.
But IL does not appear that Congress sanctioned in
this respect any departure from the due course OF law
and Il Ia Ia these circumstances that the Law Officers Of
the Crown have ADVISED her Msj sys Government that
the arbitrary arrests Of Brtsh .utj ects Illegal.
So far as appears To her Msjestys Government the
Secretary Of State of the United States exercises upon
the reports Of spies aud norme the power Of deprvug
British subjects OF their liberty, Of retaining them in
prison. berating them, by his own will and pleasure
Her Mssstys Government cannot but regard this des
potc and arbitrary power as Inconsistent with the Con-
slitution of the United States variance with the
treaties Of amy subsisipg between the nations and
as tending 10 prevent the resort Of British subjects to
the United States the purposes Of trade and indus
try.
Her n jestys Government have therefore fell bound
10 instruct against such irregular pro-
CeeQlnE, tnat, nutnOrlty
Of Congress is necessary in order to justify the arbtrs
~ arrest and Imprisonment Of British SUBJECTS.
have the honor TO be, cir with the highest consde
ration, your most obedient servant,
Lyons
To the Hon. William II. Seward, H.
All this is perfectly just, and entirely true; but
ever an Independent Government addressed by smother
In Of grosser insult and scorn Liucons Secrets
~ informed that he does not understand the laws OF
bis country that he Is the tool Of "spes and In
formers" that be Is practising "abrary and despotc
p,wer and Her Mrssly against "such
irregular proceedings" which, if to be justified at ALL eau
only be by authority Of Congress- The wretch who has
introduced State prisons in his country in the presence
Of such rebuks from the Representative of free peo
pie attempts to his baseness by claiming for his
master, supreme power, and denying to Congress any
Exec utve power responsibility whatever and asserts
In support Of hI interpretation that it receives the
sanction Of the highest authorities of our country"
To Convict the knave Of sehood Lord Lyons has only
to adduce the opinion Of Chief Justice aney the highest
judicial authority in that country It said that this
,spondsnce il still proceeding and that the letters which
we have are only very small nsalment Of what we may
expect With these foretaste, and with such facts
and arguments as tho case Affords may reasonably
poet to see the champion OF desposm this continent
gb5e,ted in the eyes of the civilized world.
I, may be that the British minister has been prompted
By some feeling nearly akin to malice in provoking this
The model Republic has made great
De Of noise In Europe Ithas been held up 10 shame
The boosted freedom Of the British Isles The English
people have been taught TO b,eve and almost made to
feel that they ess free than their opring on this
tide of the Atlantic The opportunity to expose the pre-
easion was too good to be lost Ia England, none but
he Imperial Parliament suspend, for one moment
he great safeguard Of freedom, the writ Of Hdbtas CIR.
,rs. Here, ia the Yankee Republic. the Yankee Pres
lent and any Of bis sn5ordinaes claim the right to
,.nd Ii at pleasure In Engand, despotc and arbtra
y arrests" Estate dungeons" and spies and nformers"
ire unknown hers they the Wanted badges OF the
model Repab!ic. Lord LYons in his hrst brief letter,
kes care to make these grave facts known to all the
sorld He tells Ssward that the Constitution of the
United States guarantees life liberty aud property to e''
~ citizen but that be has sbrogaed their rights on
reports Of spies and informer," be arrests citizens,
hrows them into prison. and keeps them there at his Will
nd pleasure, in defiance Of the Law and the Supreme
Tadges Of the land Seward cannot deny-As 10 forced
admit the allegations This Is wat bic Lordship d.