The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1861-12-30
The Valley Of Humiliation.

Just what position the United States now oc-
cupies among the nations Of the earth it may
nov DO easy to define, but if the Country con-
times on the down-hill road for the next twelve
months which it has pursued for the last nine
months it will not be difficult matter to ascer-
tain nearly enough for all practical purposes
the depths to which we shall then have sunk.
There are certain mile posts, land marks, how
ever. which we have already passed or are pass
ing that are sufficiently significant of the kind
Of progress we are making and the most i'm
portant and significant among these is the SUI
perciious and insoent treatment we have re-
eeived at the hands of ngland in relation to the
Trent affair, and our utter inabilty-which we
have been compelled to coniess-to resent IN
proper spirit the peremptory and defiant demand
for the surrender OF Mason and Slidcl. 1t now
seems from the official correspondence between
Secretary Seward and Lord Lyons, which has just
TRANSFERRED that the English Government have,
IN the first instance, and without argument ex
cept mere statement of the case, made q per
emptory demand upon our Govern ment for the
surrender to Lord Lyons of Mason and Slidell.
Secretary Seward has replied that if Lord Ly
OEs will signify when and where it will be con-
yenient for his Lordship to receive into his GUS
tody and the protection of the British flag these
notorious traitors they shall be delivered over
TO his Lordsbip.
Mason and Slidell are among the rank
est OF the abetors of treason. They arc eiti
sens Of the United States, and of no other re-
e"gnized Government whatever. They are Grim
inals in the eyes Of our laws. the penalty for
whose offence is death, and this not by reason
o! violation of a mere municipal regulation
but because they have crminaly attempted to
overthrow tie Government Itself Perhaps we
shall get clearer and keener sense of our own
humiliation in this matter, by suggesting sim
liar case.
Supp"se Ireland was in revolt against the au-
ih"rlty OF Great Britain, and two of the most
prominent instigators of the rebellion had been
taken BY British man-of-war from an Ameri.
can steamer on board of which they had gone on
al errand similar to the acknowledged mission
o. Mason and Slidell, and having been so cap.
inred they had been carried to London and con-
fined IN the Tower. Is it within the sphere of
possibilities that England, however ready and
Proiuse she might be in disavowas of the act
and apologies for the violation OF our Flag
would deliver up the traitors whom she had
flmiy in her grasp until the Tower had been
battered down about their heads by hostile can
non? England very likely would have said
" We admit that we cannot by international
" Ia" justify the act of the captain of our
" cruiser, and we accordingly are ready to make
. all reasonable replration Tor the unjustiEabls
. act. But The traitors are now on British soil.
g. and under the jurisdiction of British laws to
- which they are aDenablc, and no power on
" earth has right to them superior to ours"
After such an answer we have no idea our Gov
ernmcnt would have gone to war to get possess
ION Of the cu|prits. or would have thought of
doing it.
What is the difference between this case and
she ono of Mason and Sldell None at all ex-
cept that the United States cannot now afford
TO hare war with England while it can posi-
bly, be avoided. And, however we may endoavor
BY line spun reasoning and subtle distinctions to
cheat ourselves into the belief that the rebel en-
bassadors have been given up in obedience to the
decisions of International law, the common con-
-sciousness Of the nation will confess to itself
that they have been surrendered on account of
our weakness and not because We agree that
siere is any justice in the arrogant assumption
OF Great Britain.
The immense and immediate prcparat ions that
England has made for war with US, together
with the very general opinion in France as we'll
as England that war was inevitable, shows quite
concusively what those two Governments would
havo done had they been placed in our situation
They judged that we should refus, to surrender
the prisoners, as they knew they should in a like
ease, and 20 thought the avoidance OF war i'm
possible; and even our friends in England and
France in estimating the chances of collision
and in exerions to avoid it, have directed their
efforts rather to proving that we were right and
England wrong, than in any attcmpt to induce