The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1861-12-26
The Mason and slidelI Affair.

A special dispatch to the Tribune
says: AT / o'clock Lord Lyons called
on the Secretary of State, who was at
the Capitol; he called at 8 O'Clock.
The communication which he made is
~ yet secret. No Cabinet meeting
has been held on the subject. The
general feeling of the city is less war;
Ike than at FIRST, and the people talk
coolly of surrendsring the emissaries
If it can be done without sacrifice Of
honor, rather than engage at this time in
. foreign war, The belief that the
members Of the Cabinet take similar
view of the question gains currency
and finds belief; but, while 1t is not
true that such conclusion has been
arrived at i'm the Cabinet meeting on
he one hand, it is untrue on the other
hand not to surrender under any cir
eumstances, or for any considerations,
il absolute While the Government
will do nothing to provoke hostilities,
twill guard well the national honor.
Should arbitration be propose it may be
accepted, and should sufficient con-
sideration for the surrender of Mason
and Slidell be offered it may be made.
A prominent member of the Govern
mont stated, in conversation this even
ing, that Lord Lyons would not demand
his passort, that Mason 81 Slidell would
not be given up, and that there was no
probability of WARMTH England Eng
lishmen here are confident of war be-
tween the two countries. This opinion,
however, is based upon no official COM
munioation, and while it excites some
unpleasant feeling, carries no weight
Several Englishmen now serving in
our army, among them Col. Havelock
and Capt Stewart, have, it is declared,
signified their intention to resign should
further complication ensue. In other
cases, extraordinary and painful evil
dences of sudden hostility to our cause
has been shown.~'The general feeling,
however, appears to be sincere regret
at what they think the inevitable issue.
Mr.. Adams, in his communications to
Mr.. Seward, gives clear and detailed
idea of the feeling of the British peo-
pie, and the sentiments of the British
statesmen, but does not indicate that
he knows the purport of the instruo-
tions of the English government to
Lord Lyons. Nothing contained in
Mr.. Adams dispatches indicates that
that government will make any exorbi-
tant demand relative to the seizure ofthe
traitors. This is not only, true, but we
are permitted to announce, by high Of
fetal authority, that private letters re-
eeived to-day from distinguished Brit.
ish statesmen report that the British
government will not demand the re-
lease of Mason & Slidell, but will re-
quire such reparation as the United
States can honorably grant. This is
also confirmed by other private CORES.
pendence of Americans in London,
who have facilities for learning the in,
tentions of the British government.
The HeralGs dispatches of the goth
says, according to our advices from
Washington, apprehensions of rup-
ture with England, upon the late affair
by the Trent, may be dismissed. Our
Cabinet, we are informed, looking to
the absorbing paramount issue-the
suppression Of the Southern rebellion
yield to the present demands of Eng.
land as the condition of her neutrality
even if these demands involve the res
toration of Mason and Slidell to The
protection of the British flag, and 9
disavowal and apology for their seizure
by Captain Wilkes. ~