The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1861-12-14
For The Cecil Wing
The Mason and Slidell Arrest.
PoLr DEPOSIT, Dec 18th, 81.

tors, and various opinions have been
expressed as to the course that England
will pursue in relation to it and various
cases have been cited both for and against
its legality. The burning of the euro.
line, the arrest Of Henry Lawrence, and
other cases are offered as precedcnts
given by England, justifying their cap
ture. On the other hand, it is contended
that our lifelong reputation of the
British doctrine of the right of search
and seizure on the high seas, and our
practice in enforcing our doctrine in
opposition to theirs, forbid this arrest,
because it violates our own theory and
practice. In denying that England has
the right to search our ships and to seize
Individuals thereon, lin time of pcace,)
and in protecting men of foreign birth,
on ship board claiming the protection of
our flag, VIC are told that we relinquish
all claim to our right of search and
seizure, undcr aU circumstances. But
those good citizci$ ind patriots (.) among
us who 60 in for the honor of the British
flag and against their. own, do not. State
the case properly. In the first place,
our doctrine on the " light of expatra-
ton " must be taken into account. We
hold that it is an inherent right of man
to change his citizenship from one coun-
try to another. We hold that man
born in the United States may; of his
own volition, rcnounce his allegiance to
this country, and become citizen of
any other. England, however, denies
this right, at least SO far as concerns her
own natives. She holds that /" once a
subject, always subject" Her doc
trinc on the right of search in time of
peace is predicated on her deninl of the
right of cxpatriation. She has claimed
the right in time of peace to board our
ships and to take by force thcrefrom men
whom she claimed as her subjects, but
who were really our citizens by virtue
of their adoption under our Constitution
and laws. 1t is known that one of the
chief causes of our las. war with England
was the.cxercise of her assumed right of
search, against our rcmonstrancc. She
boarded our ships, and by force took
theretrom those who by the act Of cxpa-
triation had become citizens of the United
States. This violation of the American
doctrine, we need not say, was resisted
by us successfully, and the right of
repatriation indicated by force of arms
In indicating this right, however, in the
defense of our naturalizcd citizens, we
did not undertake to dispute the right
Of England to search for or seize any of
her own subjects, or any body else, who
should be guilty Of the high crime of
treason, or for any other crime. And
here let me remark, for the sake of illus
tration, that had the rebels (O Smith
O'Brcn, Mitchell, Mcaghcr, and others,
taken refuge Oh board an American
ship, and had they been arrested thereon
in the British Channel, the United States
Government, it is altogether likely,
would not have complained. OF course
it will not be pretended that the oifense
committed against the British Govern
ment by these men will bear a compare
son with that committed against this
Government by Mason and Slidell for,
while the practtcnl efforts of O'Bricn 4
Co. were absolutely ridiculous and ludi-
crous, the efforts of Mason, Slidcll, and
their co-rebels, have not only imperilcd
the very existence of our nationality.
and produced horrors of which humanity
ought to be ashamed, but have so dis
turbed tile peace of the world that q
general Wit throughout all civilized
countries may be the result. The only
hurm done by O'Bricn, Mitchell ant
Meagher was the destruction of q fen
; heads Of cabbage IN old Mrs. .NcCor-
mick's garden; in which they attempted
to cntrench themselves But where
shall we begin to estimate the harm done
by Mason, Slidell 4 Co! TO say nothin.
of the desolation which they have sowl
broadcast over the land, in the dcstruc
ton of material interests, who will coun
the deep walls of widows and orphans al
they GO up to Heaven for vengeance OF
the heads of these wicked miscteants q
And if the farcical efforts Of Smitl
O'Brien, and his dcluded associates, t.
overthrow the British legislative author
ity in Ireland would justify their arres
, on board of an American ship, and thci
exile as felons, might VIC not claim tn
. right to arrest such arch traitors a
Mason and Slidell on board of an Englisl
ship And especially when the officer
, of that ship make every effort to stea
! them off from violated justice
, 0 Dricn and his associates might hav
been arrested on an American ship i
| trying to escape punishment, might W
| not arrest Mason and Slidell, seeing tina
| they were on their way to foreign coun
+ tries for the sole purpose of enlistin
t the services Of THOSE nations, with whol
e we are at peace, to help them to over
throw our Government But we al
n misrcptesented in our position on tn
e right of search. We deny 1t IN time 0
. peace, but not in time of war. Blu
G England defends it at all times, an
g under all circumstances: Now if
4 formidable rebellion existed in England
r and the officers of our ships should /
v engaged in stealing off the leaders I
c that rebellion, in order that they migf
secure the services of other Government
in helping them to overthrow the BIRTHS
u Government, we could not complain
Is England SHOULD take their own rebel
i and our Ships with them. And shall W
u not have the same right? Or shall
II. 1 A