, 1861-12-21
THE WAR CLOUD TN ENGLAND.


The steamship Jura, from Liverpool on the
5th inst, and Londonderry on the 9th, arrived
at Portland on Wednesday morning, bringing
one days later news from Europe.
sions OF The Mason and sliden affair, and the
difficulties which the seizure is likely to oc-
easion. Literal extracts from these articles
are published below. It will be seen that
while the Times and Daily Ne.us continue to
indulge in fierce inTective, the Star and the
Manchester letter-writers take more common
sense views Of the Trent business, and the ne
ecssity Of moderate counscls Is already begin
ming to be urged.
The following is the leading editorial article
OF the London Times of Nov. Goth, demanding
the restoration Of Mason and Sllden and an |
apology from our Government:
"Whcreyer two OF three men met together |
yesterday tie single topic Of conversation was
the recent outrage that has been offered by |
the Federal Government Of America to the |
British flag. That it was an outrage all must
| admit. The manner was one of unusua! insult
/ The shotted guns, the swar1nlng ooats' crews, |
F! the violence, the refusal to afford any reason |
| :or the seizure Of the passengers taken away, |
| were all unusual, and rs we believe, unprece.
dented in cases Of the exercise of that right Of
t search which undoubtedly belongs to bellig~
| erent nation. However clear the right may be
| to search neutral merchant ships in time Of
war, this is right always odious in its exer~
| else, and which has always been jealously
| watched BY those who have been the subjects
| oft. Eine-tenths Of the public who read yes
| terdaY Of the att1ck Of the American fE.Sate
upon our mail steamer were, perhaps, less
startled by the fact itself than they were by
the subsequent intelligence which It was our
duty to afford, that there was {. pri,na Jacie
| bclligerent right in the Federal Government
which might justify the act Of visit and Of
search
1.-THE Times proceeds to argue the law point
at great length and comes to the conclusion
that the Law is entirely against the Americans.
It winds up its diatribe with this warllke de-
mand j
"such being the legal bearings Of this out
ragcous proceeding, the question remains
what steps we must take to remoTe tue stlin
which has been cast upon our flag When III
former days the British ship Of war Leopard
unlaWfully seized deserters on board the
Chesapeake, the British Government, on COM
p1aint being made, disayoTed the act, recalled
tie admiral from the station, and expressed
, regret for the bloodshcd which had been oc-
casioucd. On 4 more recent occasion, when
the Prince dc Joinyille foTcibly took = pilot
! | out Of i British ship, the King Of the French
| felt so acutely the wrong which had been done
in bis name that be disaSowed the deed, and,
I we believe wrote IN autograph letter express
ing his rcEret. Among civilized nations, and
in countries where high sense Of honorrules,
the men who hold the Government in their
e
:, as to that of those whom they have offended,
{ that rcparatiou should be swift and ample.
|, What the Government Of the Federal
0 Statcs will do remains to be seen.
The Cabinet nestT s1t7, to-day te consids1 5nea
:; the opinion OF tic law officers. We do not
y wish 10 speculate as to what steps they may
% consider necessary. Il, however, it shan ap
i pear to them SO clear rs it appears to US thai
y Messrs. Mlson and Slidcn were Wrongtnli3
In thf, Rrific}
flag, there 1co.tld to be but one se'aratio1
d u1tieh is adequate to tic cDIo'st. They nsua b
n restored ar:th q suJiete7t apology"
o The Norutng Post {uainistcrial organ) says
J. tsUndeE these circumstances, NC need hard
!. .]y point cut that the Government will loos
no time in seeking for the prompt and com
1t rlete reparation which it Is its duty to require
Of In this course it will assuredly receive IL
~ unanimous appreciation Of public opinion. L
- 4 question such as this, where our feelings 9
~ hospitality and our national dignity are s
ID wantouly attacked, men Of all parties VI
- cation Of legal right and the honor Of England
ss We are unwilling to place the worst construt
Y tion upon the outrage committed By Captal
Ill | Wilkes, and TO LOOK upon it us an intention:
n. ai,ront on the part Of the United States; W
:. get hope that that Government will at one
I'll disavow the act Of their officer, make suitab]
he apologies for it, restore the persons Of tt
RS gentlemen arrested, and, in fact, make eTe1
w. compensation i'll their power.
After the violent diatribc6 Of the Times an
IL Daily Ntsrs, it is refreshing to find these cou
III mon;scnse observations in. the editorial CO
'e- umns Of the London Star:
III "Nithin twcnty-four hours after the rece
* i'll London Of the tidings brought by the
CT Plata the public mind had been calmed by tt
no recollection OF these two or three facts: Fir
rs that the British tlag, however dignifed Al
ILL powerful, has no special privilege eSempti'
s,{o
The I'll law; secondly, that the British Governme
49,. has invariably maintained the right Of scare
~ ing for and seizing, on board neutral Eesse
lol- deseTters from its service or abettors Of
all enemies; and thirdly, that the American CO..
hc naandcr has taken only. such passengers
the Trent as were notorlous1y in tho empl
OF the Confederate States. The rcmcmbrau
of these points compels tho Bubsldence of 6
opa ger, shuts out the itnpntation Of laWless Y
uel 1ence, sets aside considerations Of the wisd<
fivc | OF courtesy Of the act, and binds us to aw
. the authoritative Judgment Of our Crown Ia
lnS yers upon an event as strictly within til
lew province IS that ofaDy question ever submit
min to the Court OF ChanceTy Or tic Judicial Co
80 nittce Of the Privy Council.
-, We have no doubt that the opinion Of
will highest legal fnnctionaries in the realm y
par | more than sustain the 1awfulness of what
the been done by the Federal commander Lo'
10 ing at the history Of modern maritime WarE'
roe the dieta of the latest writers on internatio
war law, and the terms Of the Queens proclar
cdi- ton, VIC are forced to believe that the Tr
The eas iauS ~ ~ ~. 9lS suau .us ~ 10y 10y
re- son to know that the neutral flag does
for cover all that sails.
p7o. The British political weeklies, the Eransi,
Eeouomiz and Spectator, arc apt to tax
grlyer view Of Important affairs than the {
lies, and their opinions, less hastily WRIT
pon are commonly more ably fortified with auth
sur- ities. 1t is curious to remark, therefore, t
Lin, tie Economist can find no other ground
+,n which to condemn the act Of Capt. Wilkes
ccpt that already broachcd by the Times
on insists that ''tle captain Of man Of var
was no power to adjudlcate on such question:
sday the present." and that, therefore, the
Jacinto should hare made prize Of the II
.nue and brought her into an American port
This have the case decided before 4 proper cour