The sun., 1861-11-21
T,HENEW YoRK SUN,
I.7,;TespIT M0RNING, NOV. u, 1881.
T'se scward-I.yes. Correspondence In
Rnriand.

England.
The London 7Ymes Of the 9th Instant re-
ce'vea by the Slxonis, discusses the late cor
respondcnce between Secretary SEWARD
and Lord LIONS at much len 9Th. IL u
torribly sevcrc in its criticism Of the style and
crsmmssscal construction cf the letter Of the
British Minister, and characierizcs u, In alb re-
spocls, as lame production, eniangling very
plsah question by the weakness and irrelcvancy
Oft arguments and positions. We quote from
its literary criticism AZ follows -
al, sursty was worth while to write letter
M lcs.t toleiably vi ell expressed and tolerably
well reaslned when we addressed ourselves tc
the task oi calling free and kindred nation
20 account fp the violation Of the liberties o
mankind and Of their own constitution.
Tho first paragraph Of the letter is in the pa,t
tense Her Majcsty's government were mIrh
coucorued thcy had learned from a toir.
graphic dispatch !; they could not Tut reSath'
fhe succeeding paragraphs are all IN the pres,
ent tense They perceive 'they oonceNS'
,nd ~ firth The arrangement is as tlONenly
a. the writing Her Majcsty's government
finds that two British subjects have been sub
is.ted to arbitrary arrests. Her MiicstNs
government perceive that whnn the British sub
iccts. "a well a. American citizens, are ar
rested they are Immediately Transferred TO
military p,ison This dvcs not mean, we
euppose. that il Is only whsn Her Majesty
subjects are arrested together with Amcri ans
they arr placed in a military prison, but rather
that when arrested they, as well - Americans,
are 30 placed. Let that pass, however.
Having done with thi, branch Of the subject
the 7ip,es prcceeds TO state the case from the
English view, as follows; -
"English subjects have been imprisoned hy
q al IHV.aN 81.
have been released ly the same authority. Tho
Courts Of Justice. as appears In the Bllimorc
case, have heen willing 20 Issue writs oil hibfIs
corpus, lut the President of the United States
has directed the military authorities 10 make no
return TO such wtits--an order which prcclud -
the American Government from taking the point
made 10y Mr.. SEWARD, that in the present cl7'
the writ Of hdbea.. corPDs was never applied Tor %
The heal Of n friendly Government j. thus the
agent in imprisoning the sui jec,s Of a friendly
Power and In drpriving them Of the mean
which the law Of the country points out for try
ing the validity of that Imprisonment
The Times admit. that the justification of our
Government on the events Of the arrest Of the
two British subjects, which gave rise to th'
correspondence, se,Ds 10 b, coppiete, as they
appear to have been objects of reasonable sus.
picion, but assumes that upon the case rs above
stated " the English Cove nmcnt really have
q substantial grievance against the Government
of President LtNCoLS. il the view Of the Law
which they put forward be correct
The 7imes then examines the positions o
Secretary SEWARD, but fails to be convinced o.
either OF bis propositions--of the law, that tb,
President has, in time of insurrcc'ion, the riGh
10 arrest suspected persons and to suspend tn
writ Of h1beds corpus-as n matter Of fact, tina
he has suspended the writ. The summing "a
Is as follows:
Mr.. Seward tells rs that the President is re
sponsihlc before the Supreme Court Of III,
United States for his conduct In thi, matter
but tina, Is purely irrelevant consideration
As regards the subloc Of foreign cDuntry, il
Is quite true that We have no right authors
tatiyely 10 interpret the Constitution OF lh,
United State hut then, II l. equally true tha
the American government has no such right
The legitimate authorities 10 decide tho que
tion are the jud res of the Supreme Court Of III
United States, and the Chief Justice appears
have decided that point by isslirg the writ
hdbeds corpus which the government ncv,
questioned - Illegal but set aside 10y an appc
to the power Of the sword.
,-.A IVA have aid. that. ...Sa slN ts'Ct. "TtNy en-
has been argued exceedingly III on our p,r
and with much ability on the part of II
American government but the only result h
been TO entirely convince us that, on their ov
showing their acts have been lille al IA rcgar,
their own citizens ami a violation of the ri IA
Ot nations a. regards ours"