, 1861-12-17
Ctr t':Gtihtlttt..
TUESDAY, DECEMBER II, 1851.
THE MASON AND SLIDELL AFFaIR


lfFom inc London Daily Ncws, Nov. as.1
me american Government is surely the
most unfortunate Of governments. or elsc fhe
most sanguinc. An: officer OF the Federal
navy ms struck better blow for the rebel
ea9se cause than either General Bcaurcgnrd or
ls rejoicing on board the Nashville, and ID #
Messrs: ?aneey and Dudley Mann did not
least their friends last night thew missed
:: nne opportunity. Tie news by the
Ia flata, which we publish to day, viii raise
q ZIG spirits Of the whole South. The United
staIes dosernment-.for, until the act is disa-
vo"eu and atoned for, on it must fal1 the re-
sponslo1llty-h struck its best friend in tha
lace, friend that never ret, when sn1itten on
blow. Iva "S1cono
ihe remote consequences Of this act we
present that it is one which viii make 4 Ike the
duty OF our Government to insist on amnIe
complete, and immediate satisfaction. Its
"anton folly bids us hope that Lieut.. FairfaT
M2s acting without instructions, and Thai the
.Masn3hgton Cabinet E5lil sooner learn what
WILL disayoE the act, restore Messrs, MASON
and slldel, and tender the fullest apology.
Not1ng short Of this Teparatiou can be r.
cepted. Until there has been time to receive
news from Washington, we feel bound to be-
tH nesG @ tnat me seizure Of passengers on board
i tA%p
y as 1t was in violation of public law. No
government should know better than that
OF the United States the lines which sena-
fate the rights Of be1liserents and neu-
trails respectatfyely. While this war lasts We
must submit to have our mercantile vessels
stopped on the high seas by both parties in
search Of contraband. Had Lieutenant Fair
lax confined himselfto demanding Mr.. SIidcIl's
dispatches and taken them of, Ne must have
acquieseed in his visit as one Of the disaereea-
ole incidents to voyage in tie nighborhood Of
contend ctontssnding 1oes. But the seizure Of persons
Mr. Seward, Messrs. SlideE and Mason are re-
pcis IN our eyes they arc simply passengers,
and the Washington Government NAV rest
assured We shall no more permit it to take its
re6els out OF our vessels than we should con
ceae similar right to Austria OF Russia,
The circumstances Of this event stilI more
strongly compel us to believe, in the ab-
sence OF direct evidence, that this aevres
f1on was ordered By the United States
Government. The cabinet at Washington
knoWs = t'': perfectly well that it cannot act
IN fns 1ashlon with impunity. In .9s1ct at this
snen'ent 7ts eastsc lies at our MERCY We could
with ease remove that severe uressura which
1t te1erts on the South by means of its block
ade, and on which, far more than on the
sword, it relies for success. We could open
az az 1he southern ports at once to receive gold,
and commodities, and munitions Of war, Il re-
turn for cotton. And If need be, We could
a. small cost find abundant occupation for ali
the sam Jacintos they could muster, and for
half the army ofthe Potomac into the bargain.
We have given no proyocation for this out
rage: The course Of our Government
has been uniformly forbeariug and cor
sldetate; Lord Palmcreston's high spirit has
manifested itself only in magnanimity. No
minister could bave avoided more anxionsly
atl that could fairly give ofense, or when oc-
caslons for remonstrance hare arisen, as in the
recent imprisonment Of British subjects, have
borne himself with more patience. And for
what object should the United States Goyern.
ment risk . rupture with this countrya For
the miserable qualification Of getting the per
The Washington Cabinet las shown itself
sufficiently i1nbecile, but to authorize tic
forcible arrest Of gentlemen under the protcc-
ton OF the British flag would be nothing less