Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1861-1862, 1861-12-19

s and bygone authorities IN justification Of acts whci
ayey Earishman and evrry Fcedrbmsn cannot but fec
abn iriurieul and ,osulting. -, '-y. ~. q. f-
Even Ar. Seward himself must know taa. the veiCc
OF ,hss ssuthern commissioners, souudi1g from 9 ci
csptisiss are hca aud times more eloquent IN TnD'o
aud In Piit than tbey Eould have been they had bcel
heard at ST. james and the Tncries. Qiestons of th'
kind ooushics Hhfe the psOple exercise power, pas
bet too qaeky out of the hands OF wyefs and stat
mcu and give re sibls power toneither the wissst
the NEST Iesos-Ioying members Of the community.
THE L0NB0N NEWS ON TIER ARREST.
Ths mes trerci ant points Of The article OF the M
don News Of tho 2sh, en- the aTres was giyea IN our
tseg aph:c iateIgsnce yserday The article concludes
a. foloss. -
Uati there has bssn time receive froa Wssh.
ing boabd 10 believe thai the seizure OF pass
engsrs on bead the Trent act much In excess
OF duty II in violation Of publ law No govern
ment should know better han that OF the Uatd Safes
The lines which parate the rights Of beigersnts and
neutrsls respectively. ~
While we must sutmit 20 have our mercantile yes
sells stopped Oh the high by both parties in search
Of oonaoGnd had Lieutenant Fairfax confined himself
to demanding Mr.. Sfdells dspatehes and taken them
of VIC mus. have Gcquir seed in bis visit one Of The
disagreeab occurrences incident to voyage. Prs Is
aud different footing In the eye Of Mr.. Seward,
Me:srs Slid ald Mason rebels In our eyes they
simpy Iassengers anu the Washington government
may assured that shall permit it TO take
ia rebels ou. Of our vessels than should concede
similar right to Austria or Russia
BRITISH ACCOUNT OF TIE SEIZURE OF hESsR3
MASON AND sLIDELL.
The London Times has dispatch from Southampton,
Nov 81 which gives the details Of the Of Messrs
Mason and Sidel Passing by the sketch OF the pascn
gers and Of the voyage of the Trent up to the time Of
meeting the San Jacint), sui on the following de
iails:
On approaching the San JAcinto, Capt Moir Of the
Trent hos ed the British ensign which met with
sponse ltil the vessels within ab9u: fuIong
OF each her when the stranger ed shot across tbe
Tie IT'S bow and hoised the Am ian hIg. Tds pro-
ce.dpg quite rary 10 ACKNOWLEDGED law, Gs
wheu vessel of wishes another vessel TO stop II Is
customary 10 fire $. blank cartridge. The Trent was
still holding on her way, when shell was fired from
loug p!so' gun the Americans deck forward, which
burst about 100 yard, from the T!eats bow. Captain
aor i'm uediatey stopped the Trent, as the Ansle N
bad her brOaiside OF guns ru out and men al Iartes
ready 10 fire.
Captain Moir then hailed her, and the American cap
tain rep!i id that he wished 10 send boat board
boat cont I Jog Two officers and about twenty meg,
armel with muskets pistols and suasses. then showed
off and boarded the Trent and demanded list Of the
piseengFs. which the captain rsiasai 10 give The Of
icer comm lnding the boIt stated that the
the friga.e the San Jacatc, OF which he the
first Lieutenant an further, hat they had received mOs
positive information that certin passengers were Oh
board whs he would take olt. This also refused
Comm mder Williams, r. NJ the naval agent Ia con
mlbd of her hajesty'd mall, with Cap.aiI hor, posi-
lively o ected TO their being taken denying III ir right
10 take any person whatever from under the Elshsh
hig
III lieutenant then called out the names OF the before
mentioned commissioners and secretaries and said that
those the parsons he sought, a1d tha. he would
take them all hazard. The four gsatlemen who
standing near answered to their namss aud requested
know what was wanted Of them. The lieutenant
stated that he wished to take them on board tho
ofwar to which they replied that they would not go
until they tksn by force, and turning TO Cap ain
Noir NJ Sidell said I'VE claim III, protection Of the
British d g.p
Ga the captains again refusing to give up the plsseu
geIs the Lieutenant sad he should tax, charge Of the
ship. Commander Wlians, R. n, then spoke as fol-
lows, viz "Iu this ship am the representative Of her
Me- government, and cal upon the off ,ers OF the
ship aod the passengers generally to mark my words,
when, in the name Of that government and in dstinc
language, denouDce this as an illegal act-in &C! in
piracy wLsl had we the means q
not dare 20 a;tenp" The Lieutenant then beckonei to
the rgatc Ind boats containing thirty marines
and about sixty slilors, ofcered and heavily armed,
came alongside. Tie at eaped on deck, sScrd
in hand Alter soms pareyng, ssHs. Slidell, Mason,
Eistis Grd Mcfarland were taken and forced into the
bO,t.
The Americans went back to the cabins and took pos
session OF the baggage and sent it With their prisoners
on bord the San Jlcino. Mr.. Sde said as the boats
showed e that he exp cted redress from the British
government Tor this outrage while under the protection
Of its flag and called upon the Euss Captain TO repre-
sent the properly The lieutenant stepped on board
hviug ordered the boat 10 return He then stated that
he had orders to take Captain Moir and lis papers
board the San Jacinto and tha. the Trent was to be
moved Captain hor replied, You will fnd me
my quarter-decE II you want me, you will have to
CINE there for me-" and he immediately walked on
deck.
The lieutenant however went into one Of the boats
and toll plain Moir that he could proceed The boat
pulled for the San Jlcno aud the Trent steamed away
for st. Thomas.
The indignation felt on board the Trent by every per-
son, Of whatever nation, better be imagined than
described considerable number Of foreigners OF dit
frent nations were among the passengers, and it is al
frmei that every would have fought If called upon
70 do So but with such opposing force and the un-
armed condition Of the Trent, II was deemed impossible
to make any defence.
The officers Of the San Jacto asked for provisions to
maintain the prisoners they stated that they were
short OF stores Captain Mcr told the four gsHtlem 'n
ha; at their request he would supply what wa. needed
and they having expressed wish that he would DO co.
all che ssares we're supplied.
l. Ia stated by the friends OF Messrs. Slid III aud Mason,
who have come home that the leuena7t Of the San
Jicnto said that this the most painful act he lad
ever been called upon to perform, bu he was compelled
10 do il, acting under orders.
Mr. Sde on tiking leave of bis family on board the
Treat l. reported to have sid II ia true tha. may
su.r great person. Inconvenience bu thank God il Is
ths best thing that could happen for my country"
TIE CoNFEDER ATE STEAMER NASHVILLE AND
THE LAW OF NATIONS.
The case of The Confederate steamer Nashville which
captured and burned the ship Harvey Birch ct sea- while
on the trip from Liverpool 10 Ne~ York. continues 10
excite much discussion 10 England. We copy the fol-
loving on the SUI ject
Prom 8 uihampton Inlepeldsnt, Nov 81.
TIE question as to whether the Confederate steamer
Nashville lying in the Southampton docks, could
bc repaired here for purposes even repaired Al
ALL without aly violation Of the Inv Of nations, appears
10 have received the ost serious attention and clnsde
ration on the part Of government but there are SO
many and such eKtrlordnary sh at on the cub
jec, that have not yet learned with certainty what
decision has hsen actually arrived at Tie Express OF
Monday evening says 81. 10 Understood that a re-
sat Of tho deliberations of the cabinet c;ulsi Friday