The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1861-12-04
The NIason-SIiTeII case.

p A telegram from Washington, in other
| columns, conveys the impression that Lord
Lyons will probably wait for instructions
from home before taking any step in a mat
ter SO important as the Mason-Slidell affair.
1T Is to besexpected that the British minis
ter viii act with deliberation. But we
doubt if any authentic report of his views
has been communicated to the press. The
| inventive faculty of the Washington cor
respondents is so great that one can scarcely
believe anything they say. Some of them,
for instance, the other day, represented
bord Lyons to be IN tearing, undiplomatic
rage, threatening all kinds of things if the
prisoners were not delivered up; also, that
other foreign ambassadors at Washington
were in a similar pleasant state of mind.
| saying what they would do, &c, if the case
were theirs. 1t is almost needless to say
that this delightful sensation stuff has found
plenty of echoes, almost as needless to add
that we have not been able to find room for
it.
We pointed out yesterday the ineonveni-
ences which might arise from such an ex-
tension of the rule respecting the carriage
of dispatches and diplomatiVe agents BY
neutral vessels, if the rule were so enlarged
as to cover the capture of Messrs. Mason
and Slidell. 1t would render all the Eng
lish mail steamers liable to capture by Con-
federate vessels, and to all confscation. Lee
Courier des Etats UIRis, also points out that
the rule, if held good against neutral yes
sci proceeding from one neutral port to an
other, as the Trent was doing, would Justify
either belligerent in stationing cruisers in
the British Channel-even in the Straits
of Dover-and capturing all the mail steam
ers bearing American agents of the bellig-
rnr.fz .a,I II ,E.t--- IL
embassies to that in London.
It is clear that the rule thus extended
would become simply unbearable to neu-
trails. 1t must be assigned some rational
limit, and vessel loaded or cleared from q
neutral port for neutral port, bearing dis
patches only to the neutral countries or neu-
trail Governments, ought to be exempt from
the penalties which the Northerners claim
they have right to iBflict upon all vessels
carrying contraband of war We appre-
bend that Spanish or English vessel, car
rying powder, &c, to Cuba, would not be a
lawful prize, though the Cuban importer
might really ordered such stores with a
view to supply one Of the belligerents, else
the Government of Cuba might be hindered
of supplies for its own army. And SO in
respect of arms and stores sent TO Canada
from Great Britain, some of which have
undoubtedly been imported for sale to the
Northern States but were not, therefore,
lawful prize while on high seas, and under
neutral flag. The right to search for con-
traband OF war, is for that evidently ship
ped to, and intended for one of the belliger-
ents, and for dispatches sent from one bel
ligerent officer TO another. We apprehend
that General Scott could not have been Saw-
fully captured on the steamer that TOOK him
to England, though he should have carried
dispatches to Mr.. Adams If not, then
Messrs Mason and Slidell were not liable to !
capture on the Trent-MoatreaI Gazette