The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1861-11-21
The Mason-sIideIl Case
Disnatch to the Chicago Tribune.

Special Dispatch to the Chicago Tribune.
WASHINGTON, Nov 18.-This MONDAY
mornings National IntelHgencer sustains thu
conduct of Com Wilkes, in taking Mason anG
Slidell from under the British flag, copiously
citing in support of that position the arguments
and decisions Of England own Admiralty
Courts, with extracts from international law and
cases of precedent, in point and claiming that
this arrest fully accords with the rights of our
Government and English law in such matters.
The same article most emphatically asserts that
Com Wilkes had full and perfect right to cap
ture the steamer Trent herself, and declare her
confscated, for wifully aiding the rebels to the
detriment of the United States, The Inteltigen-
Ger maintains that dispatches and ambassadors
are both contraband of war, and that the vessel
transporting them is liable to seizure. In this
view the English captain has more cause for
gratitude than any other sentiment.
Edward Everett says that the question aris-
ing out of the arrest is easily disposed of under
the law of Nations. He says there is no doubt
that their seizure was legal. and can be defend
ed as such.
Edward NJ. Stanton, Buchanan's Attorney
General says that nothing is more clearly laid
down in the International Law than the rig ht Of
such seizure and it extends even to the right
of Selling the steamer herself.
Official dispatches received here to-day from
Gen. Dix, state that the rebels in Accomac Co.,
Maryland, have dispersed in obedience to his
recent Proclamation, on the day following its
prOmul cation.
One authority says that many residents of
Accomac are buying and flying Union flags over
their premises and possessions.
Our guns have been got in position at Budd
Ferry, held by Gen. Siekle's Brigade, and on
Saturday our batteries opened on the rebels
over the Potomac at Shipping Point. Their
principal battery at that place is on the plateau
few feet above the river and fully commanded
by our guns. The shells passed into and behind
these batteries, causing great scattering among
the rebels. Several vessels have run the block
ade latley, in the night, by hugging the Mary
land shore.
1t is not improbable that the British mail
steamer TrentIwill be visited by two other Amer
lean vessels, which are cruizing near the West
Indies, before she arrives out.
Several diplomats have expressed confidence
in the position Of The IntelLigencer, which Gov
eminent is understood to hold. 1t states the
points of public law involved in the case on
which it turns, the right of visiting and search
ing merchant ships on the high seas, is an IN
contestable right of lawfully commissioned !
cruisers of belligerent nation. A purely bel !
ligerent right is essential to such capture, to wit
the discovery Of an enemy's property or contra
band of war on board neutral vessels. To en-
gage in the transportation of military persuos,
bearers of dispatches, and dispatches, is unques-
tiouably Of the same nature with carrying CON
traband goods, and vessels so engaged in the
service of one bellgerent is subject TO capture
and confscation by the other. A belligerent
may lawfully arrest an ambassador of the ad-
verse belligerent, if found at sea in neutral
vessel on his passage, and therefore before he
has arrived in the neutral country, or has as
sumed the functions of his office near the Gov
ernment to which he is accredited The fact
that the voyage is made to neutral point does
not change the legal character of the tIansac-
ton, where contraband of war, including mill
larry persons and dispatches and their bearers,s
ound on g neutral vessel Il