New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-12-13
CHEAT nRrTAkN on THE EEIZCHE
OF MASON AND sLIDDIL.

When the capture of the Confederate En-
bassadors on board British mail steamer was
announced, we expressed hope that Great
Britain might, but doubt that she would,
demand the restoration Of those gentlemen to
the protection of her hag Had thy been
seized on French or Russian vessel, there
might have been no hesitation 20 reclaim themi
but we felt confident that Great Britain could
not afford IT, Her own doctrines and decisions,
her pretensions and her practices, stood too
plainly and prominently in the way. And,
though no official intimation of the course OF
her Government has yet trauspired, we feel
warranted by the advces that reached Us by
the Hansa yesterday in assuming that no recA-
nation will be made, though the matter is very
likely to form the subject Of some diplomatic
discussion. la saying this, we do not rest on
the statement of the friendly Star that the
opinion Of the Crown lawyers had been taken
with reference to the reported lying in wal. OF
the e.. S. war steamer james Adger for the
British msil-boat expected to bring the Con-
federate elnisssries to England, aud that those
lawyers had replied that the right to arrest
those emissaries on such mail boat could
not lawfully be questioned. That statement
fully corroborating one already at hand
from Tie SeOtsman), is not disputed, so that
its correctness may be confidently relied on
But the comments and criticisms of the I'M
friendly Times are hardly less to the purpose.
That Journal indeed, premises that I" it re-
"quires u strong effort of selfrestraint to dis
" cuss with GOODNESS the intelligence" of the
Mason and Slidell business, talks Of the quasi
ambassadors being kidnapped" &C., &C.,
and tries to hinge cavil on the alleged facts
that we do not recognize the Conederates Is
beEgerentp, and profess not to be maintaining
hostile blockade, but merely " enforcing n
I" law which has closed the Suthern ports a.
"ports of entry" But The Times is forced to
confess that these cavils, however embarrassing
to us, will not serve as the basis Of demand
that Mason and Slidell be surrendered to Great
Britain. Says The inns;
We have eeosuized these Confederate State. beg
eren Power and shs when The time comes recognize
their Government Therefore have imposed upon
selves all tue duties and iuconyeneHees Power neurl
DetHesn beIlSc tnlr
"Unweeome the truth may be, II is nevertheless truth
that 1e hare ourseires saJted syfc Of Tnfsynaonoi
Lav phih tes a9aiHa In high handed manner
have days claimed privilege. neuliss which
have at different times banded ali the maritime Power. Of the
world sns u. We have inssted upon stopping the ships
Of war Of neLal nations aud taken British subJecs OF
them and given by Jefenon ia his Memoirs la
which two nepbews Of Washington impressed by the
craier as they were returning from Europe and placed
common seamen under tho discipline Of ship. Of We
hore aleay, been ne ,ieassss a"eT0, u The r9hn " BEL
gereas orer neutrai. and the doOns ofeur Courts " Lar
a. lhsy be elsd BY Lar (eo' haze been IL
confirmation Of fhe unre1sJaats oaiA, which have cal
into being Considerations and nsyed neutras against
and which have always been modified In Practice when
were not supreme In dominion stsel"
In other words, John Boil is now re-
aured to take dose OF bis own physic, and
be finds or fancies it unpaatable. We do not
doubt it; but there is clearly no help for him.
He has our warmest sympathies; but what can
these avail him.
After quoting Lord Stowell in support of the
belligerent right Of search, and Chancellor
Kent in proof that this is sound American as
well % British law, The Times seeks 10 break