Juliet signal. [volume] (Juliet [i.e. Joliet], Ill.) 1844-1???, 1862-01-07
7 lie Mason and slldeil Analr.

Oar readers are familiar with the facts
connected with the capture Of Mason and
Siidtli, the ambassadors f5cm the. SO called,
Southern Confederaey. on board British
vessel by Capt Wilkes Ct the United States
Navy.
The move though beld ote, seemed. for
the time being, to meet tie appreciation Of
the Government. Mason and Slid Il uron
beins given into the hands Of the War
Department were taken to Fort Warren,
place sc security for national fs!ons, and
incarcera,ed in prison. This alane was
sufficient to establish the impression that
tie GayernmtBt sanctioned their seizure -
Bat there were other acts going to show
that net only the President and Cabinet,
but tta, Congress also acquieseed ard en-
dorsed the action Of Capt. Wilkes. The
Secretary of the Nary. 10 hiz annual re-
port conEratrla;ed tie couutry on the ar
rest tie Southern Enbassadcrs and en-
dorsed the boarding Of the English vessel
FIR the purpose Of atres,ing them. And
Congress adopted a resolution Of thanks to
Capt W lses for The part he performed in
the affair. Thus, as far as our Government
was concerned, until the roaring Of the
British Ii n reached the ears Of our rulers
at Wash ngton, there was no evidence but
that the seizure Of Mason and Sldell was
an act n which the nation participated and
sustained.
No sooner however than the news of the
evaporation of the British over what they
termed gross insult to their flag and ma,
/ tional honor Was received, than decided
disposition was manifested on the part Of
our natiJr al authorities to back down. /
( was rumured that the Confederate prisoner.
/ would be given up; and the rumor soor
/ ripened into a reality, on the receipt O
the demand from the British Government
through Lord Lyons, for the liberation o
Mason aud S!idell and an apology for tht
/ alleged aggression committed, for the,
were Instantly surrendered up and agair
placed Unier British authority, accompauie,
by letter of apology from Mr. Seward
cur Secretary Of State.
Thus this Malon and S!iden affair ha
termina ted as We anticipated it wouli. -
We were afraid that the Government woul
back down when it came to the scratch
And has it not been SO? The facts mos
certainly sustain this view Of the SUP
jeet
+ It is said that the President nor n
Secretary Of State had committed them
selves to sustain the act Of Capt. Wilkes -
This Is true. But why were orders Issue
for the imprisonment Of the capti7es ?
And why did they remain silent unit
war was threatened by Englaad Ut
Seward has always enjoyed the rePusatia,
ola first class iii l,mist His capacities &
a Statesman have also been recognised .
of high order. Yet he kept quiet unit
our natioa was threatened with war b
England, and then came out with an apollo
gy. Does this look like good diplomacy o
enlightened statesmanship?
/ We repeat that we believe the Prtsiden
Is also 10 blame in this matter. If Capt
Wilkes did wrong in taking Mason and ST
dell, as is admitted by Mr.. Seward, VIII,
did She President permit them to be sent t
prison and allow the Secretary # the Nav,
and his Supporters in Congress TO CficialI
/ pledge the Government to the measure ?
/ We might extend these remarks tdrthe
on this suffice, but we have said enough t
show that cur position as a Government q
the Mason and SlidsIl affair is by no mean
an agreeable enc.
Tue surrender Of Mason and Sidel
ray lie in accordance with national law
We have % desire, it we possessed III
ability, TO discuss this point But i. doe
/ seem - Us thar after the mater had gonj
80 inr, 1t would have been more ogeditabh
10 our ration to have held on to them
Their surrender, under tho circumstances
" Il humiliate the nation in the eyes Of tht
world. 1t VIII 90 abroad now that we hay,
been frightened by the angry menaces Q
England, and driven to an act which VI
would have avoided had it rot been for chi
dread of British bullets nu.,l steel Iu this
mainly, vii consist our humiliation ON
G9Fernm'n. has come down on its knee.
to John Bull. We would rather thous-
and times have had wal with England than
to be stigmatized as a nation Of towards.