, 1862-01-01

IL
regald to which the whole British nation would be
sure 10 entertain such unanlmity Of feeling.
Her Majesty Government therefore, trusts that
when this matter shall have been brought under
the consideration Of the Government Of the United
States, that Government Will, Of its own accorsI,
offer to the British Government such redress as
elene cou1A satisfy the British nation, namely, the
liberation OF the four gentlemen md their delivery
10 your lordship, in order that they may agnn be
placed nudcr British protection. and q suitable
u1itted.
Should these terms not be offered by a1r Seward
Ton are ii liberty TO read this dispatch to the
Secretary Of State. and il he ehan desire it, YOU
Will give lin copy Of it, am, &c.
Mr. seward's letter in reply to this, and con
scnting to the surrender, is Us follows, in full
MR. SEWARD TO LORD LYONS.
DEPARTMENT. OF STATE,
WASHINGTON, Dec. &c, 1861.
To Right Hon. Lord Lyons, &C., &C., &C:
MIR LonD:- Earl RusseIIs dispatch of No
vembcr tie Goth, a COPY Of which you have
left with nc ut my request, is Of the following
effect, namely:
That letter Of Commander Williams, dated
Royal AlGil Contract Packet-boat Trent, at
sea, November 9th, states that that vessel left
Havana on the eth Of November, with her
Majcsty's mails for England having on board
numerous passengers. Shortly after noon, on
the Sth Of November, the United States war
steamer San Jacinto, Captain Wilkes, not
showing cOioEs, was Observed ahead. That
steamer, On being ncarcd by tue Trent, at one
o'clock fifteen minutes in tic afternoon fired
bows, and showed American colo7s. While
the Trent was approaching slowly towards the
sdn Jacinto she discharged Il shell across the
Trcnt'E bows, which exploded at half A cable $
lt1:sth brlore her The Trent then stopped,
and an officer with 4 large armed guard Of ma
IL.31 II H. I,rl
dtTs to arrest McsErs, Mason, Slidrll, McFAr-
land and Esstls, and had sure information that
tl:cy were passengers i'll the Trent. While
scmc parl:y was going on upon this matter,
Dir. Sldtal stepped forward and said to the
4:nesican officer thai 1hc four persons he hid
named we're standing before him. The com-
mandeT Of the Trent and Commander " IL
lia1ns protested against the act OF taking those
four passengers out Of the Trent, they then
being under tic protection or the British flag.
But the San Jacissto was at this time only two
hundred Yards distant, her ships company at
quarters, her ports open and tomp1ons out,
and so resistance was out Of the question. The
| four pcrsous before named were then forcibly
! taken out Of the ship. 4 further demand Was
made that the commander OF the Trent should
lIoeved oYeoarl tEc San laeinto, but lie s2id
| likt wise, aud this demand WAS not insisted
| upon.
Upon this statement Earl Russell remarks
| that it titus appears that certain individuals
| have been forcibly taken from on board q
British vessel, the ship Of neutr.ll Power,
while that vessel WAS pursuing d lawful and
innocent voyage, an act of violence which was
All af1Tout to tie British ting aud violation oi
international law.
Earl Russell next eays that her slajesty's
Government, bearing in mine the friendly re.
lations which have long subsisted between
| Great Britain and the United States, are vii.
I ling to believe that tile naval officer who com.
| mitted this aggression was not acting in com.
| pliancc with any authority from his Govern,
| me1t, or that, il he conceived himself to be 80
| authorized ! be greatly misunderstood the in.
strnetions Which he had received.
Earl Russell argues that the United States
must be fully aware that the British Govern.
| mcnt could not allow snch an afIront to the
national honor to pass without full reparation,
and they arc willing to believe that it could
not be the deliberate intention Of the Govern.
| ment Of the United States unnecessarily to
| force into discussion between the two Govern
| ments IL question Of SO grave 4 character, and
with regard TO which the whole British nation
| would be sure TO entertain such unanimity o1
| feeling
Earl Russell. resting upon the statement
| mud the argument which l have thus rccitel
| closes wi;ll,sly in:. that her Ma]estys Govern
| mcnt trust that ISlcn this matter shall have
been brought 1r,dcr the consideration Of the
| Government Of the United States, it will, o1
| llS DNi IC{UIut tAGI " lHE I{ltlan &It}FETH'
n.ent such redress as alone could satisfy the
British nation, namely, the liberation OF thc
/ four prisoners taken from tue Trent, and theil
| delivery to your 1ordsi,ip, in orscr that they
may again be placed under British protection
and suitable apology for the aggression which
| las been committed. Earl Russell finally in
| structs ycn to propose those terms to me, If ]
| should not first o1ler them on the part Of the
I Government.
| This dispatch has been submitted to the
| President.
| The British Government has rightly conjcc
turtd d, what It is now my duty to state, thas
Capt. Wilkes, III coneciying and executing the
proceeding in question, acted upon his OWL
| suggestions Of duty, without any direction Of
instruction, OF even foreknoWledge of it on
| the l1a1t of this Government. No directions
had been given to him, or any other naval Off.
Ger, to arrest 1llc tour persons named, or any
| OF tltn,, oil tue Trert, Or Cn any other British
/ vessel, or on any other neutral vessel, 1t the
| place where 1t occurred, or elsewhere. The
British Government viii justly infer from these
facts that TIC United States not only have had
no pnrTosc, but even no thought, Of forcing
into discussion the question which las arisen,
or any otl:er which could affect in any way the
| sensibilities Of tic British nation.
1t i true that 4 round shot was fired by the
San Jacintp from her pivot gun when tue
trent w;as distantly approaching But, as the
! facts Eave been reported TO this Government
the shot wss nevertheless Intentionally fired
in Il direction so obviously divergent frum the
/ course Of tae Trent as to be quite harmless
| as blank shot, while it should be regarded Us
| q signal
| preaching TIC San JacInto slowly when the
+ Shell was fifed across her bows, but, on the
| contrary, the Trent was, or seemed to bc NOV
Jug under full head Of steam, as if with 4
purpose TO pass the San Jacinto,
We arc informed also that the boarding Off
ccr {Licut, Fairiaa) did not board the Trent
with large armed guard, but he left his rna.
ripes in his boat when he entered the Trent
| He st&trd lis instructions from Capt. Wilkes
to search fer tlc four persons named, in a re.
spectful and courteous though decided man
ner, and he asked the captain of the Trent tc
show his passenger list, which was refused
The Lieut. cnaEt, as we NE informed, did moi
employ absolute force in transferring the pas
f.scEgers, but he used just SO much as Was ne
ces@ary to satisfy the parties concerned thai
refusal OF resistance would be uuayailisg.
ST., also, we are informed that the Captain
Of the Trent was not at any time OF in AMI
way required to go OIL board the San Jacinto.
These notifications Of the case rs presented
By Commander Williams are based upon oE7
official reports.
I hare now to remind your lordsl,ip of somt
facts which doubtless!y were omitted by Ear
| Russ ell, with the very proper and becoming
motive Of allowing taeul to be brought int{
the case, Oh the part Of the United States, II
/ lie WHY iAVst satisfactory 10 THIS government
These facts are, that at tie time the transac
ton occurred an iE5urrectiou was existing il
thv UnitedStates which this Government wa
engaged in snrpressing by the employment Q
land and naTa! forces that in regard to tl,i
den:cstic STRIFE The United States considered
Great Britain es Q friendly Power while sh'
had assumed for herself the attitude of i neu
tral md that Spain was considered in til.
Same light, and lad assumed the same attitud
Us Grtat Britain.
It bad BEEN settled By correspondence tha
the United States and Great Britain mutual,
I, ,ccepized as applicable to this local strife
these two articles Of the declaration made b,
Tic Congress Of Paris in 1856, namely, tia
! the neutral or friendly Eag should cover enc
1ny's goods not contraband Of war, and tha
neutral goods not eontraband Of war, are no
lianlc to capture under an enemy'e aag. Thes
exceptions Of cortrahand from favor were
Z. gatiye acceptance by the parties of the rul
hitherto everywhere recognized rs O part 9
tie law Of nations, That whatever is contra
hand is Liable to capture and condscatio1 il
all casce.
J:ncs M. Mason end E. J. Mcfarland ar
| citizens Of the United States anu res1deuts c
! Virgins. john slidcll and George Eustis az
citizens of The United Statcs aud residents G
| Louisiana It was we'll known at Hayan
| | when these parties embarked in the Tren
! lat