Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1862-01-09
MIR. SEWARD TO LORD LYONS.
DEPARTMENT OF STATE,


The Right Honorable Lord Lyons, dc. dc.
My LORD: Earl Russel's despatch Of
November the 30th, copy of which you
have left with me at my request, is Of the
following effect, namely
That letter of Commander Williams,
dated Royal Mail Contract Packet boat
Trent, at sea. November 9th, states that
that vessel left Havana on the 7th Of Novem-
ber, with her Majesty'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 colors, was OBJ
served ahead. That steamer, on being near
ed by the Trent, at one o'clock fifteen min
utes in the afternoon, fired round shot from
pivot gun across her bows, and showed
American colors. While the Trent was ap-
preaching slowly towards the San Jacinto
she discharged shell across the Trent
bows, which exploded at half cable length
before her. The Trent then stopped and an
officer with large armed guard of marines
boarded her. The officer said he had orders
to arrest Messrs Mason, Slidell, Mcfarland,
and Eustis, and had sure information that
they were passengers in the Trent. While
some parley was going on upon this matter
Mr.. Slidell stepped forward and said to the
American officer that the four persons ht
had named were standing before him. The
| Commander of the Trent and Commander
Williams protested against the act of taking
those four passengers out of the Trent, the,
4 then being under the protection Of thl
British flag. But the San Jacinto was a
this time only two hundred yards distant
her ships company at quarters, her ports
open and tompions out, and so resistance wa
out of the question. The four persons befor,
named were then forcibly taken out of tn,
ship. A further demand was made that tn,
Commander of the Trent should proceed ol
board the San Jacinto, but he said he woulC
not unless forcibly compelled likewise, and thi
demand was not insisted upon.
Upon this statement Earl Russell remark
that it thus appears that certain individual
have been forcibly taken from on board
British vessel, the ship of a neutral Power
while that vessel was pursuing lawful ant
innocent voyage, an act of violence which
was an affront to the British flag and viola
tion Of international law.
Earl Russell next says that her Majesty
Government, bearing in mind the friendl
relations which have long subsisted between
Great Britain and the United States, ar
willing to believe that the naval officer VIII
committed this aggession was not acting il
compliance with any authority from his Gov
ernment, or that, if he conceived himself +
be SO authorized, he greatly misunderstood
the instructions which he had received.
Earl Russell argues that the United State
must be fully aware that the British Gov
' ernment could not allow such an affront t
,, the national honor to pass without full repa
ration, and they are willing to believe tina
, it could not be the deliberate intention o
: the Government of the United States ur
. necessarily to force into discussion betwee
. the two Governments question of so grav
,, character, and with regard to which the Who'll
! British nation would be sure to entertai
) such unanimity of feeling.
Earl Russell, resting upon the statemer
e and the argument which have thus reciteG
, closes with saying that her Majesty's Go,
i ernment trust that when this matter sha
E have been brought under the considerable
/. of the Government of the United States,
. will, of its own accord, offer to the BIRTHS
= Government such redress as alone could sa
= sfy the British nation, namely, the libert
q q ton Of the prisoners taken! from the Tren
\ and their delivery to your lordship, in ordt
: that they may again be placed under Britiss
y protection, and suitable apology fer ii
dYgFtSSlOu WtllCu uuo UCCu 1Iu
= Russell finally instructs you to propose tho
! terms to me, if ] should not first offer the
= on the part of the Government.
20 20 This dispatch has been submitted to Il
y President. ~
" The British Government has rightly col
= jectured, what it is now my duty to stat
~ ~ that Capt. Wilkes, in conceiying and exec,
.s ting the proceeding in question, acted up.
70 70 his own suggestions of duty, without any
~ ~ rection, or instruction, or even foreknow
" edge oft on the part of this Gouernnen
~ ~ No directions have been given to him,
~ ~ any other naval officer, to arrest the fol
Nv persons named, or any ofthem, on the Treu
=, 7, Or any other British vessel, or on any 9th
" " neutral vessel, at the place where it occu
Us red, or elsewhere The British Goyernme
A. twill Justly infer from these facts that Il
~ United States not only have had no purpos
. but even no thought, of forcing into discu
y, sion the question which has arisen, or al
y y other which could effect in any way the Sc
~ sibilities Of the British nation i
y 1t is true that a round shot was fred
8. the San Jacinto from her pivot gun VIII,
~ the Trent was distantly approaching. rBu
ttS as the facts have been reported to this Go
- ernment, the shot was nevertheless intentio
= - ally fred ina disectioh so obviously diverge