Litchfield enquirer., 1862-01-02
Tic Release ef Mason and slidell.


 nifkd fesolved that their seizure and detention was right, so profoundly did we all recognize tn imminence of war with England ou that ac count yet resolve to suffer all, rather than yiel an iota of National nonor or National rights, d first thought it would seem that the news of fhei, release upon demand of the British government could not but provoke the bitterest denunicatioi the mostand explicit disapproval on the part 0 hesAmeriean people of the decision of their ONT government. ,..r..
 But with reflection come sober second thoughts What should we gain by their deten ton ?-What should we lose? and what shall WI gain or lose by their release7 We should gain nothing, beyond the conscious uess of having two traitors in our hands, whom our government at this moment have too mucl else on it's hands to find the time to try and hung for treason. We should gain war with Eng land, and so stand fair chance of losing all tn. advantage we have at present gained over the re bellien, if it did not prolong the struggle indef nitely, till we should have used up itand ourselves into the bargain. es ~...
 We should lose nothing by their release, if wt lose not National honor; and we shall certainl, lose that if we fail in crushing this rebellion. Bu we shall lose not National honor because the very point on which Ar. SEWARD acquiesccs in the re lease of the traitors solely is that the brave Capt WILKES did not exercise that right of Capture in the manner allowed and recognized by tue A1c. of Nations, ,'-whch "maaner" and for which "law'' the United States have from their very origin serenuously insisted upon, and have, fo, the principle involved, at least once, fought the proud and pufied John Bull himself.
 Mir. Seward, in his admirable reply to the in. structions to the British Ambassador in this Coun try, which we regret we have not space topubish Tn full, makes these five enquiries, which are in- volved in the statement above made, all of which he demonstrates afirmatively save the last.
 l. Were the persons named and their suppos- ed dispatches, contraband of war?
 2. Might Capt WILKES lawfully stop and search the Trent for these contraband persons
 8. Did he exercise that right in lawful and proper manner?
 f. Having found the coutraband persons on board, and in presumed possession of the contra band dispatches, had he right to capture the persons!
 5. Did he exercise that right of capture in the manner allowed and recognized by the law of nations?
 And in summing up the case, the Secretary uses the following language.
 If decide this case in favor of my own Gov ernment, l must disavow it's most cherished principles, and reverse and forever abandon it's essential policy. The country cannot afford the sacrifice. If maintain those principles and adhere to that policy, must surrender the case itself. It will be seen, therefore, that the Gov ernment could not deny the justice of the claim presented to us in this respect upon the merits We are asked to do to the British nation just what we have always insisted all nations ought to do to us.
 The claim of the British Government is not made in Q discourteous manner. This Govern ment since its first organization, has never used more guarded language in a similar case
 In coming to my conclusion 1 have not forgot ten that if the safety of this Union required the detention of the captured persons, it would be them. But tho effectual check and waning pro- portions of the existing insurrection, as we'll as the comparative unimportance of the captured persons themselves, when dispassionately weigh ed, happily forbid me from reserting to that de- fence. Nor am I aware that American citizens are not in any case to be unnecessarily surren- dered for any purpose into the keeping of q for eigH State. Only the captured persons, however, or others who are interested in them, could just ly raise a question on that ground.
 Nor have been tempted at all by suggestions that cases might be found in history where Great Britain refused to yield to other nations. and even to ourselves, claims like that which is now before us. Those cases occurred when Great Britain, as we'll as the United States, was the home of generations, which, with all their peculiar interests and passions, have passed away. She could in DO other way so effectually disavow any such injury as we think she does now; by assuming as her own the ground upon which we then stood. IL would tell little for our claims to the character of just and mag nanimous people if we should so far consent to be guided by the law of re aliation, to lift up buried injuries from their graves to oppose against what national consistency and the tlonal conscience compel us to regard as Q claim right.
 Putting behind me all sug ggestions of this kind, Iprefer to express my sat sfaction that by the adjustment of the present case upon principles coufessedly American, and yet, as trust, mu- tually satisfactory to both of the nations con- cerned, a question is finally and rightly settled between them, which heretofore exhausting not only all forms of peaceful discussion, but also the arbitrament of war itself, for more than half a century alienated the two countries from each other, and psrplexed with fears and apprehen- sions all other nations.
 The four persons in question are now held in military custody at Fort Warren. in the State of Massachusetts. They will be cheerfully liber- atod. Your lordship will please indicate time and place for receiving them.
 What now do we lose? We are constrained to think nothing-certainly nothing beyond a little national pride which we should be too glad to part with since we may not compromise Ma tional Honor! {; and what do we gain?
 Everything that VIC shallnot lose, wisdom, pru. dence, patience, strength-and National Pride that shall come out the brighter and clearer HOW that we can have nothing to stay the mighty plan which is crushing out the Gigantic Rebellion with an irresistible and steady power. 4 The only disappointed ones will be the rebels of the Southland their sympathizers here at the North-but these latter will be content to be as doeful as the former, since the last peg they have had to hang their hopes on is thus suddenly knocked from under them.
 But to the loyal people of the Union-to the Government-to the Army-shall it not prove an incentive to do up the work thoroughly that they have in haud-to put forth every exertion to crush the outrageous, shameless cause of all our difficulties. thororrhl,, hoort;lv n