Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1861-1862, 1862-01-04
uuGHLY IMPOnrANT NEWS.


SURRENDER 0F.M As0N AND DSLIDELL--0FFl0IAL
CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN Sc ErRkrARY SEW
ARD AND TIE BRITISH MINISTER. "
The Baltimore "5un" Of the sob OF December, far
nishes us with the following important correspondence,
which it copies frcm the National Inelgsncer" Of Sat,
urday last,
Mr.. srwAKD TO Mr.. AD.Ns-(ExrRAcr)
= DEPARTMENT OF STATE
wAsHMoroS, Nov. 80, 1861.
CHARLIs FRANCIS ADAMS, ESQ, a., &c.
S1R.--Y our confidential note of the 10Th OF NoVem-
Der. not marked as q Dispatch has been submitted to
the President, and hasten to reply to It In time ior
Wednesdays mail.
which excited deep public socitude than you did on the
occasion of the Lord Mayors dinner We are impressed
very fsvcrably by Lord Panerstons conversation with
YOU You spoke the simple fact when YOU told him that
the life Of this insurrecion ID sustained by the hopes o.
recognition Id Great Britain and in France. Il would
perish IA ninety days, II these hopes should cease
ATe never for moment believed that such recogni'
tbn could take plscs without producing Immediately a
between the United States and all the reeoguizg
powers rhaye not supposed i possible that the British
Government could fail see this ard at the same time
la, sincerely believed the British Government must
in is nmost heart be ayerse to such war as Il know
am surs that this government has carefully avoided
giving any cause Of or irritation to Great Britain
But L has seemed to me that the British Government
has been nattenye 10 the currents thar seemed to be
bringing the two cOnntries into collision
= =
firfer from Lord Pamers.ons remark that the Brit
ISL Government is how awske 10 the Importance OF
avertng possible cot and disposed TO ccner and act
with earnestness that end If 30, weare iposed to
meet them in the same spirit nation, ehi' nS OF
riti1h li1eaFe sentiments and sympsthies-a civss I'd
snd humlne nation, Christian people:
spcs that conversation was held Cap. Wilkes, in tbe
steamer San Jecinto has boarded British colonial
steamer Rhd taken from her deck two insurgents, who
were proceeding to Europe on an GRAND OF treason
against their own country This Is new incident, un
known and unforeseen least 10 ia circumstances bv
Lord Pslmerston II is to he met and disposed OF by
the TWO governments IL possible 10 the spirit 70 which
lave adyerted Lord Lyons has ptudently reirained
from opening the subject to me, as, presume, wait
ing for instructions from home. We have done
nothing on the subject to anticipate the discussion,
sad we have not furnished you with any expla-
nations We adhere that now because We think
/, more prudent that the ground taken by the British
Government should be first made known to us here, and
that the discussion if there mus. be shall be bad
here l. is proper, however that you should know one
fac, 10 the case without indicating that we attach inn
nor ance to It. namely that in the capture Of Messs
Mason ard Sdel on board British vessel, Captain
Wilkes bsvng acted without any instructions from the
government the subject is therefore free from embass
rassment which might have resuedh the act had been
spec 4 " directed byuS
trust that the British government will consider the
sat sc, In friendly temper and II may expect the bss
iisposi,ion on the plrt OF this government.
Although tbs is cotfi iental note, shall not object
70 your tsadtag il to Earl Russell and Lord PLmerston
If you deem il eSpsdient.
am, sir, your Obedient,.
. WILLIAM Il. SKwARD.