The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1862-02-05

r:Scsr. III "ssi ~ cneerfafly liberated, and
kv csiiInr NM. vOur L0rdshlp TO in1acate q
time and place for receiving them. -..s
No condition Of any kind = cooPaso "A'A
with regard 70 the suitable apology wnicn
the rttish Government h2d q riens 70 "a
pect, flnd. that the Government OF IN.
United States distinctly and upeQuixocn'..!!
Siant Wilfes. or to any other naval omcef
to srrest the four persons named or any y
~ an on the Trent or on any otnel heusEa
vessel. q fireplace where 1t oocarred or e'se
ana. further. that the Secretary Of STAT.
.rrrsssiv forbeers to justify the pA'ucu
sct Of. when her Majesty 8 Government oon.
plainsd. II the United States 0overnmen,
ma no previous distraction for. that pur'
nose. he was right in capturing the person.
Of the four prisoners, and In removing them
from tho Trent on board his own vessel, &c
I'd States, the Government, which bad thus
anctioned the proceeding OF Captain Wilkes,
would have become responsi ble for the orr.
ginAl violence aud insult Of the act.
but Mr.. Seward contents himself with
stating that>wha has happened has been
simply an nadvertency, 90 insisting in dc
partuYe Of . naval officer, free from any
wrongful motive, from a rule uncertainty
established, and probably BY the sevetai
parties concerned, either i'm pc. fectly uadsr.
Of State goes on to afhrm that for this error
the British Government ms q right to ex.
psct the same reparntlon which the United
states, a. an Independent State, should sx
pect from Great Britain. or from any Other
friendly nation in similar case.
Her Majesty's Government having care
fully taken into their confederation the lib
Grafton Of the prisoners, the delivery OF
them into your hands, ana the explanations
to which have juss referred, have arrived
h. q
repAratton which Her Majesty and the British
nation had q right 70 expect
II gives Her Majesty's Government great
satisfaction TO be enabled to arrive at con
most friendly reiAtions between tho two ma
lions. Insed not discuss the notifications in
my statement Of the facts which mr.. Seward
says no has derived from Reports OF officers OF
his Government.
cannot conclude. however, without ad.
verting shortly TO the discussions which MIR
Seward has raised upon points not promi-
nsntly brought In 70 question in my dispatch
OF the soth Of Nove!nbsr l there objected,
on the part Of Her Msjesty's Government, t.
that which Captain Wilkes had done. MIR
Seward, In his answer, poin to out what ne
cOnceives Captain Wilkes might have done
without violating the laws OF nations.
1t Is not necessary that should mere dis.
cuss in detail tho five questions ably arg ued
by the Secretary Of State; but IT Is necessary
that should say that Her Majesty Govern
ment differ Il. M Mr.. Seward In some Of the
conclusions at which he has arrived. And
1t may lead to better understanding be.
tween the two nations on several points Of
International law (which may, during the
present contest ut some future time, be
brought into question, that should state to
You, tor comm unication Lo the Secretary Of
STATE, wherein these differences consist; ]
hope to do 20 In . few days.
In the meantime, it will be desirable thai
the commanders Of the United States
oh hA I'M oft nnt m =
acts for which the British Government will
have TO ask for redress, and which The U. .
Government cannot undertake 10 Justify.
You Will read and give . copy Of this dis
patch to the Secretary Of State.
CsisnsdD RUSSELL.
EARL RUSSELL TO LORD LYONS.
= Ny Lord-Your conduct III tho important
matter OF the Trent il entirely approved by
her Majesty. The discretion and good temper
you have shown have contributed greatly 70
The sue cess Of our operations.
In order TO give your Lordship, BY public
document, proof that you have acted strict-
~ according 70 the Instructions you have re-
ceivsd, enclose an extract, annexed 10 this
dispatch, OF . private letter addressed to you
ON The LIST Of December last.
lam. &c,
tsiGnsd) RusssII.
ExrRAcH or PRIVATE LBTT8R FAoh kAAL AVS
sA.L 70 LOAD Lyons, DEC. /, lool.
The dispatches which were agreed to at the
Cabinet yes terday, and Wnteh have signed
this morning, impose upon you disasreeaDle
task. Ny wish would be that, at your orst
in tsrview With Mr.. seward, you should not
take my dispatch with you, but prepare him
for il. and ask him 70 settle with the Presi-
dent ard the cabinet what course they would
prop
.
patch, and read it to him fully.
II he ASKS what will be the consequence Of
his refusing compliance, think you should
say that you wish TO leave him and the Pre-.
sidsnt quite free to take their own course,
and shat you desire to abstain from anything
like menace.
xSeLIsH oPIsIox OF M. EDWARDS DIPLo-
HACr.
From the I'ad'h j, rss IS. Eq0'''nn'a' 0rs.n''
There a,o several circumstances Of the
diplomatic correspondence ON the Trent A.
fair which, when closely examined, render
that correspondence altogether unoxampled
in the history Of political writing or the
conduct Of International relations. To those
well. meaning perhaps but not very saga
cious parsons, whose transetlantic sympa-
thies lead them to regard With favor the
course pursued BY the Federal Govern men t,
and Who see, In tho language OF its Foreign
Minister, tho proofs of q wish to conciliate
the good will of England, and to respect the
public law Of Europe, We would simply re-
com mend An attentive consideration OF the
following facts
The dispatch Of Mr.. Seward to Mr.. Adams,
Of the 90th November, which, by a gross
misconceptioH OF Its nature, has been termed
q disavoWai Of Captain Wilkes, Is siDgulaIly
enough dated on the very same day on which
Earl Russeil's demand to the Federal Gov.
eminent was pennec hero. The outrage was
committed on the Sth Of the same month
The news brought by tho Persia, which left
Now York on the goth OF that mon tn. ton
days before Mr.. Stewards dispatch was writ.
ton, speaks, am ongst other things on tho
general approval given to the act in Wash.
ington, adding even that tho interest ia the
question had become there already sx-
hapsted, and that public attention was On.
been, therefore, in no great hurry to deliver
any opinion ON the Trent affair, when, in 70.
ply TO . note Of Mr.. Adams, OF the 18th, he
'hastened" to write the note which wss TO
leave BY the mail Of the 4th Of December. BY
that time, however. there appears to have
dawned upon his mind the idea that the
outrage on the British nag might not be
taken in England very quietly. He had
been for fortnight In fall possession Of the
He had bean for several days in possession
OF all the Official reports bearing on the act.
He could learn nothing more than he knew
on the Soth Of November, Of the circum.
perpetratsd the outrage. The act OF Captain
Wilkes was either legal or illegal, and the
principles and precedents BY which its legal
or illegal character must DO determined,
were as we'll known to the Government law.
yers In America then as they could possibly
b afterwards. Tho ground which tho Brit.
ish Govern msnt might choose to take on Its
becoming acquainted with the outrage, could
Affect the policy and expedisnoy Of =
Surrender Of 0essIs. Mason and Sltdsll.
or the reverse but 1t could not alter the
charac tor In the eyes of International law
o. the act committed In the Bahama channel
4 saKacious and high minded statesman,
who implied, in the terms Of his dispatch,
that he was " attentive to the currents that
seemed to Do bringing the two countries into
collision would have first secured . firm
footing on the common ground OF intsrna-
uonal law and justice, and then employed
thA ndvAn tase Of his pOsft ton 70 removo those