Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1862-01-01
General Seott's Letter.

The following is the letter of General
Scott, published in the French papers, to
which frequent reference has been made Of
late:
Ny DEAR SIR:-You were right in
doubling the declaration imputed to me, to
wit: That the Cabinet at Washington had
given orders to seize Messrs Mason and
Slidell, even under neutral flag. for was
net even aware that the Government had
had that point even under consideration
At the time Of. my leaving New York it
was not known that the San JaeintO had
returned to the American seas; and it was
generally supposed those persons had es-
capped to Cuba for the purpose Of re-em-
barking in the Nashville. in pursuit of
which vessel the James Adger had been de-
spatched.
think l can satisfy you in few words
that you have no serious occasion to feel
concerned about our relations with Eng
land, if, as her rulers profess, she has no
desire to encourage the dissensions in Amer
lea.
In the first place it is almost super1uou-
to say to you that every instinct of pru-
dercc as well as of good neighbOrhood
prompts our Government to regard no hon.
orable sacrifice too great, for the prcserva-
tiOn of the friendship of Great Britain.-
This must be obvious to all the world. At
10 period Of cur histqN has her friendship
been Of more Importance to our people; at
no period has our Government been in a
condition to make greater concessions to
preserve it. The two nations arc united
by interests and sympathies--commsrciai,
social, political and religious, almost as tie
two arms to one body, and no ono is 50 ig-
nOrant as not to know that what harms,one,
must harm the other in q corresponding de-
gree. ?
l am persuaded that the British govern
ment can entertain 10 doubt upon this
point, but if it docs, feel that may take
it upon myself to say that the President Of
the United States, when made aware of its
existence, will lose No opportunity of dis
pelling it.
Nor is there anything, venture to af-
firm, in the seizure Of these rebel emissa-
ries which ought to receive an unfriendly
construction from England Her states
men will not question the legal right Of an
American vessel of war to search any COM
mercial vessel justly suspected of trans
porting cOntraband Of war; that right has
never been surrendered by England; it was
even guaranteed to her by the Treaty of
Paris, and British guns ffowning down up
on nearly every strait and inland sea upon
the globe, are conclusive evidence that she
regards this right as one, the efficacy of
which may be not yet entirely exhausted
OF course, there is much that is irritating
and yexatious IN the exercise of this right /
under the most favorable circumstances.
and it is to be hoped the day is not far dis !
tant when the maritime States of the world !
will agree in placing neutral commerce be- /
yOnd the reach of such. vexations. The
United States government has been striv-
ing to this end for more than fifty years; to
this end, early in the present century, and
in its infaLcy as a nation, it embarked in
war with the greatest naval power in the
world. and it IS even now persistent suit /
Or at every maritime Court in Europe FORA
more liberal coguition of the rights of 4
Oeutrals than any of the other great mari
time nations have yet been disposed to
make. But till those rights are secured by
proper international guarantees upon COM
prehensiye and enduring basis, Of course
England cannot complain of an act for
which, in all its material bearings, her
'wn naval history affords such numerous
Drecedcnts
Whether the captives from the Trent
we're eontraband of war or not, is ques-
ion which the two Governments can have