The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1862-01-02
End of Mason and siidell.

End of Mason and Siidell.
They are giue,a up q1pon the Demand
Of England.-Highly Important
Diplomatic correspondence.
I New YORK, Dec. %.
The official correspondence between
our Government and Great Britain, re-
lative to the seizure of the traitors Sill
dell and Mason, is received. The first
is a letter from Seward to Minister Adj
ans, dated Nov. 30th, in which he
compliments the latter for wisely speak.
ing and acting at the Lord Mayors
dinner, and also states that he told
Lord Palmerston simply the fact when
informing him the life of the insurrec-
ton was sustained by the hopes of its
recognition by England and France,
and if those hopes ceased, the insur-
rectloa would perish in ninety days.
He refers in the same note to the fact
of the arrest of Slidell and Mason by
Capt. Wilkes as a new and unforeseen
circumstance, which is to be met by the
two Governments, if possible, in kind
ly spirit. ts5, Esgo.
Lord Lyons had said nothing on the
subject, and no explanations were fur
nished Minister: Adams it being
deemed prudent that the ground taken
by the British Government should be
first made known here, and discussion
be had here. But Secretary Seward
deemed it proper to state that Captain
| Wilkes acted without instructions, and
the subject therefore is free from en-
barrassments which might have ensued
if the act had been specially directed.
He trusts the British Government will
consider the subject in friendly tenn
per and it may expect the best DISPOSE
ton on our part.
The next letter is from Earl Russell
to Lord Lyons, dated Nov. 3Oth, which
details the Trent affair. He says it
thus appears that certain individuals
have been forcibly taken from British
vessel, the ship of neutral power on
lawful and innocent voyage-an act
of violence which was an affront to the
British flag, and violation of interna-
tional law. Her Majesty's Govern
ment are willing to believe the act was
without authority, and resulted from a
misunderstanding, as the Government
of the United States must be fully
aware the British Government would
not allow such an afront to the ma
tional honor to pass without full repair
alton and the British government,
unwilling to believe that the United
States deliberately intended unnecessa-
rily to force discussion of so grave a
question between the two governments,
Her Majesty's government trusts that
the government of the United States
will, of its own accord, offer such re-
dress as alone could satisfy them, viz ::
the liberation Of the four persons and
their delivery to Lord Lyons, that they
may again be placed under British au-
thority, and suitable apology for the
aggression committed. Should these
terms not be offered by Mr.. Seward,
you will propose them to him. Mr.
Seward replies to Lord Lyons, by whom
he was furnished copy of Earl Rus
sells letter, stating that the dispatch
had been submitted to the President.
Mr.. Seward states that the British
Government rightly conjectured what
is now my duty to state, that Captain
Wilkes acted upon his own suggestions
of duty, without any direction or in
struction, or even foreknowledge of it
on the part of this Government. No
directions had been given him or any
other naval officer to arrest the four
persons or any of them, on the Trent
or any other British vessel, or any neu-
trail vessel there or elsewhere.
After discussing the whole subject
at great length in all its bearings, Mr..
Seward says: 81 trust | have shown
to the satisfaction of the British Gov
eminent, by very simple and natural
statement of facts, and analysis of law
applicable to them, that this Govern
ment neither meditated nor practiced
nor approved any deliberate wrong in
the transaction to which they have
called its attention, and on the contrary
that what has happened has been sim
ply an inadvertence, free from any
wrongful motive, consisting in depar-
ture by the naval officer from a rule un-
certainly established, and probably by
the several parties concerned either i'm
perfectly understood or entirely I'M
known. For this error the British
Government has a right to expect the
same reparation that an independent
State should expect from Great Britain
or from any other friendly nation in
similar case. l have not been una
ware that in examining this question /
have fallen into an argument for what
seems to be the British side of it
against my own country, but | am re-
lieved from all embarrassment on that
subject, for l had hardly fallen into that
line of argument, when / discovered
that / was really defending and main
tanning not exclusively the British in
terest but an honored and cherished
American cause based upon principles
that constitute large portion Of the
distinctive policy by which the United
States have developed the recources of
a continent, and thus become consid-
cradle power and won the respect and
confidence of many nations. These
.ror, lo;1 1nm, g., 80 L.,