Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1862-01-02
OmciaIgCorrespond An she Trent
Case. ls
New York, Dec. %

a uOVeTutntHt anu NAtah i''i'iau iNidNfN W
\ the seizure of the traitors Mason and Shdell
is received.
sEcRETARY SEWARD TO MINISTER ADAMS.
VI The first is letter from Secretary Seward
10 Minister Adams, dated November 30th, in
which he congratulates the latter for wisely
speaking and acting at the Lord Mayors
N dinner, and also states that he told Lord Pal
mers,on simple fact when informing him
4 that the life OF the instruction was strength
ened by hopes Of its recognition by England
\ and France, and if their hopes ceased the
insurrecion would perish in ninety days. He
refers in the same note TO the fact of the ar
rest of Slidell and Mason as new and un.
torseen circumstance which is to be met by
the two Governments if possible, in kindly
spirit Lord Lyons had said nothing on the
subject, and no explanations were furnished
Minister Adams, i being deemed prudent
that the ground taken by the British Gov
eminent should be first made known here,
and discussion be had But Mr. Seward
deemed proper to state that Wilkes acted
without instructions, and the subject there
fore is free from embarrassmens which might
have ensued if the act had been specially di-
rected. He trusts the British Government
will consider the subject in friendly tenn
per and it may expect the best disposition on
our part. sass asa
- EARL RUSSELL TO LORD LYONS.
4 Next comes Earl Russell's letter to Lord
Lyons .s. ..... ..a
Foreign Office, Nov. 30th, 1861.
My Lord Intelligence of a very grave
nature has reached Her Majesty's Govern
ment. This intelligence was conveyed Off
cially to the knowledge of the Admiralty by
Il Commander Williams, agent for the mails on
board the contract steamer Trent. 1t appears
N from the letter of Commander Williams, da-
ted Royal Mail Contract Packet Trent, at
sea November 9th, that the Trent left Ha-
wanna on the fifth instant with Her Maiesty's
mails for England, having on board numer-
Gus passengers Commander Williams states
that shortly after noon on the Sth, steamer
having the appearance of man-ot-war, but
not showing colors, was observed ahead. On
nearing her at lis p. NJ, she fired round
shot from her pivot gun across the Trent, and
showed American colors While the Trent
was approaching her slowly, the American
vessel discharged shell across the bows of
the Trent, exploding half cables length
ahead of her. The Trent then stopped, and
an officer with large armed guard of ma
q
list OF the passengers, and compliance with
this demand being refused, the officer said he
had orders to arrest Messrs Mason, Slidel,
Mcfarland and Eusts, and that he had sure
information of their being passengers in the
Trent. While some parley was going on up
on this matter, Mr.. Shdel stepped forward
and told the American officer that the four
persons he had named were then standing be-
fore him. The Commander of the Trent
and Commander Williams protested against
the act of taking by force out of the Trent
these four passengers, then under the protec-
ton of the British flag, but the San Jacinto
was at the time only two hundred yards from
the Trent, her ships company at quarters,
her ports open and tompions out. Resistance
was therefore ont OF the question, and the
four gentlemen before named were torc;biy
taken out of the ship. A further demand
was made that the commander of the Trent
should proceed on board the San Jacinto,
but he said he would not go unless torclbly
compelled likewise, and this demand was not
insisted upon. 1t thus appears that certain
individuals have been forcibly taken from on
board British vessel, the ship Of neutral
power, while such vessel was pursuing law
full and innocent voyage, an act OF violence
which was an atfront to the British flag and
violation of international law. Her Maj
esty's Government having in mind the friend
ly relations which have long subsisted be-
tween Great Britain and the United States,
are willing to believe that the United States
officer who committed this aggression was not
acting in compliance with any authority from
his Government, or that if he conceived him
self to be so authorized he greatly misunder-
stood the instructions which he had received,
for the Government of the United States
must be fully aware that the British Govern
ment would not allow such an affront to ma
tional honor to pass without full PREPARATION,
and Her Majesty's Government are unwilling
to believe that it could be the deliberate in
tention of the Government of the United
States unnecessarily to force into discussion
between the two Governments question of
so grave character, and with regard to
which the whole British nation would be sure
to entertain such unanimity of feeling. Her
MaJesty's Government therefore trusts that
when the matter shall have been brought I'M
der the consideration of the Government of
the United States, that Government will of
its own accord offer to the British Govern
meni such redress as alone could satisfy the
British nation, namely, the liberation Of the
four gentlemen, and their delivery to your
Lordship in order that they may again be
placed under British protection, and suta-
BILE apology for the aggression. Should these
terms not be offered by Mr.. Seward GU will
propose them to him. You are at liberty to
read this dispatch TO the Secretary OF State,
and if he shall desire it you will give him a
copy of it. | am, &C.,
RUSSELL.
SECRETARY SEWARD TO LORD LYONS
After discussing the whole subject at great
length IN all its bearings, Mr.. Seward says
trust have shown to the satisfaction of the
British government by very simple and
natural statement of facts and ANALYSIS of
law applicable to them, that this Government
has neither medtated, nor practsed, nor APP
proved any deliberate wrong in the transac-
uon to which they have called its attention.