Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1861-1862, 1862-01-14

Mr.. valIandigham Taunts the Yankee Adj
ministration and Congress with Cowardice,
and Predicts War with Great Britain.
In the Lincoln Congress, on the 7th. message was
received from the President communicating the papers
in the Trent affair heretofore published.
motion was made to refer them 10 the COMMITTEES
on Foreign Affairs.
Mr.. Va!lapdigham, (opp.) Of Ohio, said avail my.
self sir, Of this the earliest opportunity offered, to
press my utter and strong condemnation, Of the
Representatives of the people, Of the act Of the admins
traon in surrenderng hessrs. Mason and Sidel to
the British Government For six weeks, sir they
held In close custody traitors 10 the United Ssee by
order Of the Secretary OF State and with the approval
and appause Of the press OF the public men, Of the
Navy Department. Of this House. and Of the people Of
the United States with full knowledge Of the
and all the circumstances Of their capture and yet in
days after the mperous and prempory demand Of Great
Britain, they were abecty surrendered upon the mere
rumor even Of the approach Of hostile feet and thus
for the first time In national history have strutted
nsolently into quarrel without right and then basey
crept out Of il without honor and thus for the fret time
has the American eagle been made to before the
British lion.
Sir vassal or fettered and terror-strcken press or
servile and sycophantic politicians in this House out
of IT, may applaud the act and fawn and ,iter and lick
the hand which has smitten down our honor into the
dust. But the people now or hereafter, will demand
terrible reckoning for this most unmany surrender But
do not trust myself to speak Of as propose
some day 10 speak. rose only to put on record my
emphatic protest against IT, and to express my deep
yicton that the very which the other day might
have been avoided by combined wisdom and rmness Is
now inevitable.
Sir the surrender may be no fault OF the Secretary of
State but he has soun, fear, the dragons teeth by
this his fatal despatch and armed will spring from
it. In the name of God sir, what does England want
with Mason and Sidell IL was surrender Of the
claim Of the right TO seize them on board her ships un-
der her flag that she demanded and yet this is the very
hiog that Mr. Seward pcrtnacousy refuses aud he only
condemns Capt. Wilkes because he did enforce this
asserted right with greater severity against the offending
Neutral ship Why, sir upon the principles OF ths des-
patch, if merchant vessel as at first intended, had
employed 10 carry these men out from Fort Warren 10
England she might to-day havo been arrested on the
high seas and they dragged from her deck, provided
only she forthwith brought back the port Of Bos
ton for confscaton. .. To-. b.. .r. o..
But more than this England needs, do not say wants
a war but she must and will have it, and this admins
raon has acted from the Inning as IL it was Their
purpose TO obge her in II the utmost Look into your
diplomatic correspondence Look at your stone feet
Bat let that pass Who ask, among all the millions Of
this country, in this House Senate the Ad
minssraon itself in the midst Of the dead calm OF stod
security which seems now 10 rest over ALL has reflected
for upon the signfcancy Of the events Of the
passing hourf
British man of war bears to the shores Of England
there to be received in triumph and with shouts OF e.
ultaon IS martyrs aud heroes and with the gustos Of
the people Of England and as the proteges OF their min
ssrs the very Who but for the rash act Of Captain
Wilkes, and the still more rash endorsement Of the Ad
minsraon and the country, would six weeks ago have
been quietly landed from private ship quiet security
as rebels and refugees AL Europe echoes now with
their names All Europe will rise up to do them honor
and yet you surrendered them did you TO escape the
recognition by England of the Confederate States, aid
your Secretary OF State with Christian resignation
stole philosophy calmly roces that the eectual check
upon and waning proportions Of the insurectioD, well
as the comparative unimportance Of the persons
rned happily enable the administration alter six weeks
OF experiment. to eheerfuly iberate them and thus
remove this ttterinG cailsd beH.
Sir give me leave to say, that the moment they
Mason and SlidelD stepped upon the deck Of British
your prisoners Of state whom the other day
YOU would have consigned to feons cells became indeed
the ENJOYS and ambassadors Of recognised independent
S:.te aud predict here to-day 10 spite Of this deep
onA humiliation rather perhaps because OF H. and
IN Spite too Of the surrender, without protest OF the
Monroe doctrine for forty years the cherished and proud
policy Of this Government In less than three months you
will De at war with Great Britain, else, in the
time will have basey submitted TO the recognition Of
the Confederate States, and the breaking up Of the
blockade and If at then, with hta unslrung and
hands unnerved by this very surrender.
Coursge courage courage sir, 10 the best and first
of peacemakers. know well, of course, sir, like all
other similar predictions for years past in regard
10 our public affairs, you will treat this one also with
scong and incretulty; but, nevertheless put It on
record here to-day tine prudent man forseeth the
evil and hideh himself but the simple pass on and are
punished" ...>