New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-01-31
NEUrRAL RsGlsTs-GEEAT BRIT

Element in favor of Neutral Maritime Rights Of
PRINCIPLES on which Great Britain has hitherto
seen fit to resist and defy the opinion of the
civilized world. In announcing that capture
we indicated orr conviction that this was the
very best use TO which those persons could be
nut. and our belief that Great Britain could
PROFOUND no doctrine of Neutral Rights too
liberal to be readily accepted by our Govern
ment. 1t is now morally certain that those
antcipations are on the point Of bene6cent
realization.
! Whoever has carefully considered tue official
correspondence of the two Governments re-
speeding this affair viii have noticed the eau
tious avoidance BY Earl Russell and his repre-
sentative at Washington of any statement OF
the principles which should govern the case.
! That Capt. Wilkes had committed fragrant,
iode(ensibIe outrage on the British flag, for
which we were bound to make instant and
ample reparaton, was confidently asserted-in
fact, assumed as unquestionabe but how and
wherein the seizure Of Mason and Slidell was
an outrage, they were careful not to indicate.
n1DsI ccTtdlHlt, tnt RuN'ho
warning her subjects not TO do anything In
consistent with her determination to maintain
a strict neutrality between the bellgerents,
seemed to forbid the carrying of " officers or
4" dispatches for the Confederates; yet here
were both officers and dispatches VIGOROUSLY
being sped by British vessel on errands OF
the deadIicst hostility to our Government. What,
then was the ground on which the Trent was
held justified by that Queens Ministry IN
doing an act which she seemed to have ex.
pressly forbidden Was it that the Trent was
in Il certain sense, a National vessel, aud there
fore not liable to be stopped and searched by
belligerent ship Was il that she was on a
voyage from q neutral to q British port, and
that only a vessel which had sailed from. or
touched at or was bound TO, bclligeren, port
was linble 10 visitation Was il that Mason
and Slidel were not in the Military or Naval
service of the rebel Government, therefore not
officers in the more restricted sense OF that
term OR did the British Government mean
to take tho broad ground that British vessel
Of whatever class was portion of The British
Emrire, aud not subject 10 visitation nor her
passengers TO arrest, any more than though
they had been quietly sojourning on AngIesey
or the Isle Of Wight These were questions
10 which our Government had a right TO cx-
pect answers. but none were given. In fact
all discussion or inquiry on our part was dep-
recated in advance by the leading British presses,
and virtually precluded BY the terms Of the
British official demand.
"No palayer No hesitation Surrender
4" them or fight - was the fierce cry of The
Times, The Morning Post, aud The Morning.
Heraid-the leading journals of the rival aris-
tocratic factions-which the official requisition
somewhat softened in words, but not in essen
tal purport.
Gov. Seward in his reply which the British
I journals seem to find SO indlgestible, chose TO
regard the failure of Capt. Wilkes to bring the
Trent and her doiDgs before competent legal
tribunal for adjudication as fatal to the legiti-
macy of the capture, and on tina. ground con-
ceded the justice Of the British demand.
/ If we may credit sem.offcial utterances,
that is not satisfactory to the British
Government, which will insist on pur-
suing the discussion. We are glad of it. And
may We not hope that Earl Russell will &C.
company bis criticism on the position of our
Government with frank statement of his
own view Of the whole ground
Tie Times, in al article reprinted in orr
last thus cautiously feels its way to mega
tive position covering pnrt Of the ground which
has been supposed in question:
Asto the general discussion Of the law Of neu,as into
which Mr Seward eu,er' much length, the Government,
will decline any until they have had opportunity Of
admitting the whole note 20 their law officers
There are propositions laid down In this note Which
all admissible AID II l. Of the highest importance that
shqnd nj .uddsniy bssd onTssre. 20 he G1d 81 bel
hgceHfth which may be to ogIseyts at some future time
admit the hight Of any foreign state 10 mail PACKETS
i1to th- ports add submit them TO tho aIbun.n of tLei
points be properly raised sd be cVnN-nie1ty
Jcued but IL l. eIpoden TO separate this di'cu',ion
trey from the settlement Of the Misunderstanding which has
nearly prctipitsiel u, into wal Nhene'er tie proper
time comes shall probably inss with all Authority IA our
neu.l Power In neutral hip and thai u = presumption
that ia such communication there l. nothing inconsistent
with the character tho neutral nation and therefore nothing
injurious 10 the other eollisett MT
Here Gov. Stewards suggestion of Il con-
sderation aud settlement OF the whole subject
of Neutral Maritime Rights, By all The poirers
interested, is carefully ignored; in fact we do
no, find it noticed with favor by any organ Of
British aristocratic opinion. Yet it is now too
late 10 avoid such n settlement Great Britain
has in this controversy availed herself of at
least the moral support of most of the European
Powers in behalf of her demand that Mason
and Slidell be given nm IN her Wa haze