Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1862-02-07
THE rnErr CORREsPONDENCE.
EARL RUssk1i's pErIY TO MR.. SEWARD.

FoREIGN ORFIoE, Jan. i /, 1862.
Ny LoRD In my despatch 10 you Of the
30th Of November, after informing you ofI
the circumstances which had occurred in
relation to the capture Of tho four persons
taken from on board the Trent, / stated to
you that il thus appeared that certain in
dyiduals had been forcibly taken frem on
board q British vessel the ship Of neutral
power, while such vessel was pursuing
lawful and innocent voyage, an act Of vio-
lence which was an affront TO the British
flag, and violation Of international law
] concluded by directing you, in case there
paratiou, which Her Majesty's Government
expected 10 receive, should not be offered
by Mr.. Seward, to propose to that Minister
TO make such redress as alone would satisfy
the British nation--namely, first, the liber-
alton of the four gentleman taken from on
board the Trent, and their delivery to your.
lordship, in order that they might again be
placed under British protection; and, Sec
ondy, a suitable apology for the aggression
which bad been committed.
received, yesterday, your despatch of
the 9Th ult., inclosing note to you from
Mr.. Seward which is, in substance, the an
swor to my dispatch of the Soth Of. Novem-
ber
Proceeding at once to the main points
in discussion between us, Her Majesty's Gov
eminent have carefully examined how far
Mr.. Stewards note, and the conduct It an
nounces, complies substantially with the
two proposals / have recited.
With regard to the first, viz: the liberia
tion Of the prisoners, with view TO their
being again placed under British protection,
! find that the note concludes BY stating
that the prisoners will be cheerfully liberat-
ed, and by calling upon your Lordship to
indicate a time and place for receiving them
No condition of any kind is coupled with
the liberation of the prisoners.
With regard to the suitable apology
which the British Government had right
TO expect, ] find that the Government Of
the United States distinctly and unequiyo-
cally declares that no directions had been
given to Capt. Wilkes, or 10 any other ma
val officer, to arrest the four persons named,
or any Of them, on the Trent or any otlier
British vessel, or on any other neutral YES
sci at tho place where it occurred or else
where. La5
find, further, that the Secretary of State
expressly forbears to Justify the particular
act of which her Msjesty's government COM
planned. If the United States Government
had alleged that, although Capt. Wilkes
had no previous instruction for that purpose,
he was right in capturing the persons of
the four prisoners and in removing them
from the Trent on board his own vessel, 10
be afterwards carried into port OF tho
United States, the Government which had
thus sanctioned the proceeding of Captain
Wilkes would have become responsible for
the original violence and insult Of the act.
But Mr. Seward contents himself with
stating that what has happened has been
simply an inadvertency, consisting in de-
parture by naval officer, free from any
wrongful motive, from rule uncertainty
established, and probably by the several
parties concerned either imperfecty under
stood or entirely unknown. The Secretary
of State goes TO affirm that for this error
the British Government has right to ex-
pect the same reparation which the United
States, as an independent State, should ex-
pect from Great Britain, or from any othor
friendly nation in similar case.
1 Her Majesty's Government having care
fully taken into their consideration the lib
Grafton of the prisoners, the delivery of
them into your hands, and the explanations
to which have just referred, have arrived
at the conclusion that they constitute the
reparation which Her Majesty and the Brit
ish nation had right to expect.
1t gives Her Majesty's Government great
satisfaction to be enabled to arrive at con-
elusion favorable to the maintenance of the
most friendly relation between the two "a.
tions. need not discuss the notifications
in my statement of the facts which Mr..
Seward says he has derived from the reports
Of the officers Of his Government.
/ cannot conclude, however, without ad.
verting shortly to the discussions which Mr..
Seward has raised upon these points not
prominently brought into question in nv
dispatch Of the S0th Of November. there
objected. on the partof Her Majesty's Gov
ernment to that which Captain Wilkes had
DONE. Mr.. Seward, in his answer, points
out what locomotives Capt. Wilkes might
have done without violating the laws ofna-
tions.
Itis not necessary that | should here
discuss in detail the FIVE questions ably
argued by the Secretary of State; but is is
necessary that / should say that Her Maj.
} esty's Government differ from Mr.. Seward
in some of the conclusions at which be has
arrived. And il may lead to a better un.
derstanding between the two nations on
several points Of International law which
may during the present contest or some fu-
ture time be brought into question, that
should state to you, for communication tC
the Secretary Of State, wherein these diff
erences consist; I hope 70, do 50 in few
days,
In the mean time, it will be desirabl,
that The commanders Of the United States
cruisers should be instructed not TO repeal
acts for which the British Government will
have to ask for redress, and which tht
United States Government cannot under
! take to justify,
+ You will read and give copy Of thii
dispatch to the Secretary Of State.
am, DE, RUSSELL.
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rhe Difficulties of a Rebel EhVOy.
A Southern agent, writing from England
n