Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1862-01-10


hall a cables length before her. The Trent
then stopped. aud an ofieer with large armed
guard of marines boarded her. The oficer
SAID he had orders to arrest Messrs. Mason, |
Slidell, Macfarland and Eustis, and had sure
information that they were passengers in the
Trent. While some parley was gcing on up /
on this matter, Mr.. Slidell stepped forward /
said 10 the American officer that the four per- /
sens be had named were standing before him.
The Commander OF the Trent and COmmand-
er Williams protested against the act of tak- /
iog those four passengers out Of he Trent,
they thea being under the protection of the
British flag. But the San JAeigto was az
this time only two hnnared yards distant, her
ships company at quarters, her ports open and
tompions out, and SO resistance was out OF
the question. Tue fous persons before named
were then foreiEly taken out Of the ship. A
further demand was made that the Command
er of the Trent shonld proceed on board the
San Jacioto, bat be said be would not 60 un'
less fofcibly compelled likewise, and this de-
maud was not insisted upon.
| Upon this statement Earl Russell remaIks
that it thus appesrs that certain individuals
have beeA foroibly taken from on board a
J British vessel, the ship of neutral power,
! while that vessel was pursuing lawful and Ia
nocent voyage, an act of violence which was
an atfraHt to the British hsg ani violation Of
international law.
Earl Russell next says that Her Msjessy's
Government, bearing in mind the friendly re-
lations which have existed between Great Bris
tain and the United States, are willing to bes
| lieve that the saval cii3er who committed this
aggression was not acting ia compliance with
any authority from his Government, or that,
if lie conceived himself TO be so authorized.
he greatly, misunderstood theirstruotious winch
he bad received.
Earl Russell argues that the United States
must be fully aware tbat tho British Govern.
nent could not ALLOW such au aHfont to theI
national honor to pass without full repaFatioas
aud they are wiling to believe that it eo6a
not he the deliberate intertion of the Gopefa-
nent Of the United States unnecessarily te
fegce inio discussion between tho two Govern.
monts question Of 50 grave obsranter, ard
With regard to which tae whole British natiou
would be sure TO entertain such unauimitY Of
feeling.
Eafl Russell, resting upon the stateGent
and the argument which l have thus rqcited,
closes with saying thAt Her hlajesty's Goger1-
meat trast6 that when this uastef shall have
bees brought Under the consideration Of lie
United States il viii, Of ss OWN eccoF1, offer
to tho British Government such redress as alone
could satisfy the British nation, namely, the
Liberation Of the four prisoners taken from The
Treht, aad their delivery to your Lordship ia
order that they may agaiu be placed unles
British protection, and suitable policy Tor the
/ aggression which has been committed. Fail
Russell finally asirncis son TO propose those
terms to me, # | should not first offer them
on ths part Of the Government.
THIS despatch has beea sabmitlea to the
Presidelt
The British Government has rightly conjec-
tured, what it Is now my duty to state, that
Capt. Wilkes, in coneeivlng and executing the
proceeding 10 question, acted upon bis own
suggestions OF duty, without any directioo or
instruction, or even fQreknoEledge Of il on the
part cf this government. No directions had
been given to him or any other naval oliieer, to
arrest tho four persons named, or any of them,
on the Trent, or on any other British vessel, or
oa any other neutral vessel, at the place where
is occurred or elsewhere. Tho British Govern
rnent will Justly infer from these facts that the
United States not opiy had no purpose, but
even 10 thought of forcing Into discussion the
question which has arisen, or any which could
affect ia any way the sensibiliies Of the
British nation.
II is true that round shot was fred by the
San Jasinto from her pivot gun when the frent
was distantly approaching. Bns, as tue facts
Lave been reported to this Government, the
shot was nevertheless Intentionally fred ia
direction SO obviously divergent froul tho
course of the Trentas to be quite as harmless
as a blank shot, while it should be regarded as
signal.
So also We learn that the Trent was not sps
proachirg the San Jacuto slowly When the
shell was fred across her bows bnt, on the
contrary, the Trent was, or secmed 10 be, NOV.
ing uudor a full head Of steam, as If With a
purpose to pass the San Jacinto.
We are informed also that the boarding Off
Ger Aientenant Fairfax) did not board the
Trent With : large armed guard bat be left his
marines 10 his boat when he entered tie Trent.
lie stated bis instructions from Capt. Wilkes
to search for the four persons named, in a res-
pcctfu and courteous though decided manner,
and be asked the Captain Of the Trent to show
bis passenger list, which was refused. The
Lieutenant, az we are informed, did not en-
ploy absolute force ia transferring the passen-
gers, but he used just so much as was neces.
sary to satisfy the parties concerned that refu.
sal or resistance would be nnavailing.
/ 80, also, we are informed that the Captain
Of The Trent was not at any time or in any
way required to 90 on board the San Jaciuto
These qualifications Of tho case as presented
by Commander Williams arc based upon our
oficial reports.
have now to remind your Lordship of some
facts which doubtlesslS we're omitted BY Earl
| Russell, with the very proper and becoming
motive Of allowing them to be brought into
the ease, on the part OF the United States, in