Santa Fe gazette. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1859-1864, 1862-02-01

suitable apology for the aggression which has been
committed Earl Russell finally insracts you tc
propose those terms to me, il should not 6rsl
of.r them on the part Of this Government N
This dispatch has been submitted to the Pres
dent rsIH4g 4I 9g",fl.
Thu British Government has rightly conectur,
cd, which it Is now my duty to state, that Cant
Wilkes, in concslving and executing the proceed
ing in question, acted npon his own suggestions Of
duty, without any direction or instruction, or even
foreknowledge Of it on the part Of this Govern.
msnt. No directions had baen given to him, or
any other naval officer, to arrest the four persons
named. or any ofthcm, on the Irent or on any
other British vessel or on any other neutral YES.
sci, at the place wereit occurred or elsewhere
The British Government will justly infer from
these facts that the Untad States not only baye
had no purpose, but even no thought, Of forcing
into discussion the question which has arisen. or
any other which could affect In any way the sensi,
bties Of the British nation. '@''f ".'0 t
II Is true that u round shot was fred Inv tha
San Jacinto, from her pivot-gun, whon the 'Iran,
was distantly approaching, But as the facts have
been reported to this Government the shot was,
nevertheless Intentionally fired ina direction so
obviously divergent from the course of the Trent
as to be quite as harmless as bank shot while
it should be regarded as signal. So also, we
learn that the Trent was not approaching tho San
Jacinto slowly when the shell was fred across her
bows, but, on the contrary the Trent was or seem,
ed to be, moving under full head Of stsam as it
with purpose to pass the san Jacinto. ...r
We are informed also, that the boarding officer
Uieut. Fairfax did not board the Trent with a
large armed guard, but he LETT his MARINES in his
poat when be entered the Trent He stated bis
instructions from Capt Wilkes to search for the
four persons named in respectful and courteous
though decided manner and be asked the Cap.
tain of tho Trent to show his passenger list which
was refused. The Lieutenant as We are informed
did not employ absolute force in transferring the
passengers, but ho used just 30 much as was neces
sary to satisfy the parties concerned that refusal Or
resistance would be nnaang
So also we are informed that the Captain of the
Trent was not at any tms; or 10 any way, required
to go on board the San Jacinto,
These notifications Of the case as presented by
Commander Williams, are based upon our official
reports HHlla.' nH sHUH s.
Ihave now to remind your Lorlship Of some
facts which doubtlessy were omitted byEarl Rus
sell, with the very proper aud becoming motive oi
allowing them to be brought into the case, on the
part Of the United States, in thu way most satis
factory to this Government. These facts are that
at the time the transaction occurred
an insurrection was existing in the
United States, which this Government was engsg
ed in suppressing by the employment Of land and
naval forces; that in regard to this domestic strife
the United States considered Great Britain as a
friendly Power, while she had assumed for herself
the attituds Of nsatFal; and that Spain was con.
sdered in the same light, and had assumed the
same attitude as Great Britain.
1t had been settled by correspondence that the
United States and Great Britain mutually recng
aized as applicable to this local strife these two
articles Of the Declaration made by the Congress
Of Paris in 1856, namely: That the neutral or
friendly flag should cover enemys goods, not con
lraband Of war, and that neutral goods not contra
band of war are not liable 10 capture under an
enemy flag. These exceptions Of contanand
from seizure were a negative acceptance by the
parties, ofthe rule hitherto everywhere recognized
10 part of the law OF nations, that Whatever is
contrabund is liable to capture and con6scation in
all cases
James NJ. Mason and 3, J, Mcfarland are
citizens Of the United States, and residents o.
Virginia. John 5lidel aud George Eustis are
citizens Of the United States and residents b
Louisiana. 1t was well known at Havara when
N