The Nevada Democrat., 1862-01-30
The Trent Affair.

The Bulletin, of Monday last, publishes
in full the correspondence between our
Government and Great Britain, in relation
to the seizure of Mason and Slidell from
the British mail steamer Trent. 1t appears
from these papers that our Government.
had never come to any determination as to
the course it would pursue, Notwithstanding
the positive assertions Of Washington cor
respondents, that the seizure by Capt. Wilkes
bad been approved and that the rebel
Commissioners would not, under any cir
cumstaUces, be surrendered. In a letter
from Secretary Seward to Mr.. Adams our
Minister to England, dated November 3Otb,
after referring to conversation between
Pamersion and Adams, Seward says:
Since that conversation was held, Captain
Wilkes, in the steamer San Jacinto, has boarded
British colonial steamer and taken from her
deck two insurgents, who were proceeding TO
Europe on an eIrand of treason against their
country. This is a new incident, unknown TO,
and unforeseen, at least in its circumstances,
by Lord Palmerston. 1t is to be met and dis-
posed Of by the two Governments, if possible,
In the spirit to which have adverted. Lord
LYONS has prudently refrained from opening
the subject to me, as he is, presume, waiting
instructions from home. We have done moth
ing on the subject, to anticipate the discussion;
and we have not furnished YOU with any ex-
plantations. We adhere to that course now, be-
cause we think it more prudent that the ground
taken by the British Government should be
first made known to us here and that the dis
cussion, il there must be one, shall be had
here. It is proper, however, that you should
know one fact in the case without indicating
that we attach importance to 1t, namely, that
in the capture of Messrs. Mason and Slidell on
board British vessel, Capt. Wilkes, having
acted without any instructions from the Gov
ernment, the subject is, therefore, free from
the embarrassment which might have resu lted,
II the act had been specially directed by us.
This letter was written few days after
the news was received in Washington. and
indicates that the Government at that time
come to no conclusion as to the legality Of
the act.
1t will be remembered that Mr.. Welles,
the Secretary Of the Navy, in bis report,
intimated that Wilkes bad done right in
seizlng the rebel commissioners, but held
that be should have seized the vessel also.
This was regarded as a full endorsement by
the Navy Department, of what Capt. Wilkes
had done, aud mild censure for not going
further aud seizing the vessel. Secretary
Seward, 10 bis letter to Lord Lyons, also
holds that Wilkes should have captured the
vessel, and brought her to the nearest port
to have the question adjudicated. as to
whether or not she was lawful prize, en-
gagged 10 oontraband trade. But having
failed to do this, Wilkes sacrificed the chief
and public object of the capture. namely,
the right of the Government to the custody
of aud disposition of the captured persons.
The dispatch of Earl Russell, the British
Foreign Minister, is couched in very re-
spectful language, and wholly free from the
bluster that has characterized the comments
of the English press on the subject.