The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1862-01-14
THE coRREsporDENcE.


relation TO the Mason aud Slidell affair as we fnd
IL In the achmond Enquirer, copied from the Ma
tienal lntellisencerlof Saturday the 29th Dec.
@7 The hrst letter In the series is from Mr Seward
to Dir Adams, u. s. Minister to England. In
this letter. referring to- the possibility of the
cognitlon of the Confederate States by England
aud france, he says, II have never for tmumeBt
1 beheVed that such recognition could take place
Wit hont spreaacing immediately a warbetween the
United States and all the recognizing powers As
to the seizure made on board the Trent he defers
expression of any opinionsin regard to it, simply
stating hat as Captain Wilkes had no instructions
whateVerto to seize the Commissioners, the futar
discussion OF the subject is relieved from any
/ complications with which such instructions might
have surrounded it. 4 his letter istlatea Nov Both
The second letter in the series is from Earl Rus
sell to Lord Lyons, and by a strange coincidence
bears date on the same day, Nov. 3Oth, 1861. szz
Like nearly all>English and Confederate diplo-
matte and state papers, it is short and busin ess-
hike, therein contrasting strongly with the extreme
longswindedness which too generally marked those
of the old government 1t simply states the cir
culnstances of the capture on board the Trent as
| given in the letter of Commanders Williams gent
Tor aIae on board the Mail contract steamer Trent
These cIrcunlst anees already familiar to our
readers. After this statement Earl itussell's let
ter says that sit thus appears that certain ndgid
uas have thus been torcibly taken from on board
British vessel, the shipo ofa neutral power, while
ssch vessel Was pursuing a lawful aud innocent
voyage an act Of violence which was an atiront to
the British flag, and agviolaton of international
law Earl Russell expresses the trust that when
these facts al broug nnder the Consideration of
the United States government that government
will OF Its own accord offer such redress alone
could satisfy British nation, namely, the liberia
tion of the four gentlemen, and their delivery TO
Lord Lyons, in order that they may again be plac-
ed under British protection, and suitable apo
logy for the outrage which has been committed.
This letter of Earl Russelfs does not occupy over
halt column Alr Seward's reply takes up four
solid long columns OF the Enquirer. We find great
difficulty in even attempting synopsis of it, since
it is literally impossible to fix upon any point which
can truly be said.to press its meaning with any
dehniteness. We have idea that MIR Seward
wished to express any definite meaning. His
| letter is dated December Goth, 1861. 1t must be
read to be appreciated We do not say--to be
understood, for that is evidently It's ntention
but we think it will hardly be satisfactory the
| British government s-a. z5.. aa.f t-a #sH
AS near as we can see, Seward asks at the out
start five questions which ahe answers in the.at-
frnatise, viz Were the parties arrested contra
baud? Might Captain Wilkes lawfully stop and
search the Trent for those contrabahd persons and
dispatches? Might he exercise that right in. 4
| lawful aud proper manner? Having found the
suspected persons on board and in presumed p s.
session of the contrabapd dispatches, had he
Erlght to capture the persons? Did he exercise
| the rlghtof capture In the manner allowed and
reccgnzed by the law of nations?r These saues-
tions and their answers brought forward to
sustain. the ground assumed in the following para
graph, when after attempting to controvert some
part of the statement of facts made by commander
Williams, he, Seward says:- %s-ii a- :sas
a's4 our Lordship will now perceive that the
before u.s. instead of presenting merely flagrant
act of violence on the part of Captain Wilkes, as
mi sht we'll be inferred from the Incomplete state
lnent. of it that went up to British Government
was undertaken a simple, legal aud belgerent
proceeding OF Captain Wilkes to arrest and cap
ture neutral vessel engaged in cafrying con
traband of war, for the and benefit of the in-
tsurgents.h .saer .-- AEa-f fsaazEf xs n gaE
! MIR Seward, after assuming all this, goes into
long discussion upon he technical process Of reach
T ing eantrabunds like Mason and Slidell by the
seizure and contemplation Of the vessel carrying
them, thus obtaining moral verdict against them,
or in what other way, and finds all unsatisfactory
He thinks that Captain Wilkes ght have seized
the Trent aud carried her into eonyeBient port,
but did not for satisfactory to his govern
ment and which justify shls in their eyes,
nevertheless aLhoug h this satisfaction with Capt
Wilkes course is aRowed, all the results of that
course are e ven up the demand of the En-
| glisb government and the detained persons are
surrendered. His conclusion u.s. IL esiH aa- 4t
...Ihe four persons are Bos heldaifp custody at
Fert Warren. in the State Of Massachusetts they
Twill bo cheerfully liberated. q Your Lopdsh1p will
! please indicate time aud place for receiving
! them. ,4rlEz=a. ss4aEz5a so &sgars*a g.
Iu the of his lengthy reply, Mr. Seward
chooses to speak caresessly about pretended
Ministers, PresidcpT and so forth--about such
/ '.unimportant persoas" as Messrs Ma~on and Sil-
dell, .the waning proportions oll..'the rebellion"
and so on, the whole being strange com pDuud
Of -bombast and iubpissiveness@ ,sg~a-s @.t afz1
Lord Lyons replies on the 9th, nowlea s:ug
the receipt OF Mr. Stewards letter, OF which le will
promptly forward a copy osEngiand, and without
delay eosfet personally about the delivery of the
| A significant document is letter from II
Thouyer@el, French Minister of Foreign Affairs,
to Nj. ii ereier, French. Minister at Washington,
in whseh equally high grounds takensby
the British government, If as strong and direet.a
personal concern is not expressed 1t appears
evident that the French and English government
were prepared to act fully in cor.eert and will be
prepared to do hereafter in all matters relating
to this country Dir Seward replies thai he trusts
his action in reply to the demands Of the British
government will also be satisfactory to that OF
France. NJ. ThouyeHels letter is dated 3rd De-
cember, 1861, being three days later than that Of
Earl Russell Witstingt0B journal ssz