Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1862-01-02
THE SETTLEMENT OF THE MASON AND
SLIDEl.L AFFAIR.".

THE SETTLEMENT OF THE MASON AND
SLIDELL AFFAIR. z.-
! Subjoined will be found an abstract of the
correspondence between the Governments of
Great Britain and of the United States in rela-
ton to the question of international law raised
by the proceeding of Capt. Wilkes; and of the
representations made M the same subject by
the Government of France, and the reply of
Mr.. Seward in answer to these representations.
The correspondence opens with commune
cation from Mr. Seward to Mr.. Adams our
Minister to England, under date Of November
80, in which, after mentioning the Trent affair,
he says
1T is to be met and disposed of by the two
Governments. if possible, in the spirit to which
have adverted. Lord Lyons has prudently
RETAINED from opening the subject to me, as /
presume waiting instructions from home. We
have done nothing on the subject to anticipate
the discussion and we have not furnished you
with any explanations. We adhere to that
course now, because we think it more prudent
that the ground taken by the British Govern
ment should be first made known to us here
and that the discussion if there must be one.
shall be had here. 1t is proper, however, that
indicating that we attach importance to it,
namely, that, in the capture of Messrs. Mason
and Slidell on board British vessel, Captain
Wilkes having acted without any instructions
from the Government, the subject is therefore
free from the embarrassment which might have
resulted had the act been specially directed
by us.
81 trust that the British Government will con-
slider the subjectin a friendly temper, and it may
expect the best disposition on the part of this
Government"
On the same day Nov. 3O) Earl Russell, her
Britannia Majesty's Secretary of State for For
eign Affairs writes to Lord Lyons, -reciting the
circumstances under which he understood the
capture of these parties to have been made, and
proceeds to characterize it as an outrage on the
British flag, and, after expressing the hope and
belief that it had not been authorized by our
Government, adds:
"Her Majesty's Government, therefore, trust
that when this matter shall have been brought
under the consideration of the Government of
the United States, that Government will, of its
own accord, offer to the British Government
such redress as alone could satisfy the British
nation, namely: the liberation of the four gen.
tlemen and their delivery to your lordship, IN
order that they may again be placed under
British protection, and a suitable apology for
the, aggression which has been committed.
"Should these terms not be offered by Mr..
Seward, you will propose them to him."
In responding to this demand, Mr.. Seward,
the Secretary of State for the United States,
under date of Dec. 26,) after reviewing the cir
cumstances under which the arrest was effected,
according to the report of our naval officers and
thus developing the Inaccuracies and omissions
of the British statement, proceeds to analyze the
Soo
the case, and arrives at the conclusion that the
neglect of Capt. Wilkes, partly voluntary as it
was on his part, to bring the Trent in for trial
as a lawful prize, may be justly held to operate
as forfeiture of the belgerent right of capture
accruing under the law of nations, and that the
Government of the United States, as we'll from
this consideration as in consistency with it's own
traditional policy respecting the maritime rights
of neutrals would be in its own wrong If it
should refuse compliance with the British de-
mand so far as relates to the disposition that
shall be made Of the persons taken into custody
by Captain Wilkes under circumstances believed
70 be az HRfa ts sxesp s4 as regards tie
"apology" asked by the British Government,
none is rendered, because simple statement of
the facts, as they are suffices to show that no
offence could have been intended on the part of
our Government as it had given no Instructions
whatever in the premises, while the proceeding
of Capt Wilkes, in so far as it fails to enure to
the benefit of his Government and to conform
to the rules of public law, was dictated by con-
siderations of kindness and orbearance, for which
certainly no "apology' is due to the British
Government. -.
Lord Lyons, in acknowledging dec. 27) the
receipt of Mr.. Stewards communication, says:
~ will, without any loss Of time, forward to
her Majesty's Government copy of the imper-
tant communication which you have made to
me. ,-.--.~- .-..---.-
81 will also without delay, do myself the honor
to confer with you personally on the arrange
ments to be made for delivering the four gentle
men to me, in order that they may again be
placed under the protection Of the British flag.
~ have the honor to be, with the highest
consideration, sir, your most obedient humble
servant, .<-. l. 81, LYONS"
! The.correspondence includes communication
from Mr.. Thouvenal dec. 81 on. the part Of
the French Government, to Mr.. MERCER, French
/ Minister to this country, in which the opinion
| is expressed that "the Cabinet at Washington
| could not, without striking blow at the prin-
cples which all neutral nations are alike inter-
ested in holding in respect, nor without taking
the. attitude of contradiction of its own course
up to this time, give its appreciation to the pro-
ceeding Of the commander Of the San Jacinto.
In this state of things it evidently should not,
according to our views, hesitate about the de-
termination to be taken"
| The communication concludes by expressions
OF friendship for our Government, an evidence
Of which it deems is given in not permitting Us
to remain in ignorance Of the views of the case
adopted by the Emperor.
Mr.. Seward in reply dec. 81 states that be-
fore receiving the communication, the President
1 had decided upon the disposition to be made Of
the matter. He concludes his reply by saying:
"When the French Government shall come
to see at large. the views of this Government
and those of the Government of Great Britain
on the subject now in question, and to compare
them with the views expressed by Mr.. Thouve-
mel on the part of France, it will probably per-
ceive that, while it must. be admitted that those
three Powers are equally impressed with the
same desire for the establishment Of principles
favorable to neutral rights, there is at the same
tive MI c,,oh opfiro rroononnf coooorn;nO ~