The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1862-02-06

visit and search the vessels of another nation in
time of peace.
The American public appear to leave assumed
that the steamer Trent was only a private mer-
chant ship, liable as all other merchant vessels
are to be boarded and searched, if suspected of
aiding an enemy. On this view of this case,
most OF the legal opinions published in American
papers since the arrest, have been based, conse-
4uently approving the act of Capt. Wilkes.
Now if the British Government has set up her
claim that the Trent was for all intents and pur-
poses a nGti0nGl resSeL, and made a demand for
satisfaction on that ground, We see no way in
which the American Government could avoid
the alternative of d~isavowing the act of Capt.
Wilkes and making all the PREPARATION in her
power by surrendering Messrs. Mason and Slidell.
This has been done, Notwithstanding the out
burst of popular exultation on the receipt of the
news of the capture; Notwithstanding the sane
ton Of the act by the Secretary of the Navy in
his report to Congress, and Notwithstanding the
voting of a gold medal to Capt. Wilkes by that
body, which virtually crowned him with the
highest popular appreciation in the power of the
people. Cabinets in their acts must be governed
by the principles which they have advocated and
sought TO establish and as the American Cabi-
net has always contended for the sacredness of
Eer flag at sea, there would seem TO be no alter
native but to yield to the demands of the British
Government in this matter. In doing so, she
sacrifices no principle or self-respect, but on the
contrary establishes, by her example in one of
the most trying cases which can ever arise, what
she has always sought to establish rs a principle
of international law while her course in seek
ing to maintain the great principles involved,
will rebound to her glory and carry with 1t a
moral weight which far outweighs any ~gratifca-
ton which the detention of the rebel commits
sioners might have afforded.
But it may be asked, is there no way to pre-
vent British mail packets from becoming the
medium for conveying rebels. and rebel dis
patches abroad? Most certainly an official re-
monstrance OH the part of the American to the
British Government would prevent it. or if it
did not, and such vessels were allowed to aid the
rebels after a notice was served, they would be
clearly liable to the same penalty attaching to
private ships. The American Government, in
making the surrender of Mason and Slidell has
probably come to some understanding with the
British Government ON this point, for 1t is pre-
to suppose that the latter will per-
of the Southern rebellion by carrying its
paw u hiNScCbetls.
The two governments have probably been
brought by this affair to a distinct understanding
On the questions ut issue, and some think that
the American Government may have claimed the
of the pirate steamer Nashville, which
burned the ship Harry Birch and then put into
southampton, or at least that rebel vessels shall
not be harbored in British ports. This, low
EVER, is all surmise, though it is reasonable to
suppose that the American Government has
claimed and received some offset in the settle
nent.
What effect the surrender of Mason and Slidell
las had on tire American people, it is equally {
lifhcult to PREJUDICE. That the feeling of disap- !
ana chagrin will be general, would
eem to be very probable, and it is not unlikely t
hat there may be an outburst of popular indig- i.
ation against the Cabinet for taking the step;
ut we know Mr.. Seward to be one of the a.,
politicians and diplomatists living, I
nd it is very likely that he has made his c
tatement and presented his case so clearly before s
ne public as to carry a thorough conviction of
ne justice of his course, however keenly it r
lay sting the national pride of Americans. q
We must await the next arrival, which will pro- n
lby unravel the mystery, and will certainly
to us news of increasing interest. l