Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1863-05-14

Invent story that the ship conveying sosss 70 the
letters that those letters night be opened aud used as
evidence sgarshe vessel aud that there was not sufficient
security against uch practices being rosored TO- because
they could not avoid taking tbs mail bsg IN consequence
af sbipowpers being liable to penalty OF two hundred
pounds il they refused to take the letter bsgs They there
complained that their ships and cagocs might be put
IN danger by acts OF her Msjestys Government which
were beyond their control CONSIDERED that matter aud
also proposal which they made to ine that an agent
should be in charge the bags ss Is done on board the
Queens packet sh ps Upon confederation There appeared
to be many obj ctions my taking such course should
have fallen into the as that OF Mr. Adams
should have singled cut particular vessel. and given them
however, obvious redress which could give Il could
reply to them Yuu cay that you compelled to take
these mail bags and that your ships and arc put 10
viii relieve you rOm that danger and viii ask the Post
master General to obge you to take the mail bags
me- iss r
sIood out Of doors ii it declaration that would
sepd mail bags to Matamoras and that my noble
friend says afraid Of the consequences that might
yen like to send mail bags in these vessels you sbal be at
liberty to do TO- but we will not compel you to do so
i have 10 my hand letter writ to tse FOREIGN
Office by the Postmastr General, which stnes that for
the present. shpletter mail shall be put on board any
vessel saing for Maamoras .uasss with the full concur
of the commander" II il only that we do not
the compulsory power that the law gives these
confess it would have been hard upon the owuors Of
vessels to have refused to give them the security for which
i
the commanders Of which will be quits ready take these
letters, but if they d., ought IT, leave them say
they have been PIT 10 Jeopardy by the act Of the Govern
ment ought the law be put ia force to their injury
My honorable fiend states truly that the fears # the
owners OF the Sea Qeen and other vessels founded
what had been done in the of the Adrisnamsy,
that The United States authorities had got possession Of
her letter bsg, Now, in the letter Of M Seward, dated
August 8, 1869, there is the following order: r
And finally that official locks asteuirg. of
parcels covered BY Them read BY naval auhor
ties Of the nted Stes butts bags other things convey
ing such parcels and duly sealed fsrenei BY foreign s
thorities will be in the discretion OF United
to whom they may lfvered the ul command.
ing avail cer Legation of foreign nment o be
opened upon the understanding a whatever is conraband
or npor ant as evide the chara Of cap
Secretary Of State at Washpgoa or such sealed bags or
pa cells may be forwarded ,hs Dpartm MT the
end that the pro authorities of the foreign Gov, rnmt
receiv without oeay The President desires es
peciay that naval officer be inform that the fact that
suspected vesee has been indicated them as sing in
limit which has been prescribed to tm ihs Navy De-
does no IN any way authorze them to depart from
scribed by the law of nations
That s the general direction given by the Secretary of
State to the Secretary Of the United States Navy to be
forwarded by him TO the officers of The Federal navy 1t
may be that complaints have been made in this country
which not without foundation; it may be that Lifted
States ocer hye not bsrved these rules but have gone
beyond tae directions tbat they have received it may
be that they have seized vessels that really
goi to Malamoras or some neutral port without suE
fcieut evidence that the cargo was of contrabaud
character. But it does seem 10 me- in spite Of what my
Drbp friend says that the Government of this country
und take calm view these m.tters 10 represent
hem fairly to the United States Government and not to
presume that the Government Of the Unied States would
all in their duty to friendly Power, that they would
countenanc- outsges whch against the law Of nations
These representations will be male. and expect that if
they are just repatriation will not be reused.
have already said that what took place the interview
which had with the shp0wuers Has not been fully gvrn
OGe mistake has certainly been made 1t is said that
pressed surprise at The reformation that cert ain British sob
ha1h IL
confinement by the authorities of the United Staes
aby did lot express any such SURPRISE for had been read
ing that very morung the representations not only of her
consus but Of those British eubecs themselves who had
been detained and detained hpparenty with great and
harshness the object being merely dstan
them IN order that they might give evidence in the prize
court IL cannot be doubted that there are precedents
showing that when caseis brought before the pFz court
the master oil the vessel evidence If tbs real cha
racter of the cargo and the destination of the vesss
that he may be detained for that purpose But tseems
that the United States horities have gone be- ond
what they fairly had right to do When we were beh
gerens many cases involving Dell and neutral rights
were brought beore very eminent judge whose
are generally and universally respected aud though be-
eye he carried the principle favorable captors per-
haps rather severe leogh beyond doubt they
ormty to the law of nations alude to Lord Sto&el
We we're the behgerens; we are Beatrals. But
said thought IL woulI not BECOME the chsract Of this
nation, because had changed our position to invoke
another law aud another measure, [cheers 10 clare
tha those decisions Of Lord Stowell which were sd
vantageous to us when bellgerents should be
Cheen Accordingly, those persons who think that what
msy be the destination Of ship and whatever .pers
she may have board showing that she 10 about break
he blockade carry one Of the
States in hostility with the United States they are to
be protected by the power of the British nation in contra
dot to all decisions and in contradiction to the
declared law OF nations, will, hope, know that The
British Government ioiu place itself In that position
[Cheers. ss@l E-a8 gH9 r@d u a&
Let us look imparlally at these cases which have &C
cured Ii may be that we have right 10 Considerable
eparatoD but let the two Governments treat the cases
fairly. We have this eide OF the Atlantic the decisions
of great Judge in America they have the views laid
down by Judge Story aud tbs writings of Mr.. Wheaton
With these authorities to guide let who the
right and who is in the wrong But let discuss the r.
cumstances with wish to do Justice to each other Don't
let US be led by passion into any thing which s not found
ed on justice and which cannot afterwards be Justified 10
the face OF the world. [Cheere
SUMMARY OF OTHER SPEECHES.
The Earl Of CAERNARvos said that the observations Of
Earl Russell favored the idea that American ships of war
bad right to eeze British vessels engaged in neutral and
legitimate traffic, and open and upon the cerre
spondence contained 10 her Majesty g mail
Earl RUSSELL said that ho intended any thing of
the KIDD to DO supposed indeed Mr.. Seward had ex-
presy dscsmed any such right his instructions to the
American officers. t5N-6e
The Earl Of DERBY complained II the conduct Of the
Government Ii their duty instead Of withdrawing
the nails from the Sea Queen insist their being con-
vey ia her. ardng the vessel at the time proper
prot ctn from the agRresons of the Federal cruisers
Earl GREY said the Government could not help tho in
attached to vessels trading suspected porte
but they ought to take that the rights allowed to bel