The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1863-10-30
IMPOR rANTFROM THE SOUTH.
ALI British Consuls Ordered to
Leave the C5nfederacy.
Dispatches from the Rebel Sccrc-
tary of State.
TIE r1sMrssAL OF BRITISH coxsUrs.

tary OF Stale.
TIE EIsMISSAL OF BRITISH CONSCIS.
We published few days ago, a digest
Of correspondence that had passed be-
tween Governor B.Uwr, of G.orgia, and
MIR. Fullarton, British Consul at Savan-
nah, in reference to the rights of British
SUBJECTS who had been impressed into the
Confederate army. The position taken by
Mr.. FullartUn on that occasion has brought
to crisis the anamalous question Of the
position of British CoLsuls in the Ounf.,'-
eracy, and CO: respnndence has been
published by the rebel State Department,
in the course of which Mr. Benjamin takes
occasion, on behalf of the CUnfeieracy,
tO dispense with the existence of British
consular agents.
The firet document il very long dis
patch addressed by Mr.. Benjamin to M.
Slidell in Paris, and as the point of the
whole matter is iG the first paragraph, we
herewith quote it.
CoSFEDERATE STATES OF AMERICA,
DEPARTMENT or SrArE.
RICHMOND. Oct & 1863
0tns AAS Cs'tOuSt Va CuO Ii xu CtuSui1I
agents III the COntederny has compelled the
President to take the decisive step of expelling
them from the country and it il deemed proper
to put you in pt'ssessMn OF the causes which
have produced this result that you may llaveit
In your power to correct any misrepresentation
on the subject To this end it is nee x>ary to
review the whole course of the british Govern,
ment and that Of the Confvt Q acy in relation to
these officials.
Lest the Emperor of the French may
misCnd. rstanJ this action, Mr.. Benjamin
cOnclud. his dispatch with the following
paragraphs
The exercise of the DrOit Ge renro; Is too
harsh, however. to be resOrtcd to without; JUS
tltlahlc cause and it Is proper that you sllO I'D
have it III your power to explain tie grounds
on which the President has been compelled to
enforce it.. Lest also the Government OF His
Imperial Majesty should he missed into the
error of surprising that the right of Frcnci,
citizens are in any manner involved in The ac-
ton OF the President. which has been rendered
necessary by the reprehen>'blc m,duct of the
British consular agents. you are requested to
take an early ca-ion Cor giving sucn cxpll ma
ton 10 VI. Dr0uyn dc L tIuys us will ubyiac all
| risk OF misip,n chcisi.n.
am, Sir, respectfully. your obcdt mt servant,
j. P. BENJAMIN. Scc'y of State
Hon. JoIiN SLIDELL, COMMISSIONER &c,
| &c Paris. France.
We give entire the dispatch in which
| MIR. Benjamin announces to Mr.. Fuilar.on
| the fact Of lis dismissal:
NR. BENJAMIN TO MIR. Ft,ILARrON
DEPARTMENT uF sTAri:
RrCHMoNp Oct. 5. 1853.
Sir: Your letters ct the list and 81 inst
hav; been received You inform the govern,
mrnt that, under your Instructions you have
:rlt it to he your duiy TO advise sni.jcc That
while they ought to acQuieSce in the service
req tired lOiI:. it is restricted to the main.
tcll'nce OF Internal peace and order, whenever
they shall be brought into actual conflict with
The forces OF United States. whether under the
State or Confederate Government the service
SD rrqrired is such us they cannot he expected
- perform"
Your correspondence with the Governor Of
Georgia leaves no doubt of the meaning in.
tended to be conveyed by this language. In
that correspondence you state That. under
instructions. you have felt yourself compelled
To advise those drafted to acquie>ce until called
from tn ir homes or 10 meet the United States
forces in actual conflict; but in that event to
throw down their arms and refuse IT, render Il
service directly in the teeth of Her Majestys
proclamation. which would incur tile severe
penalties denounced in the neutrality act +"
In Il communication from the acting British
Consul in Charleston, to the military authOri
ties. he also has informed them that .'he has
advised the British subjects generally to acqui.
esce in the State military organizations. but ut
the same time he informed them that in the
event the militia should be brought into con-
1ict with the forces of the United States either
before or after being turned over to the COnfel-
crate Government, the services required of
them would be such as British subjects could
not he expected to perform"
1t thus appears that the Consular Agents of
the British government have been instructed
not to conine themselves to an appeal for
redress, either to courts OF justice r to this
Government, whenever they may conceive that
grounds exist for complaint against the Con.
federate authorities in their treatment of British
subjects Gan appeal which has in no case been
made without receiving just consideration, but
that they assume the power of determining for
themselves whether enlisted soldiers of the
COnfederacy are properly bound to its service;
that they even arrogatc the right to 10 erfere
directly with the execution of the Confederate
laws, and to advise soldiers # the Confederate
armies to throw down their arms in the face of
the enemy.
This assumption of jurisdiction by foreign
officials within the territory of the COnfederacy,
an this encrOackment ON its sovereignty, cam.
not be tolerated for moment; and the Presi-'
dent has had no hesitation in directing that ALL
Coneuls and Consular Agents of the British
Government be notified that they can no longer
be permitted to exercise their functions or even
reside within the limits of the Confederscy.
am directed, therefore, by the President to-
communicate to you this order, that you
promptly depart from the Confederacy, and
that in the meantime you cease to exercise any
Consular functions within its limits.
am, sir, respectfully, your obedient servant,
j. P. BENJAMIN, Secretary of State.
A. FuLARLroN, ESQ.,, Savannah, Ga.
Upon this matter the Enquirer, of the
18th, comments as follows:
It ought to have been known here from the
first. but was not. that England could be no
friend to the Confederacy or its cause; although
sufficiently an enemy to the United States to
desire the final disruption of the Union. We
have been long in finding out the truth, and,
before we would admit it, have endured some
humiliations and insolent airs on the part of
that Power, which surprised us very much
but ought not to have done so. At last the
thing has become too clear, when 1t came to
pretended Consuls" of England, (permitted
to live here by our extreme courtesy,) pub
licly exhorting portion of our militia to throw
down their arms In face of the enemy, rather
than abet ''civil war;" our authorities arrived
at the conclusion that we had enough oft So,
Immediately on the heels Of Mr.. Mason's recall
| from London comes the order for all British
s'Consuls" to quit the Confederacy.
We may now expect, ere long, to see Brit
| ish Minister at Richmond, and British Consuls
asking ereouatus from Mr.. Benjamin; for
| England never neglects her subjects, nor leaves