, 1863-04-24

more inpious than the former are wicked.
Brigham, the Lion Of the Lord" has
ceased lis roar; the whe]ps and cubs have
conc to their gambols, and everything is
peace again.
THE REsTonATIoS OF THE P1s-
TRR1KOFF.
We layc made another concession to the
demands ofthe R.i,;-A Government, which
will require good deal Of justification be-
fore lie people will consent to swallow and
digest it. 1t is true NC cannot now recall
the thing that has been done in our name,
hut it is not the less graye'ing on that ac-
count, nor wounding to the national pride.
It was bad enough to he compelled 10 SUBJ
nit Ia the restoration Of the Trent, and the
two arch enemies Of the Republic, Slidcll
aud Mason, who were captu1cd On her
decks but in this case there were grave
doubts respecting the legality Of the pro-
cecding, and the right Of Admiral Wilkes
toinyade neutral vessel for the purpose
Of arresting these notorious traitors to their
country; and 50 we accepted the humi]ia-
ton rather than involve ourselves in Ger
tain war, againsta powerful enemy, having
already rlerty Of business Of that sort on
our hands.
But in the case Of the Peterhof1, which was
virtually given up yesterday to the British
Consul, in New Iork,-her papers haYing
been restored to him intact, by the District
Attorney, in whose hands, Judge Belts de-
cidcd That the settlement Of the matter
was left, we are far from consenting to
the award Of judgment, and every man
who loves his country, and is jealous Of its
honor, and desires-aboyc Ill things that it
shall lnaint&in its old position among the
nations, and the repect and reverence Of
mankind, will feel himself personally III
suited by the hasty, and oyerwil!ing Off
ciousness Of the District Attorney to give
an anodync sop to the ir7itated British
Lion.
This man is by no means to be envied in
lis exercise Of so grcata responsibility; and
the eagerness and avidity with which he.
Put it cfI his shoulders, amount almost to
an impeachment both Of his intelligence
and loyalty. Hekncw Of course, the whole
history Of the capture, and the arguments
pro. and con-, respecting the right Of the
Federal Government to dctain the YES
sci, and overhaul her mail; and
he must have known also, that the
major records and evidence were in
our favor. He likewise knew that
there was strong feeling all over tho
country against her being surrendered !;
and that the majority Of the Cabinet at
Washington, the constitutional advisers Of
the President, we're united in the opinion
that tie vessel should be held in the prize
courts until her mail was examined
But tic District Attorney paid no heed
10 all this, and made haste to deliver us
into the hands Of the Philistincs. The
Judge Lad scarcely decided that he, and he
tn]y, had the power, as public prosecutor,
to act in the premises, before he started of
to Broadway, and placed in the hands OF
the astornded Consul the sealed bags and
documents which he so ardently desired
and coveted, and so little expected to get.
The thing is done, however, aud past re-
call, and thus another sore has been added
to the corrupt mass Of irritation which
already exists between the two countries
It was sincerely hoped by all true patriot
that the Federal Government would hay
held Lord Russell to his bond, and ha2
insisted upon literal Interpretation Of al
its stipulations and provisions His Lord
ship he'd cnly just declared that Federa
cruisers had right to captur
all vessels reasonably suspected
Of carrying contraband Of war, OF bein!
any wise engaged in conveying aid ant
comfort to the rebels. The Petcrhoff va
seized by Admiral Wilkes Oh suspicion
nearly as strong as Holy Writ, that she wa
illus engaged, and meant to run the block
ode if she could; and the ink is scarcel
dry upon his lordship's letter to tho Lo1
don merchants, wherein he sets forth til
right Of seizure, than he demands the n
lease Of the PeterhoG, and insists that he
mail shall not be violated. So CON
plcte & qualification between his lore
ships words in the one case, and h
acts in the other, has rarely disgraced Il
records Of diplomacy. He argues not liz
statesman and jurist, but like pett
lawyer special pleading for his client; an
an honest man turns from him in DISCUS
If We had the right to seizc-as we co,
fessedly had, according to Lord Russo
himself-we also had the right to search
and mailed letters are no more free-br il
te1national law-from scrutiny than IN
other item between the decks Of ship; an
in this case the letters were no doubt tn
best part Of the cargo, and quite as contr<
band asa load Of cannon would have beer
It is clear, therefore, not only from LOT
Russells own statements, but from th
usage Of British cruisers in such cases
and d1rom a just and fair construction Of il
tcrnntional law respecting the Right
Search, that our Admiralty would has
been fully justified in making a clea
sweep of all the public and private pape
Of the Pcterhoff, and in forming their or
judgment upon the record, regardless
tie opinions Of the Law Officers Of I'll
Grown Of England, and the threats Of III
Ministers.
We are fur from counse1ling any a
which could be construed into q defant
of Great Britain, or any other Government
but as Napoleon said-neithcr is our bloc
ditch-water; and we must not forget th.
we owe respect to ourselves, and revcrcac
to the laws, and honor to the Republic
which we must maintain though all Ii
world lie against U.s.
a RARE PATTY,
An extract from Patty's letter to a fricu
in the army-Patty, VIC mean who is a r
preventative in the Illinois Legislature fro
the district composed Of La Sale and Ii
ingston-is worth second publicatio
Nc printed the whole letter yesterday,
q batch Of army correspondence; but he
is The gist of all that Patty said:
A great deal If Complaint By the Rcpub
eans because Tie Legislature ded not pas
Law 10 Let the Soldiers vote 1t would
been un Constitutional and the D-d abo
tion cfIlce,s would the Soldiers Vote Ju
to Suit the administration the Il
Eois Legislature took Recess t
The st If June at that timc they will act
reference 10 the War as they think best f
tne Union and the Constitution one thingSu