The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1863-10-15
The Dismissal of the British Con.
SulS-OfficiAl COrreSnNnIence.

lne DISMISSAL OF the BrltlSn CO0s
suis-Official Correspondence.
The fact that the Consuls of Great
Britain in the Confederate States have
been ordered by the President to leave
the country has been published. The
official correspondence relating to this
action is published, and below we give a
condensed view of the letters:
MR.. BENJAMIN TO MR.. sLIDELL.
Secretary Benjamin, writing to Mr. Sill
dell, Oct Sth, 1868, says:
'The conduct of the British consular
agents in the Coniederaey has compelled the
President to take the decisive step of cXpell.
ing them from our country, and it is deemed
proper to put you in possession of the causes
which have produced this result, that you
may have it in your power to correct any
Misrepresentation on the subject. To this
end it is necessary to review the whole
course of the British Government, and that
of the COnfederacy, in relation to these OtIi-
Gals"
Mr. Benjamin explains that it has not been
the custom of nations to interfere with Con
suls, who are merely ycOlnmerciala agents, upon
any change of the Government, and it is their
duty to treat all Governments which may be
established, de Jacto, over the ports where
British consular officials gave no cause of
complaint on this score, and the President
interposed no objection to the cOntin-
ued exercise of their functions. The
first interruption of the harmony was
the case of Mr.. Moore, who was dismissed
because OF his falling to submit his commits
sion to the Inspection OF the State Depart
ment, and because Of his Offenaive remarks
touching the conduct of the Confederate au-
thorities in relation 10 two enlisted soldiers,
as fully explained in Il published dispatch OF
the Government. Mr.. Benjamin says:
"And here it may not be Improper to OBJ
serve that although this dispatch was pub
lshed ut the time of its date, and was COM
municatcd to the Foreign Office in London,
Her Majesty's Ministers made the strange
mistake of asserting in the House of Con-
mons that Mr.. Moore's dismissal was con-
nectcd, in some way, with alleged cruelties
committed on one Belshaw, of whose exist
encc the Department was ignorant till the
publication of the debate, and concerning
whom no representation exists on its files.
The dismissal of Mr.. Magee, the Con-
sui at Mobile, by the British Govern
ment for forwarding the interest on the
State debt of Alabama by the British
frigate Vcsuvius, is next noticed, and Mr..
Benjamin passes to the consideration Of
the recent action of British Consuls with
reference to foreigners enlisted in the
Confederate army. He says:
Within the last few days the President has
been informed by communications addressed
| to tie State aud Confederate authorities by
two out Of the three British Consular Agents
remaining here that they had received in-
structiOns from their Government to pursue
| q course OF conduct in regard to persons 0i
| British origin now resident within the Con
| federacy which it has been impossible to
| tolerate. 1t seems scarcely probable that
| the instructions Of Earl Russell have been
properly understood by his agents; but we
have no means Of communicating with the
| British Government for the correction oi
misunderstandings. You are aware that
| Great Britain has no diplomatic agent ac'
credited to us, and that Earl Russell having
declined personal interview with Mr.. Ma
son. the latter, ailer some time spent in an
| unsatisfactory interchange OF written com.
municatiOns. has been relieved Of mission
| which had been rendered painful TO himself
| and was productive of no benefit to his coun
| try. The President was, therefore, compelled
| to take the remedy into his own Iande.
| By these two communications Earl kus
| sell was mot understood to Insist on aDytnihe
more than that British subjects, resident
/ within the Confeaeracy, should be allowed
reasonable time to exercise the option o
| departing from the country, II unwilling a
| be enrolled In It's service; and, In point o
fact, this option had never been retueee
| them, and many had avaiIcd themeolvea o
| Il. Nor was It believed that Her Malcetyi
| Government expected . very favorable re
spOnsA to their appeal to this Government
| for the exercise OF the comfy betWeen " "
! 80 ihis snbject, whilst Great Britain was per
~