Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1863-06-17
YHHsOHsFITUTIOR---sFATE ElsH 3
0bt 8itbnunO Ca8lg.
WEDNESDAY mORNING, JUNE II, 1883.
Nae Consnlar Question Again.

.,iop in the matter Of me Cousus That very unique
thinker. the author Of 'Cannibas All" has convinced
himself BY peculiar course Of e1cOgiiaon, that Two
wrongs make a right" BY the process Of reason
Ing suppose it could be shown that weakness added
20 weakness gives strength. II So the policy OF the
Administration and the course Of Mr.. Benjamin are nov
iun,srrsbe since the weakness of the SsEtnefs de-
fpee Is added to he weakness Of Mr.. Be MUS mani
fsstO
In repl7 to our conclusion, from Me- Be' iarus rea-
son a, to the Consuls that the British Minister at
washington is now De e British Minister for tie Con
f5,r,te s,es. TIE Ssl.,insl saws 'Tbe Wing negecs
tho wholly II rent Character OF 4 ofassrs eQrsol
b., no Diplomatic functions whatever" but Mr. Ben
i.ris argument covered the clse Of Minister IS well
a,ofa Consul = ale is simply local eOmmercal'sent
foo not tue Corsals undertake to grant protection
to British subjects, e1empting them from military SER
vi,e-and is that commercial iran sletionf He re-
uuires the ermission OF the Government within which
bis appointment lies 10 enter upon his duties and its
tol.rarce 70 continue them" Does not Minister re-
ouire The same permission, sud depend upon the same
tolsrauce? "a Minister, on the contrary is the organ
Of communication with the Government lCertainy
Lord LYONS assumes that the Government at Washing
ton is our Government, and holds communication
with it aecordingy.l "LyOns has not claimed either
BY word or &C. that his commission puts him IN commn-
ni,a.ion with our Government lie does not claim TO
be Minister TO the Confederate States"
Lord Lyons holds that be is 'in communication with
o,,r Government" when he holds intercourse with the
authorizes at Washington. lie claims to be Minister to
the United States Of which he considers the $50 called
Confederate States 70 be part He therefore claims
aad exercises the right superintend direct aud con-
troll the British Cousnls located within the Confederate
States lust a. he did before their secession; and the
misery Of the thing is that Mr. Beuamin's argument
ius6es bin fully in so DOING for Mr. Benjamin says,
literally or bY necessary implication, bound BY
the act Of former agent that granted him power To
act as Minister within our limits and revocation
Of the au horty Of the ageut does not invadate the
grant Of privilege to hin Nay the Sentinel ITSELF al
though it pretcnds to make some Of an issue with
u, fully sussins our position AID justsfes all have
said 10 the same article from which we have quoted
say
ST Smtes, in their acts ofsecession, did not alter or
proves 10 alter cir relations with the other commu-
n OF he earth They made vacant the authority and
abolished the oses Of the United States Government in
our 1nt Qua thcy did disLDrb did they intend
10 disturb such relations existed between and for
egn patons They I'D NOT therefore, yacate and did
not wish intend 70 vacate tie foregu COnsulships
and mbassadoyships
"The only sovereign authority which changed the
ations betv each Of the States Of the Onederacy
aud O. United States Cove rnment LEFT unchanged and
Therefore in full force and power the relations which
through lis Authorized agent it had established with al
o her Governments. That sovereign authority is as
much be resp,e ed in whasit declined to change
what il did change"
E1ac The States, 10 seeding did not alter or pre-
fess to alter their relations with Great Britain They
did not disturb nor did they intend to disturb, such
relations as existed between Us" and her "They did
not therefore, vacate aud di wish or intend to va
cate" the Br fish Enblsy Tha, "left unchanged
and therefore fu1iorce and power" The act Of our
former agent ia receiving Lord Lyons and extending to
him Ministerial privileges in aad Tor all the States was
our act and was no. ''iuyaldlted" by our Withdrawal
of the auhority Of The agent hasit been ere
voked and annuhed" Il follows tha: the Minister and
the ionsus are in precisely the relation to this
Gogernment aud the efforts Of ~. Benjamin and the
Sl 20 separate them is an effort to do thing rendered
impossible BY tte ne1orlbiiy of facts and the Omnpo
tenee Of logic If the COnsus are here de ys as is
commended then the Minister has rightul official priv
lsges within the Confederate States and Mr. Benjlmius
complaint Of his attempting exercise legitimate fuuc
lions was prcposterOus
We need scarcely adj, but viii do 80 to prevent
misconcepon BY the nadvertent reader do no,
slider that Lord Lyons has any authority in this country
The moment that G-ea: Britain refused to receive
Minister from Us The condition on which bis rights de-
pended failed and We were discharged from all Oblga-
lion 70 allow him TO exercise the functions Of bis oss
And wber be eessed to be Minister the Co suh, for
precisely ne same cause ceased to be Consuls and
q -, hi
A VOID laoge for the SsRt,asi Remarkng upon our
assertion that Mr. Mason, months ego, requested per
mission TO return home, because of the uncvil treat
msnt he received from Lord Russell that journal says;
ave lake It for granted that the W1g does not mean
70 say that these the relations which exist betwee
our commissioner and the British Premier; that Mr..
Mason is living in such personal humiliation and dis
grace Il leaves the uniustructed reader however
the necessity Of that impression for il does not auds
70 the apology or explanation made, in the case refer
red TO- BY the British minister, and which satissc
tory 10 Mr.. Mason. But We ask 70 know where the
information was found that Mr. Mason requested 70 be
recaledY We have q right 70 assume that the stale
nent was nO lightly made BY paper Of the character
Of the Whig; and tust IL all answer our request"
We assume that the Ssatael does not design to init
mate that we obtained toe Information in any negt
mate way, or that We would make an nadmissible use
Of Information however obtained. We prefer TO be-
heve tina. it would not calumniate by iNUsHdo and
therefore answer, that is highly probable obtained
our Information that M Mason desired to be recalled
Just where the Ss,tsl chained is information that
Earl Russell made an apology or explanation" As
vel As WeIOW remember, it was from dispatches from
Mr. Benjamin to Mr. Mason, so neautiOusly sent to
be intercepted and published by the enemy-probably
those so mysteIiOusy obtained from Maj. Sanders.
France, Mexico and the Southern Gonfederacy.
In nothing, perhaps, are the foresight and states