Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1863-04-10
EARL RUSSELL TO MIR. MASON.


Sir: have had the honor to receive your letters
of the oath of July and lSt instant in which you
repeat the considerations which, in the opinion of
the government Of the so-caled Confederate States
entitled that government to be recognized, Of right,
as a separate and independent power, and to be
ceiv ed as an an equal in the great family of nations
In again urging these views you represent as be-
fore that the withdrawal Of certain OF the Confeder
aes from the Union of the States Of North America
is not TO be considered revolution, in the OIdi
nary acceptation of that term far less act of in
surrection or rebellou but the termination of a
Confederacy which had, during long course of
years, violated the terms Of the federal compact
l beg leave to say, in the outset that upon this
question of right Of Withdrawal, as upon that Of
the previous conduct of the United States her Ma
iesty's government have never presumed to form
Judgment The Interpretation Of the Constitution
of the United States and the character of the pro-
ceilings of the President and Congress of the Uni
ted States under the Constitution, must oe deter
mined in the opinion of her Msjesty's government
by the States and people in North America who in
herited and have till recently upheld, that COnst
tuition. Her Majesty's government decline alto
gether the responsibility OF assuming to be judges
| in such controversy.
You state that the Confederacy has population
of twelve millions that it has proved itself capable
for eighteen months of successful defence against
every attempt to su6due destroy it; that in the
Judgment of the intelligence of all Europs the sepa
stances can the late Federal Union be restored.
On the other hand the Secretary of State of the
United States has affirmed in official dispatch,
that large portion of the dsatfected pOpula-
ton has been restored to the Union and now evin-
ces its loyalty and firm adherence to tSe govern
ment; that the white population now in insurrec-
ton is under five millions, and that the Southern
i'onfederacy owes its main strength to the hope of
assistance from Europe.
In the face Of the 1uctuating events of the war
the alterations of victory and defeat the capture
| of New Orleans; the advance Of the Federals to
Corinth to Memphis, and the banks of this Missis-
sippi far Vicksburg, contrasted, on the other
hand, with the failure of the attack on Charleston,
and the retreat from before Richmond-placed,t too,
between allegations contradictory on the part OF
the contending Powers-her Majesty'S government
! are still determined to wait.
! In order to be entitled to place among the in
pendent nations of the earth State ought to have
not only strength and resources for time, but af
ford promise Of stability and permanence. Should
| the Confederate States of America win that place
among the nations, it might be right for Otner ma
tons Justly to acknowledge independence achie-
we'd by victory, and maintained by successful re-
sistance to ali attempts to overthrow it. That time
however, has not in the judgment of her Majesty
government, yet arrived. Her Majesty's govern
ment. therefore can only hope that peaceful ter
mination of the present bloody and destructive con-
test may not be distant. am, &e.,
RUSSELL.