Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1863-04-23

| Corrssponaencs between Lord Russell and Mr.
:. 400 t Adams.
New York papers OF the 18th b ing as q correspon
d nee between Lord Russell ON the one part and AIR
dams, U. S. Minister at London, on the other to
getner with two letters from Russell to Lord Lyons
au on the subject OF the fitting out of the Alabama
LORD RUSSELL TO Mr.. ADAMS.
FOREIGN OFFICE, Jan. a. 1868
Sr-It is Impossible for me to leave without noticing
some OF The statements contained in your letter of tb
30th ultimo.
These statements contain or imply a grave charge
against her hajestys government You speak of the
admitted fact OF violation OF statue OF this king
dom Intended to prevent ill disposed persons from 10
Volvng 1t IN difficulty by committing wanton and iDj1
rIeus assaults upon foreign nations with which it is
peace, # which Her Majestys Ministers are nvi ed to
take cogn1aRce of which they do take cognizsnce SC
lar as 10 prepare easures of prevention but which
by reason OF circumstances, wholly within their
troll they do lot prevent in season to the justly
complaining party rom serious irjury. On the sub
staual points OF the little room seems lett open
for discussion"
On the substantial points of the case as stated by
you there Is, on the contrary, great left open
for discussion.
must ask first, what are the circumstances within
the control OF the government TO which you aude! Dc
you mean that Her Msesty's government in constEu-
Ing penal statute, or IN carrying into effect the pro-
visions Ola penal statute were to hurry at to
decision and to seize ship building and fitting out at
Liverpool, without being satisfied by evidence that the
provisions Of the Foreign Enlistment act bad been VIC
lated in the of such vessel Do you that her
Maestys government were to dispense with proof and
to infct injury upon the Q1een ssubecs by seizing
ship upou your assertion that the owners CT that
ship were violating the 'sw?
If such is your meaning, must reply that the gov
erument CT this country respects The law. They do not
seize upon property TO the loss and damage of its
without prOofthet they legally entitled to do so.
Perhaps your meaning is that her Maesty's Govern
ment should have proceeded the opinion of Mr.. Col
ler without waiting for other authority
But here again. must reply that the usage of this
country requires that the government should consult
their legal advisers and cb ain the opinion of he
law officers of the before they proceed to enforce
a pf nal statute.
1t you mean to contend, therefore, that nation in
state of profound peace should aside the forma
ties Of law and act at once upon presump tons and
surmise, entirely differ from you. / may remind you
that evidence sufficient to satisfy court of law as to
the equipment or fitting out" of vessel for war
like purposes and OF its actual destination is not OBJ
tainabe without difficulty.
If you mean that her Majcsty's Government wilfuy
delayed neglected the by which the char
acter of the Alabama could have been legally aecer
tanned, must give positive aud complete denial of
the truth ct any such assertion The opinion Of the
law officers, until the receipt OF which her Me astys
Government could not act, was delivered at the For
eign Office the 29th of July but in the morning of
cursion, escaped from Liverpool.
THE letter then enters into an examination of the
case OF 81. Genet French Minister to the United States
in 1898 and 1894, and proceeds thus
AS to other points we nearly agreed, 50 far rs
the law OF nations is concerned But with respect to
the statement in your letter that large supplies of va
kinds have been sent from this country by private
spectators for the OF the Confederaes have to
observe that that statement is only repetition in de-
tail of part Of the assertion made in my previous let
Of the 10Th ult, that both parties in the civil
have to the extent OF their wants and means induced
British subj s to violate the Queens proclamation vi
the 18th of May 1861 which torbids her subjects from
affording such supplies to either party.
1t is no doubt true that neutral may furnish as a
matter of trade supplies of arms and warke stores i'm
partially to both begerents in q war; and it was not
Oh the ground that such acts were at variance with
the law of nations that the remark made in the
former note. But the Queen having i sued q procla
nation forb]cIng her subj Cts to af such supplies
either party the civil war, her hluiestys Govern
entitled to complain of both parties for hav
ing induced her Maestys subjects to violate that pro-
clamatiOn and their complaint applies most to the
Government OF the United States because it is by that
Government that by far the greatest amount OF such
supplies have been ordered and procured.
do not propose to discuss other collateral topics
which have been introduced but in explanation OF any
former letter mast say that meant to sccuse
you of giving any encoure cement to the enlistment Of
British sub IN this country in the civil
unhappily prevailing in the United States.
But it is notorious that large bounties have been
offered aud given TO Brit+h subjects residing in the
United States to engage in the the Federal
side AM these British subj ects acting defiance OF
the laws of their country and of the Queens Procama-
tion have been encouraged by the United States Gov
eminent 30 to act.
recent and striking example of the open avowa OF
this of conduct the part of the United States
government TO be found in the correspondence be-
tween MIR. Seward and Mr.. Stuart with reference to
the of the Sunbeam in which, although it does
not appear that any bountes were offered MI Seward
IS treated an endeavor to induce British sailors to en-
list in the bellgereDt service Of the United States
afording no ground OF complaint to Her Majesty q
Government / am, &c, RUSSELL.
Mr.. ADAMS TO EARL RUSSELL.
January &c, 1868.
lMr. Adams confines himself to repeating bis
charges against the British government. He says i
The fact that warning had been given in full season
TO prevent the departure of No 200" does not de-
pend upon my statement, inasmuch as it is simply a
eston of dates open to the inspection OF all men,
The fact that Her Mejestys government con-
WINGED of the justice OF the representation made, is
patent from the determination to which your ordship
admits that they ultimately came to detan the vessel
The fact that this decision 80 long delayed as to
fail in eaecLg the object intended whereby great
jury has actually done, and is yet likely to ensue,
to the commerce the United States, is equally
ton purely of dates Inasmush these constitute the
substance of the paragraph OF my note to which
is taken, must confess myself wholly at loss to
perceive upon what grouod any doubt further be
raised about 1t.
AS it is probable that may receive at an early mo-
meat further instructions from my government IN re-
spect to the substantial point involved in the present
correspondence deem it unsdvisable further to take
up yout ordship's time by enlargng the limits OF the
discussion of purely incidental questions. desire to
exnreas nv obligation to YOU for the ready and full