The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1863-10-30

All British Consuls Ordered to
Leave the C3nfederacy.
Dispatches from the Rebel Sccrc-
tary Of State.
TIE DISMISSAL OF BRITISH CONsCTS.


We published few days ago, digest
Of respondence that had passed be-
tween Governor Bow, OF Georgia, and
Mr.. Fullarton, British Consul at S,vari-
nah, in reference to the rights of British
| subjects who had been impressed into the
C"nft!erate army. The position taken by
Mr.. FullartOn ON that occasion has brought
to crisis the anomalous question of the
| position ct British Cosuls in the C,nfs'-
eracy, and CO.: re>pnnlence has been
published by the rebel State department,
in the course of which NJ. Benjamin takes
occasion, on behalf Of the Conte ieracy,
to dispense with the existence of Blush
consular agents.
The first document is very long dis
patch addressed by Mr.. Benjamin to M.
Slilell in Paris, and as the point of the
whole matter is iE the first paragraph, we
herewith quote it.
CONFEDERATE STATES OF AMERICA
DEPARTMENT or SrXrE.
RICHMOND. Oct & 1868.
SIR: The conduct of tie rr II consular
agents III the Conteder;ry has compelled the
President to take the decisive step of expeIling
them from the country and it is deemed proper
to put you in pOSse:sOn OF the causes which
have produced this result. that you may have it
| In your power to correct any Misrepresentation
Oh the subject. To this end it is nee x-ary to
| review the whole course of The british Govern
ment and that of tho Confvt acy in relation to
these Off ialS.
Lest the Emperor of the French may
misCn'l. rstand this action, Mr.. Benjamin
cOnclul,s his dispatch with the following
paragraphs
The exercise of the Droit e,e renroi is too
harsh, however. to be rrSorictl to wiLOu; JUS
| titiahlc cause and it is proper that you shU Ill
have 1t III your power to explain tie grounds
| on which the President has been compelled to
| enforce it. Lest also the Government ct Ills
| Imperial Majesty should he missed into the
error of supposn" that the right of Frcncn
| citizens are in any manner involved in The ac-
| ton Of the President. which has been rendered
| necessary by The reprthen>,blc ,nduct OF the
British consular agents. yolt are u'leItud TO
take an early occa, ion .or giving sricn cXplua
| ton 70 ", Drouyn dc LtIuys as will obyn.c all
| risk nt miSip Hciicieiou.
| | am, Sir rcsnerlfuv Your ohcti,n. servant
j. T. BENJAMIN. S-c,y of State
| lion. JotN SLlnNi.L, Commissioner. &c,
| &c Paiis France.
| We give entire the dispatch in which
| Mr.. Benjamin annouuces to Mr. Fular,on
| tAAS 'tt'" VIZ s'lc Nl-iii>S't4
IlR. BENJAMIN 70 ME-. Ft-ILaRToN.
DEPARTMENT uF sTAV=
RlCiisiGNu Oct j; 1853 {
SIR: SNur letters Ct tie TSt and IL iu.L
| hay; been received Yuu inform tie govern,
nrnt that, under your Instructions you have
:rlt 1t To he your day TO ADVISE, Smile Thai
While they ought to HcluirScc in the service
req Tired 81 loiI.. rs it is Restricted to the main
tclance OF inicin, peace ana order. whenever
they -lltl be brought into actual conflict witt!
he forces OF United States. whether un Ter the
State or Confederate Government the service
SD reqrired is such It's they cannot be expected
- perform"
Your correspondence with tic Governor Of
Georgia leaves no doubt OF tn: nearing in
tended to DC conveyed by this language. In
that correspondence you state That. under
instructions. You have felt yourself compelled
to advise those drafted to acqlie-c until called
from thu ir homes or TO meet the Uuiu d States
forces in actual conflict; hut in that event to
throw down their arms and refuse t. render Il
service directly in the teeth of Her kIaieStys
proclamation. which would incur the severe
penalties denounced in the neutrality act ~
In Il communication from the acting British
Consul in Charleston, to the military authori-
ties. he also has Informed them that lie has
advised the British subjects generally to acqui.
esce in the State military organizations. but at
| the same time he informed them that in the
flict with the forces of the United States either
before or after being turned over to the Confetl-
crate Government, the services required of
| them would be such as British subjects could
| not he expected to perform"
1t thus appears that the Consular Agents of
| the British government have been instructed
| not to cOntine themselves to an appeal for
redress, either to courts of justice r to this
Government, whenever they may conceive that
| grounds exist for complaint against the Con-
federate authorities in their treatment of British
subjects Gan appeal which has in no case been
made without receiving just consideration, but
that they assume the power of determining for
| themselves whether enlisted soldiers of the
COnfederacy are properly bound to its service;
| that they even arrOgatc the right to 10 erfere
| directly with the execution of the Confederate
| laws, and to advise soldiers f the Confederate
armies to throw down their arms in the face Of
the enemy.
This assumption of jurisdiction by foreign
officials within the territory of the Confederacy
an this encroackment ON its sovereignty, can.
not be tolerated for moment; and the Presi-
dent has had no hesitation in directing that all
COnsuls and Consular Agents of the British
| Government be notified that they can no longer
be permitted to exercise their functions or even
reside within the limits of the Confederacy.
am directed, therefore, by the President to
communicate to you this order, that you
promptly depart from the Confederacy, and
| that in the meantime you cease to exercise any
| Consular functions within its limits.
am, sir, respectfully, your Obedient servant.
j. P. BENJAMIN, Secretary of State
| A. FuLARLroN, Esq.,, Savannah, Ga.
Upon this matter the Enquirer, of the
| 18th, comments as follows:
1t ought to have been known here from the
| first but was not that England could be no
friend to the Confederacy or its cause; although
sufficiently an enemy to the United States to
| desire the final disruption of the Union. We
have been long in finding out the truth, and,
| before we would admit it, have endured some
| humliations and insolent airs on the part of
| that Power, which surprised us very much
| but ought not to have done SO. At last the
! thing has become too clear, when it came to
pretended Consuls" of England, (permitted
| to live here by our extreme courtesy,) pub
| licly exhorting portion of our militia to throw
| down their arms in face of the enemy, rather
than abet ''civil war;" our authorities arrived
at the conclusion that we had enough oft So,
Immediately on the heels Of Mr.. Masons recall
| from London comes the order for all British
s'Consuls' to quit the Confederacy.
| We may now expect, ere long, to see Brit
ish Minister at Richmond, and British Consuls
asking erequat,rs from Mr.. Benjamin; for
England never neglects her subjects, nor leaves