Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1863-05-06

Pass.
The British Lion, il seems, has found new
subject to groWl over The reader will see in
the foreign news reported by telegraph frequent
mention made Of a pass, permit or certificate Of
exemption, granted by Mr.. ADAMS, our Minister
at London. It ia made the subject of severe
cepsure In the London Times and other Brit
ish journals, and has been broached, IL appears,
In Parliament. II is also reported that LOUIS
NAPOLEON had become greatly displeased about
this affair as we'll az about the seizure Of the
British mall steamer Peterhoff by Admiral
Wilkes
The details In regard to the certificate or
pass, said 10 have been granted by Mr.. ADAMS,
have not yet reached this country. The mat
ter condensed TO brief statement was about
this--that Mr.. ADAMS gave a certificate to a
certain British vessel, loaded with arms, that
she was bound bona fde to the Mexican port
of Matamoras, and not to Confederate port.
It ia said that this was done to enable the ves-
sci to pass our blockade unmolested 1t is also
stated that the certificate in question was
mere semi. official letter from Mr. ADAMS to
Admiral DUPONT, commanding our South At
lantic squadron, furnished to the officers of
vessel conveying arms on private account, and
assuring the Admiral that in his Mr.. ADAMs's)
belief the arms were really intended for the
Mexican, and not at allffor the Confederate
tesvice. f -w sTtH rs
proceeding as an assumption OF high and mn
justihable authority on the Part Of Minister
ApAMs--no less than IN attempt to control Brit.
ish commerce with neutral power--aa an at'
tempt In short to cay what British vessels may
or may not trade with such power, and thus in
effect putting an embargo on British ports. The
subject is treated in such dsnuncasory style
as to justify the impression that the object is to
create in the English mind as much i'll feeling
toward thi country as possible.
It Is insisted on this side the water that Min
lster ADAMS had perfect right to give Ger
ti6cste "of character" to the cargo OF British
vessel, proceeding to Mexican or any othe
port, and that it could not be regarded in any
Just sense as an authoritative pass or certifcat,
of exemption from seizure Tt Is alleged thai
our Minister had no power, and has exercised
none, of.giving such pass or certificate; that
he did only what any other private individual
might have done-mske q statement OF the
character and deatinstion OF the cargo, which
Admiral DUPONT or any other blockading officer
wac bound to respect, only as an item Of proof
and not as conclusive evidence as to the real
purpose and design of the shipment on board
the vessel. Notwithstanding the certificate, the
vessel, 1t is urged, might still have been prop
erly seized upon satisfactory proof that she was
actually furnishing, not the Mexicsns, but the
Confederates with arms.
The reader will zee that here ia case In
which great deal may be said on both sides
especially in ignorance Of the real facts of the
case. We have alluded to It, thus circumstan
TALLY, because 1t is one of those numerous
cases-probsbly the most recent--out of which
ore-hesded parties on both sides the Atlantic
seek to make capital in order toprovoke ho.til
lilies between the two countries.