Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1863-10-16
DEPARTMENT OF STATE,

RICHMOND. Sth October, 1863.
>!R-TEc conduct of the British consular
a:efi> in the Contederacy has compelled the
rre>icnt to take the decisive step of expell-
In. taem from our country, and it is deemed
rrap-- 80 1Ct YOU in possession of the causes
which hay. produced this result. that you may
have !. IN YOUR power to correct any miSrepre-
saata-iorS on The subject. To this end, it is
nete>> II: % review the whole course of the
British iJyernment, and that of the Contcde-
rlcv Ia relation 70 these officials.
When the Confederacy was first formed.
there were in our ports number OF British
coasu,s ani consular agents, who had been
recognized H. such. not only by the Govern
.mant O: tie United States. which was then
the authorized agent IF the several States
for that purpose, but by the State authori-
tie, themselves. Under tine law of nations,
these officials are not entitled to exercise po-
!ica or diplomatic functions, nor are they
ever accredited 20 the sovereigns within
whose domnions they reside Their only
warrant ot authority is the commission of
their own Government; but usage requires
that tlo>. who have tie full grade Of con-
su. should rot exercise their functions within
the .crrS..v Of any sovereign before receiv-
/
tar; while Consular agents of inferior grades
simply no:i!y the local authorities of their in
ten;ion to a.; in that capacity. 1t has not
been Customary, upon any change of Govern
merit, 10 Interfere with these commercial OIL
cialS :,ra2dy established in the discharge of
their duties and it is their recognized obliga-
tion to treat all governments which may be
established, de .ficto, over the ports where
they reside, as governments de jure. The
British consular officials gave no cause of COM
plain, IN this score, and the President inter-
pl>e: n, 5',;.ction tn the continued exercise
% their iumcljGns. On other grounds, howev-
eT, ya:!ouS causes Of complaint subsequently
arJ." and in the case of Consul Moore it
Wa fund necessary to revoke his erequatur,
for his disregard e the legitimate request OF
this department thai he should abstain from
further ;.Lon as Consul until he had submit
ii h> commission for inspection, and because
q tl> .i'usi2c remarks touching the conduct
.; Ii" Confederate authorities in relation to
tx enlisted soldiers. as fully explained in a
9ub!'>.; despatch of this Government. At
tsltIu w.i> ais cailci in that despatch (which
~!s r":U,Haaicated To the British Cablnrt,) to
iIe oi.c.:, ,nab!c conduct of British function
aries IN ID" carmy's country, who assumed
aG:h"r!tr within the limits of the Confe1eracy,
iae:e1v npyin. that these States were still
mem.crs o. the Union to which tho &c function
ares we're accredited. and ignoring the exist
eaec Of this :3:ernment within the territory
vyer whicnitwas exercising unquestionedsway
A0tN1:n-rantinc the grave character OF this
camnaii,'. TIE President confined himself to
FeE7rheajinc rtis conduct. and to informing
The British uovernmens that he had forbid
den. for the iut;Ire, any direct communication
between British Consuls here and British
Oh;!aI' ia the United States And here it
lia7 a' be improper to observe that although
tals Dispatch was published at the time of its
1tie. ai was communicated to the Foreign
':a'e in London, Her Maiesty's Ministers
made n" strange mistake of asserting In the
h.r>@ .. Commons that Mr.. Moore's dismis.
-. was Connected. in some way, with alleged
r:ie.teS committed on one Belshaw. of whose
G>'ac" the department was ignorant till
~e Hu; lrati"n Of the debate, and concerning
WON no representation exists on it's files.
s"n ate: that dispatch was forwarded, the
fi"s'hsnt was apprised by the Governor of
Aaalma that Her Maiesty's Government had
'>!;e'i with severe d,srleasure, and had re-
m9'.! M from Office the British Consular agent at
H',l.". h"eause he had received and forward
e1'F5m Mobile. on IN English man-of-war,
money due by the State of Alabama to Bri-
.>h subjects for interest on the public debt of
rw- S,a'", and that the British Minister at
"a'aingiou. after failing in active efforts
Prevent the remittance of this money,
r'' assumed the power Of appointing a
!oa'uar agent within the Confedcracy
replace the officer Mt Mobile, who had
:Ie2;'Tel censurc and punishment for the
.i,%'arsc Of a plain duty to British subjects,
SS'ch happened to be distasteful TO the United
s"''e> Y copy of the despatch on this sub
;THe9mmunicated to the British Government
.;;s0":o>el. and you will perceive that the ac'
;..a Of the President was marked by extreme
.:'ea7arce, and that he confined himself to
.susinc permission that Mr. Cridland should
=. under Lord Lyons instructions, and to
,~S''c.sug the confident hope that Her Maies-
- Government would in the future choose
s.-." ether iuoie Of transmitting its orders and
,1s'rt'>'n- ;;s authority over its agents within
-. =. S..H:sleracy, than by delegatiug to func-
.."He' %iio reside among our enemies the
I"e' o give orders and instructions to those
Ie>Ii" among us.
.,. !" MS answer to this despatch, (of which o
h." Is also enclosed. Earl Russell, while ac-
s,."'eHans the Justice of our remonstrance
ISan' I~.>' the assumption of authority by Lord
s:,. y,"'' dei"pds the action Of the British Gov
h. "a,:.t IN the matter of the Mobile Consulate
.;.+ .++:a'I'"ln!ng that the transmission of the
s;,s ,s@ e% Consul MuGee, under the circum-
!, ;'ISss ,S above explained. chad the character,
aiii. eyes Of Her Maiesty's Government, of
5,sa., che OF the beligerents against the
IA. =, this statement clearly assumes that
sr,,,"a "a'stnission Of specie from one Of these
9si. ;. = y HTeat Britain, in payment of public
s,,;.' " british subjects, is an act of hostility
ci.i, ii.4>' The United States, which British off
l. ,aI tsi!"t 'anH"t promote with due regard to neu.
| t4lE, nealonS. because it ''aids one Of the
6r.s rtI'e4ts against the other" No reason is
F'sn 10: this nnnnlraien -L:i -