Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1863-06-15

President has hitherto ste div resist all uences
which have been exeried induce him of for
een co suls that they shou ASK exequatur from
this Cover ment CONDITION OF The continued exer
else OF their uneuons IL not deemed compatible
with the dignity of the GoverUment TO 'xOrt by enior
cling the withdrawal OF national con from neutral
esidents such inierentia recognition Of its ndepen-
deuce as might be supposed TO be implied in The request
for an exeQuatur. The consols OF foreign nauOns
therefore established within the Confederacy who were
In possession Of quaur issued b. the Government
OF the United States prior the formation Of the Con-
federacy have been maintained and respected in the
exercise of their legitimate functions and the same
protection and respect will be accorded to them in f-
ure so long they confne themselves to the sphere
q their duties and seek neither to evade nor defy the
egd nate authority Of this Government within its own
jurisdiction.
There has grown up abuse. however the result of
this tolerance the part Of the President which is too
serious to be longer allowed Great Britain has deemed
it for her interest to refuse acknowledging the patent
fact Of the existence of this Coniederacy as an ndepen-
dent nation. 1t can scarcely be expected that VIC
should by own conduct imply assent to the justice
or propriety Of that eusa Now that the British Min
lister accredited TO the Government Of our enemies as
the power to issue instructions and exercise
horty the Consuls of Great Britain residing with
in this country nay of appointing agents TO super
of conduct plainly ignores the existence of this
Government and implies the continuance of the rela-
tons between that Minister and the Consuls of Her
Maj sty eside,t within the Coniederacy which existed
prior to the withdrawal of these States from the Union
1t is further the assertion Of right on the part Of
Lord Lyons by virtue OF his credentials Her Msics-
TVS Minister at Washington to exercise the power and
authority ofa Minister accredited 10 Richmond, aud
officially received as such by the President. Under
these circumstances, and because of similar actiOn
by other Minister'S the President has felt it his
duty to ordr that no direct communication
be permitted between the Oonsuls of neutral
nations in the COnfederacy and the unctonaes ofthose
nations residing within the enemys country. ALI COM
muncaton, therefore, between Her Maesty's Consus,
consular agents in the Confederacy and foreign
tries whether neutral hostile will hereafter be
strcted 10 vesssls arriving from despatched for
tra ports The President has the less reluctance in i'm
posing this restriction because of the ample facilities for
correspondence which are afforded by the fleets Of
Confederate and neutral steamships engaged regular
trade between neutral countries and the Confederate
ports This trade is daily increasing in spite of the pa
per blockade which is upheld by Her Msjestys Govern
ment in disregard the President coIcei'es of the
rights of this Coniederacy of the dictates OF public law
and Of the duties of impartial neutrality.
You instructed by the President to furnish copy
of this despatch with copy of the papers appended
Her Maestys Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs
am, very respectfully,
Your obedient servant
j. p. BENJAMIN,
Secretary OF State.