, 1863-10-24
THE REBEL DISMISSAL OF
THE BRITISH CONSULS.
Elspatches from the Rebel Secretary
Of State

The official documents relative TO the dis
mtssal Of the British Consuls from the bogus
Confedcracy have come to light.
The first document Is very long despatch
addressed bg 1Ir. Benjamin to Mr. SIdell In
Paris, and rs the point OF the whole matter Is
in the first paragraph, we herewith quote It:
CosFfpEEATE STATES OF AMERICA, J
DEPARTMENT or STATE,
RICHMOND, October 8, 1868.
s1n: The conduct OF the British Consular agents
in the Confederacy has compelled tho President
our country, ard it is deemed proper 10 put ron IL
possession OF the canacs which hsyc produced
thls result, that rou may haEe 1t In Jour power 70
this end 1t s necessa:y to review the whole course
or the Britfeh Government and that OF The Conge1-
cracY in relation to theee officials.
Lest the Emperor Of tbs French may mis-
understand this action, Mr.. Benjamin con-
cludes his despatch with the following pau
graph: .....
The exercise Of the droH de tsnroi fs too harsh.
however, to be rcsorted to without juatldable
cause, and it is proper that yoa shonld hays 1t 10
President has been compelled to. enforce It. Lest
also the Government Of His Imperial Majesty
should pe mitsd into t!s error Of aqpRo.tns that
involved in the actlon Of the President. which has
been rendered necessary by the EepEeheusiblc
f1QGHCL OF Inc htlklhQ A0QSutHf agents, TQ0 are
requested to take - early occasion Tor girine
sGch explanation to u. DrouyR dc fuuys as viii
obr1ate all risk Of misrepresentation.
Sir Bsx5. 3qsF eSeta5Z eSsatsn1 81 sta
Hon. JoHs SI1uEl1. Commissioned, &c. &C.,
Paris, France.
We give entire the dispatch in which Mr.
Benjamin announces to Mr.. Fullerton the fhct
Of Ills dismissal:
MI. BENJAMIN TO Dir. FULLERTON.
Dkr'7. or STATE, RICHMOND, Oct. .. 1868,
s1R--You1 letters Of the 1T and 81 inst: have
| been received. You tuform this Government that
"undcs youE instructions you have frlt It to hs
your duty to advise British aubjects that, while
20 long is It ia restricted to the maintenance o
! internal peace and order, Whenever they Btal be
htought into actual coh flct with the forces Of the
TnItEd Statee, whether under the State OF Con
fede1ate Government, tie service 20 required i:
sneh az they cannot be expected to perform.
Your correspondence with the Governor o.
saTes 20 dGnot 3 o. tae meaning nsnass
pondcrcc yon etate that .tundeF etioDs. yor
bare felt yourself compellea to advise those tEatt
to met @ lbs United States forces in actual conflict
but In that'erent to throw down their arms and re
fnse to render eervico directly 10 the teeth o
Her Majcetys proclamation, which Woald tncul
the ,sereze penalties denounced IN tho nentta
In a communication from the actiEg British
T. ehafaea IT, ss 1i hit h h5 ss sfss'
the British subjects generally to ac4u!esce In tht
State military Organizations, but at tho same tim
be informed them that In the eTsnt the mflltts
ehould be brought Into conflict With the forces Q
The United States, either before or after ne1ns
turned oyer to the Confederate Government, th'
| eerytcts required Of them would be such as Brit
] leh eubjecta conM not be expected to perform"
1t thus nppeaEs that the Consular agents OF th
| Bfit14h government have been instructed not X
cunfine Themselves to On appeal for redreas eithe
to courts Of Justice or to this government, when
| esEr they Yuny conceive that grounds exist 70
complaint againet The Confederate authorities +,
thetf treatment OF Dritish subjects ian appea
which has In no case been made without receiving
lust consfderation,( but that they assume the pow
Ct OF determining tor themselves whether enltste
soldiers OF tho C0nfedetacy are properly bound +
| ite service: that they fven alrosate the right +
interfere directly with the execution Of the Con
ftle1ate laws, and to advise soldiers OF the Cor
fede.ate armies to throw down their AIMS IN th
face OF the enemy.
This assumption Of Jurisdiction by foreign Of
cia1s within tic territory OF the Confe4ctacy, nn
| this cncIOachmect On its sovereignty cannot
tolerated for moment and the 1fSsaent has Ia
| no hesitation in directing that all Consu!s an
Consular Agents Of the British Government b. NJ
ticcd that they can no longer be permitted to exc
cIse their functions Or even reside within tho LIN
Its OF the Conftderacy.
/ am directed, therefore, hy the President I
communicate to you this orde:, TINT yon prompt!
depart from the Conf. detacy and that In the men!
tine yon eeaae to exercise au1 Consular function
within its limits ..
| J,P. BENJAMIN. Secretary Of Stlte.
Eu1TrRroS Esu. E8yaupah. Ga.