Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1863-05-13

the present, no shpletter mail shall be put on board
any vessel sailing for Matamoras "unless with the i9l
concurrence of the commander 1t is only that we 90
not use the compulsory power that the law gives us in
these cases. confess it would have been hard upon
the owners of vessels TO have refused to give them the
security for which they asked. have no doubt there
will be many vessels the commanders oil which VIII De
quite ready take these letters, but II they do, we
ought not to leave them say they have been put in
jeopardy by the act of the Government nor ought the
law to be in force to their injury NV honorable friend
states truly that The fears Of the owners Of the Sea
Queen and other vessels founded on what had been
Done in the case Of the Adelanamely that the Unisd
States authorities had got possession Of her letter ba
l. may be that complaints have been made in this
country which net without foundation, 1t may he
that United States officers have net observed these ges
but have gone beyond he directions that they have
ceiyed it may be that they have seized vessels that
were really going to katamoras 0pue neutral port
without sufficient evidence that the caEo Of
traband character But it does seem to in spite OF
what my noble friend says that the government of his
country is bound to take calm view of these mate
to represent them fairly the United States govern
ment, and not to presume that the government of the
United States pould fail IN their duty TO friendly
po,0sr that they Mould eo"ntendnce outrdgss Which
are against tie lac of nations. These representations
will be made and Ierpset that, if they just repGrG
tin tpH not be refused (Hear hear.) have already
said that what took place at the interview which had
with the ship owners has not been fully given. One
mistake has certainly been made. 1t it said that l
expressed surprise the information that certain British
subjects had been made prisoners and detained in place
of confinement by the auth0tes of the United
States certainly did nOt sIPssss any such surprise,
for had been reading that vOy morning the reptesen-
tations not only of SOnsuls but of those British
subjects themselves Who had been detained, and de-
tanned apparently with great and unnecessary harsh
ness the object being messy 70 deain them, in order
that they might give evidence in the prize court IL
cannot be doubted that there - precedens showing
that when case is brought before the Prize Court the
master Of the vessel may give evid0ce of the real
character of the cargo and the destination of the ves
sell and that he may be detained for that purpose But
it seems TO that the United States authorities have
gone beyond what they fairly had right to do When
We were beigerents many cases involving belgerent
and neutral rights were brought before very eminent
Judge whose decisions generally and universally
spected; and, though believed he carried the princ
pie favorable to captors to perhaps rather a severe
length beyond doubt they weren conformity with the
law of nations | allude to Lord Stowell. We were
the belligerents; are now neatras. But l said l
thought it would not become the character OF
this nation, because we had changed position,
10 invoke another law and another measure,
(cheers y to declare that those decisions OF Lord
eowell, which advantageous to US when
we were belligerents, should be thrown aside
d II, sce by wben we became neutrsls. (Jhters
Ac ORD ngly tbcse persons ShD ti that, VII tsv
my be the destination Of a ahr, and Whatever pspc
she may havo Oh board showing that she is aoou, 10
break The blockade 20 Gsry AIMS to some ono al the
Oonie6er3ta SAFES row Ia hostility wi n TIC UItted
Stlcs, they to be pro. c.! by the power OF tie
III nation in conr dcon to all our own decis,o
in contradiction TO the declared law Of majors WILL
hoyA know that the British GoVeinmelt neVsr vii
see reef 10 that position. (Oneers Let us lock in
GER isy a. IA which lave occurred. l. Insy To
that We lAv' # red grisvous wIong IL may b. n t
We have u o.. considerable rsparaticn; but let Il Q
fla sairlu kaVn n
this siCe Of tho Atlantic the 2scsioua o! great itS'
in America Ga have the vsVs Lid down BIZ in ige
Story and the Writings If 4 W eaton. Wth c6e
au hoe3 10 euidA us lei US who ia 10 tie light n
who is in The wrong. BIT let Us discuss The q Gun
s:a1ccs with wish TO DO ia &c, to 9th r. D 1t
lie, US be- led BY pacaion llo anything III ca Is BOZ
fuadsd on jas ice and sbiVh cUHct Afterwards b. JUS
{ G in tho Il GO of the world (Olers)
The Earl of Carnarvon said that the observations of
Earl Russell favored the idea that American shipsoi-
war had right 10 seize British vessels engaged in neu
trail and legitimate traffic, and even open and act upon
the correspondence contained in her majestys mail.
Earl Russell said that he intended anything of
the kind to be supposed; indeed Mr. Seward had ex-
pressy d;cained any such rights in his instructions to
the American officers
The Earl of Derby strongly complained of the con-
duct of tue government IL their duty instead of
Withdrawing the mails from the Sea Queen, to have in
sisted tlr being conveyed in her, aiordng the YES
sci at the time proper protection from the agrees
sions of the federal cruisers.
Earl Gray did not think that it just or reasonable
that British vessels trading to neutral ports and in so
doing at liberty carry contraband of war, should
be deprived of any sort of security At the same LIE
the government could not help the INCONSISTENCIES al
tached to vessels trading to suspected ports but tn
ought to take care that the rights allowed begerens
were not wantonly or aggressively used.
Lord Wodehouse said atehps sailing to a neutral
port, like Matamoras, if bona tide voyage ought.
not to be questioned by the Federal cruisers; there
might be some questions as 20 the destination OF the
goods conveyed by her after they were landed at the
neutral ports but that did not at all affect the vessel
her voyage. In the present temper of the American
people the could only preserve the peace by
acting firmly while they proceeded calmly, and by not
altering one ot Of their rights while respecting the
rights of others.
Earl Granville urged that government had acted pru.
IDENTIFY and consistently under very delicate circum-
stances and deprecated angry discussion imperfect
information.
Tbo dronpad