Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1864-03-19
The British Ministry and MIR. Stewards 18th
of July DISPATCH.


DIsRAEL1, seem to be making determined
attack upon the ministry They have opened
the campaign by attempting to create the
opinion that the ministry was bullied by
the United States into preventing the sailing
of the rams built by LAIRD for the rebels.
They say that RUSSELL and PALMERsrON ''dare
not treat the United States as they treat
Brazil and Japan" well, we guess that is
true.) But to establish their point against
the ministry, they particularly quote the dis
patch of Mr., SEWARD, dated on the 18th of
July last, in which, after protesting against
the conduct of the British Government in
permitting the fitting out of rebel pirates in
English ports, he says:
aft the law of Great Britain must be left
without amendment, and be construed by the
government in conformity with the rulings
of the chief baron of the exchequer, then
there will be left for the United States no al
teJadtiye but to protect themselves and their COM
naerce against armed cruisers proceeoi'ig from
British ports, as against the naval forces of
public e7semy and ALSO to claim and insist up
on indemnities for the injuries lctich such erpe-
l;tiOns haze hitherto committed or shall hereafter
commit against this government and the citi-
zens of the United States. To tbs end Mis
government is nop preparing ndra force 'c'tt
the utmost VigOr i; and if the national navy,
which it is rapidly creating, shall not be sui
ficient for the emergency, then the United
States must bring into employment such PR
rate armed asaUdL forces as the mercantile ma
r;ne shall afford. British ports, domestic as
well as colonial, are now open, under certain
restrictions, to the visits of piratical vessels,
and not only furnish them Goals, provisions
and repairs but even receive their prisoners
when the enemies of the United States come
in to obtain such relief from voyages in which
they have either burned ships they have cap
TIRED. or have even manned and armed them
as pirates and sent them abroad as auxiliaries
in the work of destruction. Can il be an Oc-
casion for either surprise or complaint that if
this condition of things is to remain and re-
ceive the deliberate sanction of the British
government, tie nary Of tie United States t0aH
receive instructions to pursue these enemies INTO
the ports rlich thus, az violation Of tie td'o OF
nations and tie obligations Of neutrality, become
harbors for the pirates ?"
Earl RUSSELL, in the House of Lords, and
Mr. LAYARD, in the lower House, both declar
ed that this dispatch had not been commune
Gated to the Ministry when they directed the
broad arrow to be placed on Mr.. LAIRD's
lambs. Indeed, they declared that the dis
patch had never been communicated to them,
but had been quietly pocketed by our minis
ter at st. James, Mr. ADAMS, thereby afford
ing great CONSIGNMENT to the COpperhead
press of this country, which has of late teem-
ed with articles charging Mr.. SEWARD with
writing the dispatch to gain credit for cour-
age on this side Of the water, while, like a
coward, directing Mr.. ADAMS to suppress it.
More recent developments, however, have
deprived the enemies of the Administratio
of any foundation for this charge, though,
with their accustomed policy of persisting in
any falsehood they have once uttered, they
will doubtless continue to repeat it. The
London correspondent of the New York
Times, writing on the 10th ult., says:
'Mr Layard, a few nights ago, in answer
to some searching interrogatories of Lord r.
Cecil, believe, declared upon his honor that
the Government bad had no intimatiOn of
such d dispatch as that of the 18th of July;
but last night, Earl Russell, pushed to the
wall by Derby, confessed that Mr.. Adams,
ington which might be unpleasant, had been
in the habit of keeping it safe in his pocket,
pltle he Informed Earl Russell verbally of It's
pa5port, and this, you will remember, is pre-
cisely the explanation l gave in one of my
recent letters. 1t is, perhaps, proper to say
that did not get my information from Mr..
Adams, or any member of the American En-
bassy: but it was none the less authentic.
"The truth is, the American Secretary of
State has played his cards like a master, and
and has been ably seconded by Mr.. Adams
Earl Russell, like the old coon in the story,
has come down every time the gun was point
ed at him, and Mr.. Adams has not been oblig-
ed to play his trumps or expend his ammuni-
ton. Federal diplomacy has won series of
brilliant victories, more important than many
in the field. 1t was this that made Mr.. Mason
withdraw to Paris. He saw, long ago, that
he had not the least chance with Earl Russell,
who treated him with positive discourtesy.-
America could scarcely wish for better ally
than Earl Russell, and it was by his orders,
no doubt, that a Confederate cruiser has just
been seized by the British authorities at the
Cape of Good Hope. 1t is not improbable
that orders have been sent to the Colonial
ports, to seize other Confederate privateers,
which, if this policy is really adopted, will be
compelled to resort to French and Spanish
ports in future"
The subsequent note of Mr.. ADAMS to Earl
RUSSELL, written September s, which was
followed by the stoppage of the rams, is strict
ly in accordance with the spirit of Mr. SEW
ARDS dispatch. The English Foreign Secre-
tary, on the 1st of September deliberately
declined to interfere with their sailing. Mr..
Adams sent more proofs of their destination
on the Sd and 4th, and, no notice being taken
of these, he wrote on the 9TH, showing the
results which would follow the sailing of the
rams, and pithily remarked:
st would be superhuous in me to point out
to your lordsbip that his IS acdr. No matter
what may be the theory adopted of neutrality
in struggle, when this process is carried on
in the manner indicated, from territory and
with the aid of the subjects of a third party,
that third party to all inteyats and purposes ceases
to be neutral. Neither is it necessary to show
that any government which suffers it to be
done fails in enforcing the essential conditions
OF international amity towards the country
against whom the hostility is directed. Inmy
belief 1t is impossible that any nation, retaining
proper degree Of self-respect could taDaely sub
NIT to continuance of relations so utterly def
Gent in reciprocity. IhaUe no idea that Great
Britain sOoald do So for a moment"
This note is every whit as belligerent as the
despatch of Mr. SEWARD, and shows that the
action of the British Government in stopping
the rams was the result of the determined