The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1864-05-03
THE REPLY.
l1cHMnNn VA A nril 9Th 1864


RICHMOND, Va, April 9th, 1864.
To the Right Honorable Lord Lyons, 9. B. DC,
dc +, DC, H. B. NJ Minister TO the Government
Of the United States.
My LORD: have been Instructed by the Presi-
dent to acknowledge the receipt ofa despatch
from your Lordship, enclosing copy of portion
of despatch from Earl Russell, II. T. NJ. Secro-
tary of State for Foreign Affairs, purporsing TO be
"formal protest and remonstrance OF her I1aJes-
TVS Government, against the efforts Of the authc-
tiles Of the so-caed Confederate States, to build
war vessels within her Majestys dominions, to be
employed against the Government Of the United
States"
The President desires me to say TO your Lord.
ship, that while he is not unwilling to waive, in
existing circumstances, the Transmission Of such
document through other than the usual and pro-
per channels, it would be inconsistent with the
dignity of the position he fills, as Chief Magistrate
of q nation comprising population Of more than
twelve millions, occupying territory many times
larger than the United Kingdom, and possessing
resources unsurpassed by those of any country on
the face of the globe, to allow the attempt Of Earl
Russell to ignore the actual existence OF the Con-
federate States, and TO contumeliously style them
$50 called" to pass without formal protest and
remonstrance. The President therefore, does
protest and demonstrate against this studied insult
and he instructs me to say that in future any doc
ed unanswered and unnotced
With respect to the subject of the extract from
Earl RusselPs despatch, the President desires me
to state, that the plea of neutrality which is used
TO sustain the sinister of her Majesty's pre-
sent Government against the Government Of tho
Confederate States, is so clearly contradiccd by
their actions, that it is regarded by the world not
even excepting the United States, as a mere cover
for actual hostility, aud the President cannot but
Ioal Ah.NN k.g
her Majestys Government sincere in desire and
determination to maintain neutrality, the President
could not but feel that they would neither be just
nor gallant to allow the subjugation Of a nation
like the Confederate States, by such a barbarous,
despotic race as are nov attempting it.
He canGot but feel, with the history and tradi-
tions of the Anglo-Saxon race before him, that
under Government faithfully representing tho
people of Great Britain, the whole weight and
power of that nation would be unhestatingy
thrown into the scale, in favor of the principles Of
free Government, on which these States we're orig
inally formed, and for which alone the Confederate
States now struggling He cannot but feel
that with such Government and with the plea
of neutrality urged upon the people as it now is,
no such pitiful spectacle could bo witnessed is
now manifested BY her Majesty's present Govern
ment in the persistent persecution CT the Confed-
crate States at the beck and bidding of officers OF
and insults the intelligence of House of Com
mons and of the world by executing the permiss-
ion to allow British subjects to 90 to the United
States to fight against u.s. by the patry subterfuge
that it was the great demand for labor and the
high rate of wages that were taking them thithor.
He cannot but feel that neutrality most Gun.
ningly, audacous!y fawning and insolently sought
and urged, begged and demanded by one billige-
rem: and repudated by the other, must be seen by
all impartial men to be a mere pretext for aiding
the Of one at the expense of the other while
pretending to be impartial, to be, iD short, but
cover for secret, malignant, treacherous' hostility.
AS for the specious arguments the subject Of
the rams advanced by Earl Russell, the President
desires me to state that he is content to leave The
world and history to pronounce judgment upon
this attempt to heap injury upon insult, by de-
claring that her Majesty's Government and law
officers satisfied of the questions involved,
while those questions still before the highest
legal tribunal of the kingdom, composed of mem.
bcrs of the Government and the highest law Off
GERS Of the Grown, for their decision. The Presi-
dent himself will not condesceDd to notice ther,.
l have the honor to be your Lordship's obedieut,
humble servant,
BURTON N. HARRISON,
Private Secretary.
TP G --Since the above waa mt in ,vne VA