Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1864-03-17

and iniquity of their pretense to separate
nationality. If they have not the means of
feeding their prisoners they are violating
every principle of justice and humanity in
continuing war which they are unable to
conduct without disregarding every rule of
honor and all the usages of war among civil
lied people.
The British Ministry and MIR. Stewards 18th
of July Dispatch.
The conservative members of the British
Parliament, under the lead of Earl DERBY and
DIsRAELI, seem to be making a 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 PALMERsToN '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
off 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
te1nati0e but to protect themselves and their COM
nerce AGAINST armed cruisers proceeding from
British ports, as against the naval forces of q
public enemy and also, to claim and insist up
on iadennities for the injuries actich sacch erpe
ditions hare hitherto committed or shall hereafter
commit against this government and the citi
zens of the United States. To this end this
government IS mow preparing nae@ force ac'h
| the utmost 0igor =; and if the national navy,
which it is rapidly creating shall not be suf
fcient for the emergency, then the United
States must bring into employment such Pri-
cate armed noyI forces as the mercantile ma
rine 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
tured, or have even manned and armed them
as pirates and sent them abroad as auxiliaries
in the work of destruction. Can it 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, the many Of the United States wiU
receive instructions to pursue these enemies into
the ports mhich thus, IN violatiom Of the lar of
nations and the obligations Of neutrality, become
ha96ors for the pirates 2"
Earl RUSSELL, in the House Of Lords, and
Mr.. LAYARD, in the lower House, both declar
ed that this dispatch had not been communi-
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 consolement 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 Administration
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, few nights ago, in answer
20, ,,,fo IL 81
Cecil believe, declared upon his honor that
such dispatch as that of the 18th of July;
but last night, Earl Russell, pushed to the
wall by Derby, confessed that Mr.. Adams,
when he received any dispatch from Wash
ington which might be unpleasant, had been
in the habit Of keeping it safe in his pocket,
mlile he informed Earl Russell ver5a1ly of its
p1,port, and this, you will remember, is pre-
cisely the explanation I 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
Gu DIT Hill, anu MI. audIuS Has HOG Deen ODHg-
ed to play his trumps or expend his ammuni-
ton. Federal diplomacy has won a 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 a better ally |
than Earl Russell, and it was by his orders, |
no doubt, that Confederate cruiser has just |
been seized by the British authorities at the |
Cape of Good Hope. It 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:
1t would be superfuous in me to point out
to your lordsbip that this Is war. 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, |