The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1864-01-13

9 ther measures that her maiestys ministers may
: still add This language is SO Enthusiastically an
0fnclal exposition OF the policy adopted by the
BRITISH government IN relation to our affairs, that
the duty imposed upon me by the constitution,
/ Of giving you from time to time information of
} the state Of the Confederacy" /" would not have
] been performed IL / had failed to place it dis
tinctly before you
refer you for fuller details on this whole sub
| Ject to the correspondence of the state depart
) ment which accompanies this message. The
facts which [ have briefly narrated are, trust
; suflclent to enable you to appreciate the true
nature Of the neutrality professed in this war
1t IS not ID my power to apprise you to what ex-
tent the government of France shares the views
SO unresefyedly aV0Wed by that of Great Britain,
no published correspondence OF the French gov
ernment on the subject having been received
No public protest nor opposition, however, has
been made by his imperial majesty against the
prohibition to trade with us imposed on French
citizens by the paper blockade of the United
States, although lhave reason to believe that an
unsuccessful attempt was made on his part to
secure the assent OF the British government to
course OF action more consonant with the die
tates of public law, and with the demands of JUS
tice towards us.
The partiality of her majesty's government in
favor OF our enemies has been further evinced in
the marked difference Of its conduct on the sub
Ject CT the purchase Of supplies by the two belli-
gerents. This difference has been conspicuous
since the very commencement of the war As
early as the first OF May 1861, the British minis
term Washington was informed by the secretary
of State OF the United States that he had sent
agents to England, and that others would go to
i France to purchase arms, and this fact was COM
nunicated to the British foreign Office, which in
! terp0sed no objection Yet in October Of the
same year earl Russell entertained the complaint
OF the United States minister in London, that the
Confederate states were importing contraband
articles Of war. from Nassau, directed inquiry
into the matter, and obtained q report from the
authorities of the island denying the allegations,
which report was enclosed to Mr.. Adams, and re-
i celyed by him as satisfactory evidence to diss-
/ pate ''the suspicion naturally thrown upon the
autp porltles OF Nassau by that unwarrantable
act SO, too, when the Confederate government
purchased IN Great Britain as neutral country
(and with strict observance both of the law Of
nations and the municipal law of Great Britainl
vessels which were subsequently armed and COM
missi0ned as vessels Of war, after thew had been
far removed from English waters, the British
government, In violation Of its own laws and in
\ GeferenCe to the importunate demands Of the
4 United States made an Intellectual attempt to
seize one vessel, and did actually seize ana de-
/ tain another which touched at the island 0f Mas
sau, on her way to Confederate port, and sub
/ Jected her to an un10unded prosecution at the
/ very time when cargoes ofmunitions ofWar were
/ being openly shipped from British ports to New
/ %.
HOW the public journals bring INTELLIGENCE that |
! the British government has ordered tie seizure
IN British port OF two vessels, on the suspicion
| that they may have been sold to this ese4err- !
merit, and thai they may be hereafter armed land |
equipped in our service, while British subjects !
are engaged in Ireland by tens of thousands to
proceed to the u :. fer warfare against the Con-
federacy in defiance ofthe law ofnations and the |
express terms Of the British statutes, and are
transported in British ships, without an effort at
concealment, to the ports of the United States,
there to be armed with rifles imported from
Great Britain, and to be employed against our
people in warrior conquest. Noroyal preroga- T
tive is invoked, no executive interference is in
terposed against this fragrant breach of munich /
pal and international law, on the part of our enc
mics, While strained constructions are placed on
existing statutes, new enactments proposed and
questionable eXpedients devised for precudng |
the possibility ofpurChase, by this government, |
OF vessels that are useless for belligerent Dur
poses, unless hereafter armed and equipped out
side OF the neutral jurisdiction of Great Britain
For nearly three years this government has
exercised unQuestionable jurisdiction over lnapy
millions Of willing and united people It has met
and defeated vast armies Of invaders, who have
in vain sought its subversiOn Supported bv the
confidence and affection Of its citizens, the Con
federacy has lacked DO element which distin-
guishes an independent nation, according to th :
principles OF public law. It's legislative, execut-
t.,
having performed their appropriate functions
with 9 regularity as undisturbed as in time Of
profound peace, and the whole energies Of the
people have been developed in the organisation
Of vast armies, while their rights and liberties
have rested secure under the protection CT the
courts Of justice. This Contederacy is either in
dependent or it is a dependency Of the United
States. for no other earthly power claims the
right to govern it. Without one historic fact on
which the pretension can rest without one line
o. word Of treaty or covenant which can give CO.
i0r TO ttle, the United States haze asserted that
the British government has chosen to cOncede
that these sovereign States are dependencies of
the government which is administered at Wash
lngtQn. Great Britain has accordingly entertain
ed with this government the closest and most
intimate relations, while refusing On its demand,
ordinary amicab!e intercourse with Us, and has,
under the arrangements made with the other ma
tons Of ofEurOpe, not only denied our just claim
Of admission into the family nations, but inter
posed & passiye, though eGeetual bar, to the &C
knoWledgement Of our rights by other powers
So soon as it bad become apparent by the decIa-
ratjons Of the British ministers, in the debates Of
the British parliament in July last, that her maj
esty'S government was determined to persist IN
definitely in course Of policy which, under pro
LESSONS ofnoutTality, had become subservient to
the designs of our eiFemy felt it NV duty to re-
call the commissioners formerly accredited to
chat court, and the correspondence on the sub :
iect is submitted to YOU
It is due TO you and to our country that this
full Statement should be made ofthe just grounds
which exist for dissatisfaction with the conduct !
Of the British government. am we'll aware that
re are unfortunately without adequate remedy
for the injustice under which we have suffered at
the hands OF a powerful nation, at a iuncture S
when our entire resources are absorbed in the S
5efences Of our lives, liberties and Independence, t
against an enemy possessed Of greatly superior t
numbers and material resources. Claiming no =
7ayor desiring no aid, conscious Of our own abl-
4y to defend our own rights against the utmost
Efforts Of an infuriate foe we had thought it not
sxtravagaut 10 expect that assistance would be t
Withheld from our enemies, and that the conduct $