The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1864-03-16
DEPARTMENT ~ 6f,
WaShia.!on, JuIy IL, 1863

Sir: Your dispatches oil the 1otn OF June, mo.
435) has been received, together with three per
books containing a report oi the trial Of the Alex
Sndra.
In giving you the Presidents views in regard "a
III ease and the questions depending upon II,
Iabo under snme emharrassments, resulting fv6A
IN ignorance Of what nay have occurred in Europe
since the date of your dispaich. II 10 known here
that at that iime movement In the House of Com
mons demanding recosniuoo OF the Insurgents BY
her Majes.y's Government was set down Tor the
Goth of June, ant that you were not alt Rether
wthoH! apprehension hat tbs movement, aided By
moral effect of tho verdict In the case of the Al
eIandra, and tacked ny supposed patronage Ia
France, m ght prevail. Secondly, We have not
altogether been able 70 disregard the rumOrs Of g
design of the Emperor OF France to recognise the
Insurgents with or without the concurrence Of
The Government of Great Bntain Thirdly, that
movement was to be based upon the ground Of the
failure OF the armies of ;ba Union
but while II was going on, those armies have
achieved victories which here ara regarded a.
warra nting IN expectation Of O complete and rapid
extingutshmsat Of the insurrsction. Tbeee bril-
au, and important vic ;ortes, however, are a. yet
unknown in Europe.
Uader these circuu tances shall assume that
40 act has been done by the Government OF France,
or by the Government Of Great Britain, especially
ny the latter, to change the relations tina. have
heretofore existed between those countries re-pee
lively, and the United states, and sha.! c0uGns
myself 70 the duty 0f explaining frankly the opin-
Ions Of ths resident, and the policy which he wu!
pursue In regard 70 maritime questions In view Of
the result in the case Of the Alexandra.
First. Ysu are authorized and expected to assure
Earl Russell that this Government II entirely saus
asd that her MaIestys Government have conducted
the In that ease with perfect good faith
aud honor, and that they are we'll disposed TO pre-
vent the fit M ot of armed vessels In British ports
war against thu United States.
Secondly. This Government IL satisfied that the
law officers Of the crown have performed their du-
ties In regard 10 the case OF the alexandra with
sincere conviction of the adequacy of the law of
Great Britain and sincere desire to give II effect.
Thirdly. The Government OF the U tied States
dors not descend q Inquire whether the ju In the
case were or we're not Impartial II willingly b.
lieyes they were %, and Il accepts the statement
made with 90 much unanlmity BY oil the reporters
OF me case, that the judge who presided ut the
trial made the bench responsible for the verdict by
ID. boldness and dlrectness s0I his rungs against
the prosecution.
Pourlh'y. Great Britain being free aud consti.
tntiOnal count y, ana the proceedinss 10 the ca .
Of the Alexandra having b. On thus Tar conducted
BY ths Government In good faith and according To
law, the United states wo I'D not be ius,i0ed Ia
d~smtng the verdict ndered by the Jury cause
Of national complaint. provided that the 0ovets-
msnt proseeutse an appeal to the higher courts Nm
I'll 1T b dstvrmined Ia the court Of last resort
whether the iaw 10 adequate TO the maintenance
Of the neutniy which her Majesty has proclaim
I'd, and provided also that In the eanIime the
Alexandra and other vessels which usy mr. found
violating or pr pairing 70 vlo ale ths law be pre-
vented, % faT a. the law may allow, from iravi.e
British porss ~ p'o 'osecUts ,bsiF work oi dsvsstA
ton.
The Prssid.a, IL no, prepared "a betev~ th the
judiciary Of Great Z tain Will, with wall 0"nsld-
cred Judgment, render 1usatpry and void e.sruts
~ the realm which, with tt0 counterpart IL our
own legislation, tas hitherto been regarded by both
natlnns - . guaranty of that mutual f0voearanes
which 10 90 essential to the preservation OF peace
aud frieRdshtp Nor shall | incur the htxtrd "f
pro tueIna irritation either side nf the by
ettcsins the reasoning BY which the 'ea'ued judge
who triSd the casa O. III. Alsxandia 1a"tiosd his
conclusions taareon, or sy which lnaS postioA Of
the Dr,ish pssss which approves the verdict isbofs
i, wsu,S ;. very gratifying to me IL were al
s,ss sf tlss Asxsudra u left by the recon. trial rem
dare Il necsssary I" c0ntempatr possible ashrna-
ton of the rulings Of the hef Baron In the cost
OF dernisT resort You are entitled IN know and
II seems proper that you should heabie 20 cOnimu-
nicats to her Majssty's Government the Views
which the President has taken Of the rights and
duties OF this Government In that un'ooked -0F and
deeply TO be deprecated event. trust that shall
dispasstonateIy withou, wsundnS the Just self.
respect of her Najestys Government II the rulings
OF the hief Baron of the Exch squer In tho Case OF
the Alexandra shall be affirmed 30 - 10 regulate
dcas Will, 40 be thinks, be isft IT, understand tina,
there 10 no law In Great Britain which will be ef
fecve 10 preserve mutual relations OF forbearanes
between the subjects of her Majesty and the
Government ana people OF the t0ite0 0tnleo LII Tue
only point where they are exposed 70 infractlOD
The htdrg out Of the Alabama and the Florida, u
well a. Of the Alexandra, will thus receive The
sanction Of the Government, and the United State,
will be without any guaranty whatever against tht
indiscriminste and unlimited employment of capi
tal tndzsy, aud skiil BY British suhjects, - euild
tug, arming, squipp,ae, and senADs forth ships-of
war from British peFts 10 make war against ths
United states.
FL may safely protest, In behalf Of the Unite.
States, asainss the assumption Of that posttou o|
the Bhush nation, because THE Government, viii
statuts exactly similar to that OF Great BTitaia
docs constantly hold Itself able and bound to pre-
vent such injuries to Great Rntaia. The Presidea
thinks II not improper 20 suggest for the consldera
tfon Of her Aalsstys Government the question
whs.hs: on .ppssl 20 be made ~ snem, rafila
menI might not think II just and expsdeat 10 amen
the existing statute in such way ~ 70 eject wha
the Governments actually believe Il ought nov
20 accomplish. In case Of such an appeal u
President would u0s hesitats to apply to CongFes
for IN equivalent amendment OF the laws OF IN
United States II her Majesty's Government shovi
desire such proceeding, although here such .
( amendment b not deemed neeessaSy.
| II the Law Of Great Bhtain must Be left withou
amendment, and he construed ~ the Government
IL conformity with The sulinSs of tbs Chief bsso
Of the EycheQuar, then there VIII ee len Tor N
Umtted Seases no altsfnoovs but 70 protect then
ss;vss an1 thets eo9mesee against ss1ssd erolsef
proeesdtag sR British porss, ~ sGatnss the u
val fbrcss At public ssenyi ana also 70 ssai'
and inDist up0a tRdemnltles tor the ln1une
which oil sucA e1ps1ittons have hitherto con
mitieA os snaii hsfSeftss comsait asaiase thl
TO shis end this 0vveTnment u now pseparln
. naval force with the utns0st vigw; "a
u The aaa1oaaa aavy Whieh 4 q rapialy cfeaeia
shau ~ - sn0etens fbs the smesgsncy, thsa q
: Unltod aeaass o0ee esaao Into e6psoymeas 80
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