Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1865-01-09
ESTABLISHED, 1881

5 ton in the domestic affairs Of foreig
j nations, are cardinal principles in ID
. policy Of the United States You hav,
: therefore, justly expected that the Pres
. dent would disown aud regret the pro
ceedings at Bahia. He viii snspenl
Captain Collins, and direct him to 81
pear. before a court-martial The Con
sui at Bahia admits that be advised auS
J melted the Captain, aud was active il
the proceedings He viii therefore b.
dismissed The Tag Of Brazil viii re
eelve IRON the United States Navv the
aonor customary in the intercourse o.
} friendly maritime Powers. Il is. how
ever, not 10 be understood that this Gov
ernment admits or gives credit 20 .he
charges OF ialsehood, treaeherv. sad de.
ception which you have brought AGAINST
the CaptaiS and the Consul These
charges are denied on the authority al
the officers accused. You will also be
pleased 10 understand that the answer
now given to your representative rests
exclusively upon the ground that the
capture Of the Florida was an unauthor.
lied, unlawful, and indefeusible exercise
OF the naval forces Of the United States,
within foreign country, in defiance Of
Its established and daily recognized Gov.
/ ernment
This Government disavows the as
sumption that the insurgents Of this
! country are lawful, naval belligerent,
and, on the contrary, it maintains that
the ascription of that character By the
Government of Brazil to insurgent citi-
zens OF the United States, who have
hitherto beer, and still are, destitute Of
naval forces, ports, and courts, is an act
OF Intervention, in derogation Of the Law
OF nations, aud unfriendly aud wrongful,
as it is manifestly injurious to the United
States.
So, also, this Government disallows
| your assumption that the Florida belong
ed to the aforementioned insurgents,
and maintains, on the contrary, that
that vessel, like the Alabama, was a ri.
rate, belonging to no nation or lawful
belhgerent, and, therefore, that the har-
boring and supplying Of these piratical
ships aud their crews in Brazilian ports
were wrongs aud injuries for which Bra.
zil justly owes reparation to the United
States as ample as the reparation which
she now receives from them They hope
aud confidently expect this reciprocity
IN good time, 70 restore the harmony
aud friendship which are SO essential TO
the welfare and safety Of the two coun-
tries
In the positions which have thus as
sumed, the Imperial Government will
recognize an adherence 70 rights which
have been constantly asserted. and an
enduring sense Of injuries which have
been the subject Of earnest remonstrauoe
/ by the United States during the last
three years The Government OF Brazil
/ Is again informed that these positions OF
this Government are no longer deemed
open 10 argument Ii does not, how.
ever, belong 10 captains Of ships OF war
Of TIE United States, or TO the com.
mauders OF their armies, or 20 their
oousuls residing in foreign ports, acting
without the authority Of Congress, aud
without even Executive direction, and
| ehosiug their own time, manner. aud oc-
oasiep, to ag<rri the rights and redress
the wrongs Of the country. This power
can be lawfully exercised only by the
Government Of the United States As a
member OF the family Of nations, the
United States practice order, not an
archy, As they always prefer lawful pro.
ceedings TO aggressive power or retalia-
ton. The United States are happy in
being able TO believe that Brazil enter.
tains the same sentiments The author
tiles At Bahia are understood % have un-
successfully employed force 10 overcome
the Wsehusett and rescue the Florida,
aud TO have continued the chase Of the
offender beyond the waters Of Brazil, on
the high seas. Thus, in the affair at
Bahia, subordinate ageuts, without the
knowledge Of their respective Govern
ments, mutually iuaugurated an M
authorized, irregular and unlawful war
In dasisting from that war on her part
and appealing 10 this Government for
redress, Brazil rightly appreciated the
character Of the United States, and sci
an example worthy Of emulation
The disposition q the captured crew
Of the Florida is determined upon ths
principles which have laid down. Al
{ though the crew are enemies Of tn
United States, and, as they contend
enemies Of the human race, yet thl
offenders were, nevertheless, nnlawfulll
brought into the custody Of this Govern
ment, and, therefore they could not b
| lawfully subjected here to the punish
. ment which they have deserved No
could they, being enemies, be allowed Z
. enjoy the protection Of the United States
. They will, therefore, be set at liberty, Z
! seek refuge wheresoever they may I'm
, it, with the hazard Of recaptare whel
. beyond the Jurisdiction Of the Unite
States.
! The Florida was brought into Amer
. can waters, and was anchored unde
J naval surveillance and protection a
, I Hampton Roads While awaiting th
/. representation Of the Brazialian Got
4 srnment, on the 2sth Of November, sh
sunk, owing to leak which could M
: be seasonable stopped. The leak was q
i 6rst represented to have been caused
+ or at least increased, by collision wit
: a war transport Orders we're immed
! ateiy given 20 ascertain the manner an
> circumstances Of the occurrence.
! seemed to affect the army aud navy. .
. naval court Of inquiry, and also a mil
4 tary court e. inquiry, we're charged wit
!. the investig.s stion. The naval court b.
i submitted It's report, and a copy theret
! is herewith communicated. The mil
! tary court is yet engaged. So soon 4
i its labors shall have ended the resu
: viii be made known to youE Cover
> msnE In the meantime, it IS assume
= = - i 80
d sequence Of some unforeseen aeciden
:. which cast no responsibility upon Il
"A United States
> | avail myself Of this opportunity
! renew to you, sir, the assurance Of n
II high consideration.
7. WILLIAM n SEWARD.