Baltimore daily commercial. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1865-1867, 1866-03-01

Esae Australian and Liverpool ATlfIlOri-
ties to BE Prosecuted, and the EnIistmeRt
act TO be Amended Out of Hand.
From the London Times, Feb l2l
The volume of Correspondence respecting the She
nandoah" just presented to Parliament is not mere
collection Of documents already published separate
ly Besides the elaborate series ofdispatches which
passed between Lord Russell and Mr. Adams on the
general question of alleged liabilities it contains
variety of papers relating to the visit of the She
nandoah to Melbourne, and no less than ten supple
mentary letters of Mr.. Seward, Mr. Adams and Lord
Clarendon on this nexhaustible subject. 1t will be
remembered that in his dispatch of the ID of Deem
ber which purported to close the controversy Lord
Clarendon recorded an emphatic assertion that no
armed vessel had departed from a British port dur
ing the war to cruise against the commerce of the
United States and that our government had steadily
and honestly discharged all the duties imposed upon
us as neutraiS by international law.
Here it would have been well if the matter could
have rested, either party maintaining its own posi-
ton, but t0rbearing to the discussion. Unfpr-
tu1ately, Mr.. Seward had already penned on the
patch, which Mr.. Adams communicated to Lord
Clarendon on the 20th of December In this note
Mr.. Seward comments nm the circumstances attend
ing the surrender of the Shenandoah in terms which
tho l4th Of November that in this instance the
prOmptitude of our proceedings would give great
M scWard IS IS caSen m S Tn ne ESQ &fSnrqry
a grace as possible. we accept the vessel but /
regret to say that the acceptance is not attended with
of satisfaction the part of this Govern
ment. 1t would have gratifed the President if Her
Majesty's Government had caused proceedings to be
oE 5@e & f ae 9hena4doah
has hitherto pursued in regard to our appcattSns
for justice such to discourage on our part an
expectation of such disposition of the vessel
We accept her now simply and exclusively upon
the prudential consideration that being reduced into
our possession she will not again depart from British
waters in hostile character After adverting to the
facts Of the case, Mr. Seward concluded by drawing
on behalf OF the United States, the painful inference
that her Majesty's government have assumed to hold
gultless OF all crime subjects of her Majesty who
have in a tune of profound peace waged naval war
upon the high seas against unarmed citizens of the
United States, engaged in lawful commerce and navi-
CATION. Upon this dispatch being read to him. Lord
CLARENDON quietly observed THAI has sincere desire to
do and saa nothing that could impair our Jriendiy re-
tations oah the United States alone prepented him from
reRsya9 % a. a. onGe ~ eIpToprsqe language and in
this sentiment to Sir Frederick Bruce, adding that
her Majestys government think that by not replying
to SO extraordinary and untounded charge they
shall best consult their own dignity.
Fully concurring in the DrOpriety of this course
we shall not dwell further upon Mr.. Stewards pro-
test The special arguments, however which he
employs, aud the facts afterwards adduced by Mr.
Adams in dispatch of the 2Sth of December, de-
mand our attentive consideration. s.
On the 18th OF December Mr.. Adams enclosed to
Lord Clarendon, in very courteous dispatch two
afdavits procured by the United States Consul at
Liverpool which certainly place in new aspect the
violation of our neutrality by Captain Waddeli and
his associates. The first and most important of
these atldavits, made by sailor named Temple
contains II Is true, much that is irrelevant. At the
time, if Temple is to be trusted all the nine
teen men VINO Saleu IN the shenandoah, alter part
ing company with the Laurel were British subjects,
and were reinforced by fifty or sixty 'stowaways'
all British subjects at Melboure.
This story not only contravenes directly the result
Of Captain Paynters inquiries, upon which he de-
clared himself fully satisfied that all the Shenan
dOahs officers and men foreigners, but ooes to
prOye that JtdgruRt abuse of hOsDuliiy must
hare taken place an australian 9aers Other parts of
Temples affidavit seriously compromise the goUern-
n1ent officials at Met5OurHe attrbung to them open
demonstrations of partality towards the Shenando-
ah, which, Is fair to say can hardly be reconciled
with the spirit of the communications between the
Melbourne authorities and Captain Waddell which
scattered over eighty pages of the correspondence
before Still, ifit be true, anything like true
that seven officers, twentyhree petty officers twenty
SIX seamen, twelve hremen and ten marines of the
Shenandoah were British subjects and if il be further
true that before they mustered by CAPTAIN Pawn
ter they advised by CAPTAIN Waddell to call
thereupon declared himself fully satisfied tnen we
must admit that British Gtioer Aus otaked a! veJv
transparent fraud and kds Ldic8 haze been cheated
an manner sohiyh CeemGRds inquiry.
We observe with great satisfaction that Lord CIar-
cndon pledges the government to prosecute un,iar
the Foreign Enlis ment act any British sukectS who
can be identified having served on board fhe Sben
andoah' and against whoa tne testimony of Temple
may be confirmed, and although in his replv of the
24th OF January Mr.. Adams seems to decline this
proposition, we cannot think that an adequate rea
sOr for taking further step The conduct of tbe
authorities at Mebourn Onghi, OreoUer To be stricty
Investigated. If such breaches of our neutra
ty as are here alleged have really been committed
and should go unpunished either our uas ,nlsf he jn
JaaH Or they haze not been property enforced Both
questions should be faced boldly The 7,osR I'm f
tanned by our oon Legislature muto proprio and cith
ont atOGMiRg tie acton Of the United ttes Goper4-
Aaelt. Inc means whereby its existing provisions
have been again defeated ought 10 be ascerained by
gsity, without awaiting the action of tha Legisla
ture,