The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1871-08-17
Death Of Hon. John Slidcll.


laborcd with great zeal and faith
fulness for the success of the South
crn cause. Since the war he has
resided in Europe. Mr.. SLIDELL was
born in New York in 1913, and was
therefore in his 18th year when he
died. lie commenced life as q
merchant, but not succeeding,
however, he went to Now Or
leans where he embraced the
profession of tho law, became one
of tho most prominent members of
the Louisiana bar, and was appoint
cd by President JACKSON United
States District Attorney. lie was
frequently elected to the State Leg
islaturc; and was u representative in
Congress from 1913 to 1915. In the
latter year President Polk appointed
him Envoy Extraordinary and Min
lister Plcnipotcntiary to Mexico to
negotiate for the settlement of the
threatening questions then in dispute
between the two countries, but his
mission proved fruitlcss, and he re-
turned home in the spring of 1916.
In 1858 he was elected to the United
States Senate for the uneXpired term
of Senator SoULE, who had been ap-
pointed Minister to Spain, and was
thereafter elected for six years. lie
spoke rarely in the Senate, but
served upon the committees on Ma
val Affairs and Foreign Relations,
and eXerted great influence. lie
was strenuous supporter of the doc
trincs of the Southern Rights party,
and after Louisiana had passed the
ordinance of secession, and his col
league, lion. j. p. BENJAMIN, with
drew from the Senate ON the 4th of
Fcbuary, 1861, both making memoir
able speeches, which will be used by
the future historian, who undertakes
to portray the spirit Of those times.
In the fall of 1861, the Confederate
Government appointed him commits
sioncr to France, and, in company
with Mr.. MASON, Of Virginia, who
was appointed in q similar capacity,
to England, hc ran the blockade at
Charleston, s. g., and subsequently
embarked at Havana Oh board the
English steamer Trent. On the Sth
of November, 1861, the Trent was
drought to" by Capt. WILKES, of
the United States frigatc San Jacinto,
i'll the narrow passage of the old
bahama channel, opposite the Pana-
dor Grandc light. A Lieutenant in
the uniform of the United States ma
Wy, and with sidc-arms, boarded the
Trent, and in the presence of most Of
the passengers then assembled on
the upper deck, said to Capt.
MoIR, of the Trent, that he came
with orders to demand his passcn-
ger list. The Captain refused to pro-
ducc it, and formally protested against
any right to visit his ship for the
purpose indicated. The Lieutenant
said that two gentlemen, naming
Mcssrs. SLIDELL and MASON, were
known to be Oh board, and also 9TH
CT gentlemen, naming Mcssrs. EUsTIs
and MCFARLAND, the secretaries of
the former, and that his orders were
to take and carry them on board of
the San JacintO. The four gentlemen
named being present, the Lieutenant
addressed Mr.. SLIDELL, and after
wards Mr.. MASON, repeating that his
orders were to take them, together
with Mcssrs. EusTIs and MCFAR-
LAND, and carry them on board his
ship. Mcssrs. SLIDELL and MASON,
in reply, protested in the presence of
the Captain of the Trent, his officers
and passengers, against such threaten
cd violation Of their persons and their
rights, and informed the Lieutenant
that they would not leave the ship
they were in unless compelled by the
employment of actual force greater
than they could resist. The Licutcn-
ant stated that he hoped he would
not be compelled to resort to the use
of force, but if it should become ne
ccssary to employ it, in order TO cx-
ccutc his orders, he was prepared
to do so. Subsequently the armed
force referred to appeared, when
the Lieutenant and several of his
men, by his order, took hold of Mr..
MASON, and others took hold of Mr..
SLIDELL, and those gentlemen were
at once conveyed to the boat belong
ing to the San Jacinto. One account
says an exciting scene took place be-
tween Mr.. SLDELL's eldest daugh-
ter, noble girl devoted to her faith
CT, and the Lieutenant. With flash
ing eyes and quivcring lips, she
threw herself in the doorway of the
cabin to which her father had re-
treated, resolved to defend him with
her life, till, OIL the order being given
TO the marines to advance, which they
did with bayOncts pointed ut this
poor dcfcncclcss girl, her father end
cd the painful scene by escaping
from the cabin by a window, when
he was immediately seized by the
marines and hurried into the boat.
The commissioners and their sccrc-
tarics were taken by the San JaCinto
to Fort Warren, in Boston IIarbor,
where they were confined as prison.
crs. "A most intense excitement was
around in England upon the arrival
of the news of the transaction. Pre-
paratiOns for war with the United
States were commenced, and for
nal demand was made for the surrcn-
der of the commissioners and an
apology for the act by the Govern
mcnt Of the United States, which
was promptly complied with, and
Mcssrs. SLIDELL and Mason and
their associates sailed for England
Jan. |, 1862. Mr.. SLIDELL continued
to represent the interest of the Con-
iedcratc States in Paris until the
close of the war. lie has resided in
Paris cvcrlsincc, until the Franco
Prussian war drove him TO London.
Mrs. Grant has announced, through
the secretary of state and the Ameri-
can consul at Belfast, Ireland, that
she will be pleased to accept the gift
OF an Irish spinning wheel rendered
her by the Belfast linen trade COM
n,iffoo