Macon beacon., 1871-08-19
Death Of Hon. John SlidCll.

AAOhe
Hon, JOHN SLIDELL died in El
rope lastMOnday. lie was ono of I'll
leaders Of the Southern Dcmocrac
before the war, took a prominent pal
in the sCcCssian movement, and dun
ing the war between the State
laborcd with great zeal and faitlI
tulnCss for the success Of the South
crn cause. Since the war hc ha
resided in Europe. Mr.. SLIDELL wa
born in New York in 1893, and wa
therefore in his 18th year when h
died. lie commenced life as
merchant, but not succeeding
however, he went to New Or
leans where he embraced tn
profession Of the law, became ON
Of the most prominent members o
the Louisiana bar, and was appoint
ed by President JACKSON Unitct
States District Attorney. lie wa
frequently elected to the State Leg
islaturc; and was a representative il
Congress from 1913 to lSIj. In tho
latter year President Polk appointed
him Envoy Extraordinary and Min
lister Plenipotentiary to Mexico tC
negotiate for the settlement of tho
threatening questions thcnin dispute
between the two countries, but his
mission proved fruitlcss, and he re.
turned home in the spring of 1916
In 1888 he was elected to the United
States Senate for the unCXpircd 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 CXcrtcd great influence. lie
was u strenuous supporter of the doc
trinCs of the Southern Rights party,
and after Louisiana had passed the
ordinance Of secession, and his col
league, Hon. j. Z. BENJAMIN, with
drew from the Senate on the lth 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 n similar capacity,
to England, he ran the blockade at
Charleston, S. G., and subsequently
embarked at Havana on board the
English steamer Trent. On the Sth
of November, 1861, the Trent was
drought to" by Capt. WILKES, of
the United States frigate 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
MoIE, 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
MeSsrs. SLlDELL and MASON, were
known to be on board, and also 9TH
CT gentlemen, naming Mcssrs. EusTIs
and MCFARLAND, tire 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. SLlDELL 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 nc
ccssary to employ ii, in order to cx-
ccutc his orders, he was prepared
to do 50. 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. Ono account
SAYS an exciting scene took place be-
tween Mr.. SLIDELL's eldest daugh-
ter, a noble girl devoted to her faith
or, 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, on the order being given
to the marines to advance, which they
did with bayoncts pointed at this
poor dcfcncclcss girl, her father end
cd the painful scene by escaping
from the cabin by n 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 Ilarbor,
where they were confined as prison.
crs. A most intense excitement was
around in England upon the ARRIVAL
of the news Of the transaction. IRE
for war with the United
States were commenced, and II 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, ana
Mcssrs. SlIDELL and MASON aud
their associates sailed for England
Jan. |, 1862. Mr.. SLIDEIL continued
to represent the interest OF the Con-
Cedcrato States in Paris until the
cIosc,of the war, lie has resided in
Paris cvcr'sincc, until the Franco
Dnus,;,, war drove him to London.