Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1875-02-05
The Trent Affair in the Cabinet.

From ''Warden's Life of Chase we take the
following interesting account Of Mr.. Chase's views
as expressed in a meeting of the Cabinet held to
consider this famous question:
1.-THE Secretary said, that in his Judgment, the
case stood precisely thus: In taking the rebel
envoys and their secretaries from the Trent with
out invoking or proposing to invoke the sanction
Of any judicial tribunal Captain Wilkes clearly Yo
lated the law of nations, and in that very princi
pie which the United States have ever most zeal
ously maintained. Great Britain, therefore, had
right to ask from us disavowal of the act, and
restoration Of the persons to the condition in
which they were taken: and If this right was in
sisted on, it was our duty, however disagreeable,
to do what was asked.
HE considered, on the other hand. that the cir
eumstances under which the act of Captain Wilkes
was done, not only repelled the imputation of
aggressive of unfriendly intent, but entitled him
to commendation for the motives by which his
conduct was governed, and reduced the seizure
and removal from the Trent of the rebel commits
sioners, to mere technical violation of the neu-
tral rights of England. Mason and slidell were
commissioners bearing dispatches from the rebel
government to Europe, and their character and
charge were known to the commander of the
Trent. At the time of the seizure, therefore, the
Trent was knowingly employed in violation of
English law. of the royal proclamation, and of
her duty to the United States as friendly nation
Conscious of the fact, the commander refused
when requested, to exhibit his passenger list
The capture of course warranted, and Captain
Wilkes in making it, performed only his plain
duty to his government. He had right to
break up the voyage, and send the steamer into
port for trial and condemnation. But the steamer
was employed in the conveyance Of mails and pas
sengers; and Captain Wilkes was. desirous to
avoid the public injury of delaying the transmits
eion of the former, and the private hardships
likely to result from interrupting the voyage of
the latter.
Governed mainly by these motives he obeyed
what seemed to him the dictates Of humanity and
friendly consideration for friendly nation. by
removing the contraband persons from the Trent
with the least possible Inconvenience to all con-
cerned, and suffering the vessel with her other pas
sengers and mails, to proceed to her destination
In doing this. he surrendered prize which might
have tempted cupidity, without thought that BY
the selfsame act, he was depriying himself of the
only means Of iusttying the capture, either Of
persons or vessel, through judicial decision.
Mr.. Chase thought It certainly was not too |
much to expect OF friendly nation of the same
blood, religion, and characteristic civilization as
our own, that in consideration of the great rights
she would overlook the little wrong; nor could he
then persuade himself that, were ali the circum- /
stances known, to the English government as to /
ours, the surrender OF the rebel commissioners
would be insisted upon.
'The Secretary asserted that the technical right
was undoubtedly with England. AS rebels or as
traitors to our government, the pretended COM
would have been safe on neutral ship
II was only in their character ENJOYS that they
were subject to arrest as contrabands. They
could not Hghtfully he taken from the ship until
after the Judicial condemnation OF the ship ITSELF
or receiving and carrying them. However excused
Or even justified by motives, the act of removing
hem es prisoners from the Trent, without resort
any Judicial cognizance. was in itself indefensi-
DE. We could not deny this without denying our
history. Were the circumstances reversed our
government would, Mr.. Chase thought, accept the
explanation, and let England keep her rebels; and
le could not divest himself OF the belief that were
he case fairly understood, the British government
would do likewise.
"'But' continued Secretary Chase, we cannot
ford delays. While the matter hangs in uncer.
ainty, the public mind will remain disquieted our
commerce will suffer serious harm, our action
gainst the rebels must be greatly hindered, and
he restoration of our prosperity-largely identi-
led with that OF all nations-must be delayed.
setter, then, to make now the sacrifice of feeling
involved in the surrender Of these rebels than even
void it by the delays which explanations must
occasion. give my adhesion, therefore. to the
lrrived -
~ Is gall and wormwood to me- Rather than
'onseht @ 10 the liberation Of these men, 1 would
,1' th everything possess. But am consoled
y tne reheetion that, while nothing but the Sc |
49, retripnuon is due to them, the surrender
i lnIer e1stng circumstances, is but simply doing
lgIhtt-ssiInpy proving faithful to our own ideas
hu tIauluohs under strong temptations to violate
mem simply giving to England and the world |
ne most signal proof that the American nation |
Val not under any Circumstances for the sake Of
nhlcting just punishment on rebels eonmit even |
technical wrong against neutrals' '''