The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1878-09-13

a line across the main deck, cutting OF
communication from abaft the mainmas
to the forecastle. During this move
ment there had appeared on the deck al
officer with q parrot like voice, wearing
the uniform of the royal navy. Strut
ting up to Lieut.. Fairfax, he said 4: 81
am the Queens representative, sir, ant
I protest against this unwarrantabl'
action under Her Majesty's flag and OF
the deck of British ship" The
Lieutenant paid no attention to THU
speech, delivered with great pomposity
OF manner, but turned to Capt. Moir,
and said: "You see / have force
enough to carry out my orders )" and
at this juncture Mr.. Slidell and
Mr.. Mason came out of the cabin
and stood in the crowd. Amid
cries of piracy" odd you ever
hear of such an outrage "They
would not have dared to do it had there
been an English man-of-war in sight,
Mr.. Slidell stepped forward and said,
do you wish to see me?" and Mason,
just beside him, echoed, "To see me "
Mr.. Fairfax vainly tried to induce them
to accompany him to the San Jacinto ;
and, as they positively refused to go, he
said, "You may as we'll prepare to go at
once, peaceably if you want to, but by
force if necessary, for in twenty minutes
you shall be on board of that ship"
The excitement was intense, and cries of
"Shame from the passengers, in
shrill crescendo, mingled with the stern
tones of the boarding officers as they
ordered the men on guard at different
points of the ship. In three minutes
Mason and Sidell, having the while
stood hesitating before the cabin, turned
and walked into their staterooms. Mr..
Fairfax followed, and here he en-
countered an obstacle in the person OF
Miss Slidell, who, filling the doorway,
said : "Mr. Fairfax, 1 met you as a
gentleman in Havana on Thursday.
lou outrage our hospitality by this pro-
ceeding, and l swear to heaven you shall
not go into this cabin to my father.
At this there was more excitement, and
the passengers clustered in little groups
and spoke in loud tones. From where 1
stood L saw Mrs. Sidell approach the
door and beg Mr.. Fairfax to go away.
He replied "Madam, my orders are
imperative. [ will obey them" and
just then Mr.. Slidell began most IN
graceful movement out of the window
of his cabin, which opened into a small
gangway.
1t was evident that Mr.. Slidell was
scared-perhaps excited is better word
for his fingers twitched nervously, and
for a minute or two he was unable to
speak. Then Mr.. Mason came out of
his cabin, and Lieut. Fairfax asked him
If he was ready to go on board the San
Jacinto. Mason was cooler and more
collected than his confrere, and replied,
with moderation in tone "No, sir,
decline to go with YOU" Fairfax, turn
ing to his own officers, said "Gentle-
men, lay your hands on Mr.. Mason"
which we accordingly did. Mr.. Mason
then said: CT yield to force" Where
upon Commander Williams shouted
" Under protest, Mr.. Mason, under pro-
test" Yes" said Mr.. Mason, in the
same tone as before, precisely. under
protest." and then walked down the
to the boat. Mean
while, Mr.. Slidell had recovered his
to an extent which enabled
him to say: 81 will never go on board
that ship" Mr.. Fairfax took him by
the collar, Engineer Houston and Boat
swain Grace, taking each one OF his
arms, marched him to the gangway-
Miss Slidell, in the meantime, being in
the enjoyment of an aggravated attack
Of Mysteries. Other lady passengers
were similarly occupied, while the gen.
tlemen on board the ship had retreated
in sullen silence to the taffrail, where
they scowled defiance at the boarding
party. There is no doubt in my mind
that, had the Trent been an armed ship,
she would have manifested resistance
of no small energy. The spirit prevail
ing on her decks may, without any
stretch of truth, be called warlike.
Mr.. Eustis, one of the Secretaries,
was more violent than either of the prin-
cipals, and made demonstration in the
direction of striking Lieut.. Greer with
his fist. He passed into the boat sans
Mcfarland had previously
taken his seat alongside Mr.. Slidell in
the stern-sheets of the boat, and, our
object having been accomplished, we
babe the Trent good-by, first bringing
the personal effects of the prisoners to
the San Jacinto, and we were soon head
ed north, our mission In Bahama chan
mel being I'm fait accomoli.