The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1898-04-21

tense ii f-e"iing of Indignation tx
hibit'd in my life" Charles Mackay in
private letter told SIR. Seward, The
people are frantic with rage and were th.
country polied fear that 999 men out of
1000 would declare for immediate war;
The Morning. Post (Palmerst on = Organ)
said, The insult therefore in an. cas-
was most gratuitiOus, and ii as We
think unwarranted by the code OF
nations it will not only b.. deeply felt
but deeply resented The Couront laid,
"Formeriy war with America meant
deprivation of cotton: now it means
Immediate access to d supply OF cotton.
Formerly Britain could hardly muster ii
squadron; she could now send one
across the Atlantic which in u few weeks
would sweep the sea-board of the States
as clean asamodel house keeper 3 floor
The question however was one which
concerned every maritime nation and
was governed by the law of nations. The
consensus Of international sentiment
upon a question OF international law
could not be ignored at a time when the
United States was so greatly concerned to
prevent recognition OF the Independence
OF the Confederate States 1t was rapid
~ becoming evident that Mason and
SldeIl prisoners in Fort Warren were
more important factors in securing rec
Ognition for the South, than as con-
IniSSiOnerS at the Court OF st. James
and the Versailles
The French Minister was instructed to
advise Mr.. Seward that he act was H.
legal and he was told that the arrest
"produced in France if not the same
emotion as in England at least extreme
astOnishment and sensation Mr. 'Dray.
ton, United States Minister ut Paris,
was Informed that it was "the opinion of
the French Government that the act was
a clear breach of international law; that
the French Government could not permit
the application of such a principle to
their ships" In fact all the foreign pow
ers practically agreed that "the act was
a violation OF public law From The
Hague, Brussels, Vienna, Berlin, Madrid,
Turin and Stockholm there was but one
opinion. The act could not be justified.
Not only was war with England immi-
ncnt, but concerted European action in
the interest OF the South as well. Minis
ter Judd writing to Mr.. Seward from
Berlin gave such credence to one rumor
that he reported it as follows: THAT
England has made two propositions to
the parties to the Paris conference about
American matters-frst, that the block
ade should be declared Intellectual and
therefore raised; and second, that those
powers should acknOwledget the independ-
ence of the Confederate States; andit was
further asserted that all the powers had
assented to the first proposition, Russia
with a declaration that it was not to be
construed into q disposition to war with
the United States
Notwithstanding the difficulty of the
situation the diplomacy of the United
States must be credited with making the
best OF it. The policy finally adopted
appears to have been suggested by Thos.
Ewing of Ohio, Minister Adams, then in
London, and Lewis Cass of Detroit. The
latter wired Mr. Seward "Why not con-
slider the English construction of the law
OF nations as proposition for our ac-
ceptance and accept it, and thus termi-
nate the Mason and Sidell controversy
by discharging them? | do not know
precisely their construction but it I'M
dOubtedly increases the immunity of
neutrals and diminishes the power of be-
llgerants, and whatever does that is of
more advantage to us than to England
because war is an exceptional state with
us and a common one with her" Mr.. Adj
ans wrote at is not to be denied that
the position taken by the United States
from first to last has been ~ of
maintenance of the privileges of neutrals
to be free from search should be very
sorry to see our own country varying
from what seems to me SO honorable q
record under the temptation of little
ephemeral success Our neutral
rights are as valuable to us as ever they
were, whilst time has reflected nothing
but credit on our steady defense OF them
against superior power" This was the
policy finally adopted. Earl Russell 8
dispatch was read to Mr.. Seward by
Lord Lyons on December %. On De-
cember 81 Mr.. Seward wrote Lord Lyons
quite long communication upon the
principles OF international law involved.
The most striking paragraph is as fol-
lows: eff decide this case in favor OF
my own Government | must disavOw it's
most cherished principles and reverse
and forever abandon its essential policy
The country cannot afford the sacrifice
1t maintain those principles and adhere
to that policy must surrender the case
Itself 1t will be seen therefore that this
Government could not deny the justice OF
the claim presented to US in this respect
upon its merits. We are asked to do to
the British nation just what we have al
ways insisted all nations ought to do to
U.S."
The prisoners were delivered on board
Her Majestys ship Rinaldo at Province
town, Mass, on January 1, 1862, whence
they were taken to st. Thomas where
they secured passage in the British mail
steamer La Plata and reached London
on January 20. The surrender was the
occasion OF many warm congratulations
to the United States. That of Russia,
the special friend of the United States
during the whole war is most notable for
an expression Of Prince Gortchakoff con-
corning the South as reported by United
States Minister {. NJ. Clay, as follows:
"ie said in addition that if we should
succeed in conquering the South that we
would have sore and disconnected pop
ulation upon our hands which would
ever prove a source of weakness, and
that he felt that we ought to make d
generous Offer OF recognition to the
South"
1t will be recalled that the party were
accompanied by the family of Mr.. Slidell
and the wife of Mr.. Eustis. They were
rendered permission by Capt Wilkes to
join his ship with their party, with the
offer of every courtesy in his power.
Messrs. Slidell and Eustis deemed it best
for them to proceed to England which
they did. A. Dudley Mann, Confederate
Commissioner in London, wrote to the
Confederate Secretary of State 81 cannot
close this hurried note without express
ing to you my unqualified admiration of
the peculiarly proper bearing of Mrs.
Slidell, her daughter and Mrs. Eustis
nnder the distressing separation from
their husbands and father. Truly it
may be said as concerns those ladies
that 'woman's hour is the hour of ad-
versity.' | never was SO proud before Of
my country women in a strange land.