The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1898-05-19


Explanation 10, II, IL II and Ii,
smaller Fed
store for them; and their number was
steadil: augmented by emigrants from
the malnland; especially after schools be-
gan to be established among them.
cAPIuEE or MASON AND sLiDELL.
The steamship Theodore ran out of
Charleston harbor during the night of
Oct. IL, conveying James NJ Mason, OF
Virginia, Confederate Envoy to Great
Britain, and John Slidcll, Of Louisiana,
likewise accredited to France. The
Theodore duly reached Cardenas, Cuba,
whence her official passengers repaired
to Havana. and. on Nov 7, left that
port, in the British mail steamer Trent,
for st. Thomas. on their way to Eng
land.
The IT, S. steamship San Jacinto, Capt
Wilkes. had left Havana on the I'd, and
was watching for them in the Bahama
Channel. $40 miles from Havana, when,
at LAO a. M, of the 9Th, he sighted the
Trent; and. after civil request to heave
10 had been declined by her, she'll was
fired across her bow, which brought her
10 reason.
Lieut.. Fairfax, with boats crew, i'm
mcdlately boarded her in quest Of the
Ambassadors when Messrs Mason and
Slidell, with their Secretaries, Eustis and
mcfarland, were compelled to change
their vessel aud their destination. Their
families were left undisturbed, and no
effort made 10 obtain their papers. But
the Ambassadors and their Secretaries
were brought TO the United States, and
confined, by order OF the Government,
in Fort Warren, near Boston.
Secretary Welles, in his Annual Report
of naval proceedings for the year end
ing Dec 2, 1861, thus fully and frankly
adopted and justified the capture:
The prompt and decisive action Of Capt
Wilkes on this occasion nerted aud received
the emphatic approval Of the Department
and, II "a TOO generous fOrbcaraicc was cx-
iibiicd 10y him in not capturing the vessel
which had these rebel enemies Oh board,
il may, ia view Of the special circumstances,
and Of It's patriotic motives, be excused bat
ii must 10y 10 means bc permitted to tousti-
tuic :. precedent hereafter tor the treatment
of amy case of similar infraction OF neutral
obligations 10y foreign vessels engaged il
commerce or the carrying trade.
SEIZURE ABCNDANTLY JUSTIFIED.
By decided majority Of the publ.
cists of the United States, as we'll as by
the great mass of our people, this seizure
was deemed abundantly justified by the
doctrines and practices of Great Britain,
but especially by her long continued
and never disavowed habit Of impress
ing seamen from our merchant vessels, on
the assumption that they were natives of
Great Britain, and therefore liable at
all times and indefeasibly to be remand
ed into her service, wherever found. In
the able and carefully prepared mani.
festo whereby George ~, then Prince
Regent, explained and justified the con-
duct Of his Government touching the
matters in controversy between it and
our own, this doctrine is set forth as fol-
lows:
The Order In Council Of the 23d of June
being officially communicated III America,
the Government of the United States saw
nothing in the repeal Of the Orders which
should, OF itself, restore peace, unless Great
Britain we've prepared, in the first instance,
substantially to relinquish the right of inn
pressing her own seamen, when found on
board American merchant ships
If America, by demanding this prelimi-
nary concession, intends 10 deny the validity
of that right, in that denial Great Britain
cannot acquicsce; nor will she give counte-
nance TO such a pretension, by acceding TO
lis suspension, much less TO its abandonment
as basis on which to treat. The
British Government has never asserted any
exclusive right as to the impressment OF
British seamen, from American vessels, which
it was not prepared to acknowledge as per-
tanning equally to the Government of the
United States, with respect to American sea-
men when found on board British merchant
ships.
His Royal Highness can never admit