Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1914-03-30
The high.

with the mother country. The high
handed acts of the British in I'M
! pressing American seamen finally
precipitated the conflict, and me
war proceeded with unsatisfactory
results. to this country. The United
! States was glad to enter into the
treaty (, of Client, which was far
from satisfactory, as it left open the
vital issue upon which we went to
4 wa1-the right of England to stop
neutral ships upon the high seas and
impress sailors into her navy.
While England .after signing the
treaty refrained from practicing that
species Of injustice, she had not re-
linquished her claim to commit fur
Their acts of aggression when in 1861
the war between the states was pre-
cipitated. 1t then became necessary
to arrive at some understanding, as
the country being divided, England
might again become mischievous ana
at time when the hands of the ma
ton were virtually tied so far as
protecting herself abroad was con-
cerned.
Another Tallyrand, in the shape
of William H. Seward, was IN the
State Department AT the time, and
he devised and carried out one OF
the most sleek international tricks
on record. The secretary ordered
Captain Wilkes to proceed In the
United States man-of-war San ia
cinto to the Bahama Channel where
he was to cruise about until the
British passenger steamer Trent
left Nassau for Liverpool, to step
her and take the Confederate Com
missioners Mason and Slidcll In
charge and convey them to Fort
Warren. The orders were carried
out against the protest of the cap
tain of the Trent as we'll as that Of
Messrs. Mason and ,Slidell, who re-
sisted arrest and had to be forcibly
placed in a small boat.
When the news of this overt act
upon the part of the United States
reached England the British Am
bassador at Washington, was direct
led to make an immediate demand for
the surrender of the commissioners
ito the British authorities and to
apologize to Her Brittanic Majesty,s
Government for the act committed,
the order to be complied with within
seven days. During this period a
conference took place between Sec
retary Seward and the British min
ister. The former asked upon what
ground Her Brittanic Majesty made
the demand, when the ambassador
fortified himself behind the interna-
tional understanding that to stop
ship of neutral nation and take or
persons was regarded as q casus
belli Secretary Seward acknow-
lodged the correctness Of this stand,
but impressed upon the Briton the
fact that should England attempt
such an act towards a vessel OF the
United States, she would find he'
self equally guilty. !
There was nothing left the ambas- J
sador but to admit that Seward was
right. a compact was soon drawn ,
I'D by which both nations relinQuish-
ed the claim Of stopping, searching
and taking persons from vessels OF
neutral nations in future but Seward
never offered an apology. Thus was
eliminated by clever ruse men
ace which might have brought serl-
,>us trouble at some time.
Seward was denounced for Tune
by people who were unaware Of the
fact that he had won great dip!c-
matte victory.
The above is reproduced at a time
when the President Of the United
States is Drawing public opinion IN
carrying out a policy which ne De-
lieves to be best for the nation a.
this time.
The rank and file Of the demo-
cratic party should take heed and
listen to the cry, Hands off,"