Year: 1863

uubroken silence to all the wrongs that the Unite


States have chosen to iniet s commerce. The Cal


met of Great Britain however, has not confined itse


such implied acquescenee in these breaches Of inter
national law results from simple naciOn but has


ina publ he'd dispatch Of the Secretary Of State 70


Foreign Affairs assumed to make change in the Prn


cple enuneated by the Congress of Paris to which th


faith Of the British government was considered TO b


pedgedi change too important and too preudicial Z


the interests Of the Confederaey to be overlooked


against which have directed solemn protest TO be msde


after q vaiu attempt to obtain satisfactory expleuaOn


from the British government II published dispatct


from her Her Maiesys Foreign Office, to her minister


Washington. under dster Of the llth February, 1862


occurs the following language:


"Her Maesty's government, however, are Of opinion


that assuming that the blockade duly Notified and


also that number Of ships is stationed and remains al


the entrance Of port sufficient really to prevent ae


cess 10 it 70 create sBideRt danger Of entering


or ledUiHg IT, aHd that these ships do not voluntarily


permit ugress egress the fact that various ships May


have successfully escaped through (as in the partcu


lar instance here referred toy viii not OF itself prevent


the blockade from being etfectual one by inerna
The words which have italieised are an addition


made BY the British government Of its own suthOri y


VITA dehDerauon BY me common consent Of civilized


nations and by implied convention with this govern


ent as already explained and their effect IL clearly
Faopeu 20 the pref adies Of the COufederacY Of


very disputed questions the law Of blockade which


the Congress of Paris professed settle The imp0r.


Of this change readily illustrated BY taking one
Of our ports As an example. There evident danger


in entereg the port Of Wilmington from the presence
OF bloekadng force and by this test the blockade Is
/ enecuVe. Access Is net really prevented" by the
ooekadng teet to the same port for steamers
tnuay arriving and departing 50 that tried v this test
the blockade is ineffective and ivalid The justice of
our complaint on this point IS 50 manifest to leave


little room for doubt that further reflection will induce
the British government to give such assurances as
viii etface ths painful impressions that would result
4 from its language, if left unexplained


From the foregoing remarks you viii perceive that
during nearly two years of struggle in which every
energy Of country has been evoked for maintaining
/ It's very existence the neutral nations of Europe have
pursued a policy which nomnally impartial has been
practically most favorable to our enemies and most de
/ rimeutal to u.s.


The exercise Of the neutral right Of refuEng entry


into their ports TO prizes taken by both begerents was
asserted and maintained


The exercise of the neutral right Of commerce with
beigerent whose ports not boeksded by fleets su
cent really 10 prevent access TO them would have been
eminently hurtful to the United States It
PLEASANTLY abandoned.


The duty of neutral States receive with eordalty
and recognize with respect any confederation that
independent States may think proper to form too
clear to admit Of denial but its posponement
nentiy beneficial to the United States and detrimental
to the Confederacy II was postponed.


In this review Of ourrsIations with the neutral nations
Of Europe it has been ny purpose to point out distinctly
that this government las no complaint to make that
those nations declared their neutrality. II could neither
expect desire The complaint is that the neu-
trality has been rather nominal than real and that
recognized neutral rights have been alternately asserted
and waived in such to bear with great sever
Us, and to confer signal advantages on our enemy


have hitherto refrained from cal ing 10 vour aten.
ton this condition Of relations with foreign powers
for various reasonhe chief of these the fear that


statement Of our Just grounds of complaint against
Of policy injurious to interests might be
msconstrued into an appeal for aid Unequal as we
were in numbers and available resources to our
enemies were conscious Of powers of resistance IN
relation to which Europe was tneredulous and our
mOustrances therefors eeuiarIy liable 20 be mis-
understood Proudly se8relsnt, the Confederaey
knwing full well the character of the contest into which
it forced with fu trust in the superior qualities
Of its population the superior valor of its soldiers the
superior skill of its generals and above all in the justice
Of its cause, felt no need to appeal for the maintenance
Of its rights to other earthly aids and began and has
continued this struggle with the calm confidence ever
inspired in those who with consciousness Of right in
woke the DIVINE blessing on their cause. This conf
denee has been assured that have never yielded
TO despondency under defeat do feel undue Ella


on the present brighter prospect Of successful issue
contest 1t is therefore because our lust grounds
of complaint longer be msinterpreted that lay
them clearly before you.


1t seems to me proper to give you the infOrma
ton and although no immediate results may be attain
ed, 81 vel ths- - 5houd be preserved and record
-ed II iswell that those who follow US should
understand the full nature AMI character Of the tremen
dOu conflict in which The blood of people has been
poured out ike waite, and in which they have resisted
unaded ne shock Of hosts which wOId have suced to
overthrow many Of the powers which by their hesita


ton in according to rights independent nation
imply doubt of ability to maintain national
friendly discussions not now anticipated shall unfortu-
nately arise between this Confederacy and Euro
pean power the recollection of forbearanee under
the grievances which have enumerated may be evoked
with happy influence in preventing any disturb
ance of peaceful relations.


It would not be proper to close my remarks on the
subject Of foreign relations without adverg the
fact that the correspondence between the cabinets of
France Great Britain and Russia recently published in
dicates gratifying advance in the appreciation by
those governments of the true Interests of mankind
involved in he war on this continent Iis to the en-
lghtened ruler of the French nation that the public
feeling Of Europe is indebted for the first official ezh
biion Of its sympathy for the suffering endured by this
people with much hefosm Of its horror at the awful
carnage with which the progress Of the has been
marked and of its des for speedy peace The clear
and direct ntmstOn contained in the language of the
French nOte that our dDtty TO MAINTAIN our 1ndepend
has been fully established not controverted by
the Of either Of the cabinets 20 which ad
dressed.


tis indeed ldifeult to conceive lust ground for a
Ionqer delay this subject after reading tina following
statement of facts contained in the letter emanatiug
from tbs Mini ter of his Imperial Majesty There he's
been established fem the very beginning Of this war
equilibrium o forces between the bei gerents which
has since been almost eonst anty maintained and after
the sping OF so much blood they are today in this
respect in situation which has not sensibly changed
Nothing authorizes the provision that decisive mil
tary opera ions will shortly According to the
last advees received in Europe the two armies were on
he contrary in a condition which permitted neither
hope within short delay advantages sufficiently mark
ed the balance defuitively, and TO accelerate
the conclusion Of peace AS this government has
professed the intention of eonquerng the United States
but has simply asserted its ability defend itself
against being conquered by that power may safely
conclude that the claims of this COnfederacy its Just
place in the family Of nations cannot 10 be withheld
after so frank aud formal an admission Of its capacity to
cope equal terms with its aggressive foes, and
Itself against their attempts to obtain decisive
results by


It is my painful duty again to inform YOU of the re-
newed examples Of every conceivable sroeity commit
ted by the armed forces of the United States, at differ
ent points within the COnfedefscy and which must
stamp ndei0le infamy not only the perpetrators but
their sperOrs who having the power to check these
outrsges humanity numerous snd well authenticated
they have been have not yet in single instance Of
which aware, inflicted punishment on the wrong
doers Since my last communication TO you, one Cen /
Mcneil murdere seven prisoners OF war in cold blood
and the demand for his punishment has remained un-
satisfied The Government Of the United States after
promising examination and explanation in relation to
the charges sde against Gen Benjamin f. Butler has
by its subsequent silence after repeated efforts my
part TO obtain some answer on the subject not only ad
mitted his guilt but sanctioned by sequesenee and
have accordingly branded this criminal outlaw and
directed his execution in expiaton Of his crimes he
should fall into The hands Of any of our forces.


have received apparently authentic intelligence Of
another general by the Of MToy, who has issued
orders in Western Virginia for the payment Of money to
him by the inhabitants, accompanied by the most |
savage threats Of shooting every recusan besides burn
iEg his house, and threatening similar atrocities against
any Of citizens who shall fail TO betrRy their coun
try by giving him prompt notice Of the approach of any
of our forces aud this subject has ao been submitted
the superior military authorities Of the United States
with but faint hope that they will eYnea any dappro-
bation OF the act. Humanity shudders at the appalling
atrocities which are being daily multiplied under the
sanction Of those who have obtained temporary posses
sion OF power in the United States and who are fast
making its once fair name byword of reproaeh among
civilized men Not even the natural Indignation in
spred by this conduct should make us however so un
just as TO attribute to the whole of the people who
are suoected 10 the despotsm that rel gns with
brdled license in the city of Washington willing
quieseenee in its conduct of the war There must
necessarily exist among our enemies very many per-
haps majority whose humanity recOils from all par
tieipatOn in such atrocities but who cannot be held
wholly guhtless while permitting their continuance
without an effort at repression


The public journals OF the North have been received
containing proclamation dated the first day Of the
present month signed by the President of the United
States, in which he orders and declares all slaves within
ten OF the States of the COnfederaey to be free except