Year: 1862

! officer that the four persons he had named
were standing before him. The Commander
of the Trent and Commander Williams pro.
tested against the act of taking those four pas.
sengers out Of the Trent, they then being uu-
! der the protection of the British flag. But
| the San Jacinto was at this time only two
! hundred yards distant, her ships company at
quarters, her ports open and tompions out,
and so resistance was out of the question -
The -Four persons before named were then for
/ ciby taken out of the ship. A further demand
! was made that the Commander of the Trent
! should proceed on board the San Jacinto, but
! be said he would not go unless forcibIy COM
! PEELED likewise and this demand was not in
sisted upon


Upon this statement Earl Russell remarks
that it thus appears that certain individuals
have been forcbly taken from on board the
British vessel, the ship OF neutral power,
while that vessel was pursuing a lawful and
innocent voyage, an act of violence which was
an afront to the British flag aud violation
of international law.


Earl Russell next says that Her Majesty's
Government bearing in mind the friendly re
latioDs which have long existed between Great
Britain and the United States, are willing to



this aggression was not acting in compliance
with any authority from this Government, or
that, if he conceived himself so authorized, he
greatly misunderstood the Instructions which
he had received


Earl Russell argues that the United States
must be fully aware that the British Govern
me9t coald not allow such an afront to the
national honor to pass without tall reparation,
and they are willing to believe that it could
not be the deliberate intention of the Govern
mpnt of the Uuited States unnecessarily to
force iuto discussion between the two Govern
ment> a question of so grave a character, and
with regard TO which the whole British nation
would be sure to entertain such unanimity of
feeling.


Earl Russell resting upon the statement and
the argument which have thus recited, clos
es with saying that her MajeStys Government
trusts that when this matter snail have been
brought under the consideration of the United
States it will of its own accord, offer to the
British Government such redress as alone
could satisfy the British nation, namely, the
liberation of the four priSoIers taken from the
Trent, aud their delivery to your LOrdShip, in
order that they may again be placed under
British protection, and suitable apology for
-
Earl Russe. finally instrnctS you to propose
those terms to me, if | should not first offer
them on the part of the Government.


This dispatch has been submitted to the
President


Tue British Government has rightly con-
jectured, what is now my duty to state, that
Capt. Wilkes, 10 conceiving and executing the
proceeding in question, acted upon his own
suggestions of duty, without any direction or
/ instructions, or even foreknowIdge of it on the
part OF this Government. No directions had
been given him or any other naval officer, TO
arrest the four persons named, or any of them,
on the Trent, or on any other British vessel,
or any other neutral vessel at the place where
il occurred or elsewhere The British Gov
ernment will justly infer from these facts that
the | UGsted States not only had DO purpose, but
even no thought of forcing into discussion the
question which has arisen or any which could
affect in any way the sensibilities OF the Brit.
ish nation.


1t is true that a round shot was fred hy the
San Jacinto from her pivot gun when the
Trent was distanty approaching But, as the
facts have been reported TO this Government,
the shot was nevertheless intentionally fired 10
a direction obviously divergent from the
course of the Trent as 10 be quite as harmless
as a blank shot, while it should be regarded as
q signal


So also We learn that the Trent was not
approaching the San Jacjnto slowly when the
shell was fred across her bows. but on the
contrary, the Trent was, or Seemen TO be, NOV
ing under full head of steam, as If with pur-
pose to pass the San Jacinto.


We are informed also that the boarding of.
fcer Lieutenant Fairfax) did not board the
Trent with a large armed guard, but be left
bis marines IN his boat wheO be entered the
Trent III stated bis instructions from Capt
Wilkes to search for the -four persons named,
in respectful aud courteous though decided
manner, and he asked the Captain of the
Trent TO show bis passenger list, which was re-
fused The Lieutenant, as We are informed
did rot employ absolute force in transferring
the passengers bot he used Just so much as
TaS necessary 10 satisfy the parties concerned
that refusal or resistance would be uRaVaIng


So, also, We are informed that the Captain
of the Trent vas not at ans time or ia aHy
way required to 20 on board the San JaciHto


These notifications of the case as present
ed nv Commander Williams are based upon
our Official repoitS


/ have now to remind your Lordship of some
facts which doubtleSSly we're omitted by Earl
Russell, with the very proper aid becoming
motive of allowing them to be brought into
the case, oD the part Of the United States, in
the way most satisfactory to this Government
These facts are that at the time the transsc-
tiou occurred an insurreetiOn was existing in
the United States which this Government Was
engaged in suppressing by The employment of
land and naval forces that in regard to this
domestic strife the United States considered
Great Britain as a friendly Power, while she
had aSg,r,aI for harsaIF ,ha attitn5a of a nan