THE SUMTER AT MARTINIQUE--PROCEEDS FROM FORT DE FRANCE TO ST. PIERRE--IS
AN OBJECT OF MUCH CURIOSITY WITH THE ISLANDERS--NEWS OF THE ARREST OF
MESSRS. MASON AND SLIDELL, ON BOARD THE BRITISH MAIL STEAMER, THE
TRENT--MR. SEWARD'S EXTRAORDINARY COURSE ON THE OCCASION.
The _Sumter_ having sailed from Maranham, on the 15th of September, and
arrived at Martinique, on the 9th of November, had been nearly two months
at sea, during all of which time, she had been actively cruising in the
track of the enemy's commerce. She had overhauled a great many vessels,
but, for reasons already explained, most of these were neutral. But the
damage which she did the enemy's commerce, must not be estimated by the
amount of property actually destroyed. She had caused consternation, and
alarm among the enemy's ship-masters, and they were making, as we have
seen, long and circuitous voyages, to avoid her. Insurance had risen to a
high rate, and, for want of freights, the enemy's ships--such of them, at
least, as could not purchase those lucrative contracts from the
Government, of which I have spoken in a former page--were beginning to be
tied up, at his wharves, where they must rot, unless they could be sold,
at a sacrifice, to neutrals. As a consequence, the little _Sumter_ was
denounced, without stint, by the Yankee press. She was called a "pirate,"
and other hard names, and the most summary vengeance was denounced against
her commander, and all who served under him. Venal scribblers asserted all
kinds of falsehoods concerning him, and the elegant pages of "Journals of
Civilization" pandered to the taste of the "b'hoys," in the work-shops, by
publishing malicious caricatures of him. Even the Federal Government
denounced him, in grave state papers; Mr. Welles, the Federal Secretary
of the Navy, forgetting his international law, if he ever knew any, and
the courtesies, and proprieties of official speech, and taking up in his
"annual reports," the refrain of "pirate." This was all very natural,
however. Men will cry aloud, when they are in pain, and, on such
occasions, above all others, they will be very apt to use the language
that is most natural to them--be it gentle, or ungentle. Unfortunately for
the Great Republic, political power has descended so low, that the public
officer, however high his station, must, of necessity, be little better
than the b'hoy, from whom he receives his power of attorney. When mobs
rule, gentlemen must retire to private life. Accordingly, the Commander of
the _Sumter_, who had witnessed the _facile descensus_ of which he has
spoken, was not at all surprised, when he received a batch of late
Northern newspapers, at seeing himself called hard names--whether by the
mob or officials. Knowing his late fellow-citizens well, he knew that it
was of no use for them to
"Strive to expel strong nature, 'tis in vain;
With redoubled force, she will return again."
Immediately after anchoring, in Fort de France, I sent a lieutenant on
shore, to call on the Governor, report our arrival, and ask for the usual
hospitalities of the port,--these hospitalities being, as the reader is
aware, such as Goldsmith described as welcoming him at his inn, the more
cheerfully rendered, for being paid for. I directed my lieutenant to use
rather the language of demand--courteously, of course--than of petition,
for I had seen the French proclamation of neutrality, and knew that I was
entitled, under the orders of the Emperor, to the same treatment, that a
Federal cruiser might receive. I called, the next day, on the Governor
myself. I found him a very affable, and agreeable gentleman. He was a rear
admiral, in the French Navy, and bore the aristocratic name of Conde.
Having observed a large supply of excellent coal in the government
dock-yard, as I pulled in to the landing, I proposed to his Excellency
that he should supply me from that source, upon my paying cost, and
expenses. He declined doing this, but said that I might have free access
to the market, for this and other supplies. Mentioning that I had a
number of prisoners on board, he at once gave me permission to land them,
provided the United States Consul, who lived at St. Pierre, the commercial
metropolis of the island, would consent to become responsible for their
maintenance during their stay in the island. There being no difference of
opinion between the Governor and myself, as to our respective rights and
duties, our business-matters were soon arranged, and an agreeable chat of
half an hour ensued, on general topics, when I withdrew, much pleased with
my visit.
Returning on board the _Sumter_, I dispatched the paymaster to St.
Pierre--there was a small passenger-steamer plying between the two
ports--to contract for coal and some articles of clothing for the crew. Of
provisions we had plenty, as the reader has seen. Lieutenant Chapman
accompanied him, and I sent up, also, the masters of the two captured
ships, that were on board, that they might see their Consul and arrange
for their release.
The next day was Sunday, and I went on shore, with Mr. Guerin, a French
gentleman, who had been educated in the United States, and who had called
on board to see me, to the Governor's mass. In this burning climate the
church-hours are early, and we found ourselves comfortably seated in our
pews as early as eight o'clock. The building was spacious and well
ventilated. The Governor and his staff entered punctually at the hour, as
did, also, a detachment of troops--the latter taking their stations, in
double lines, in the main aisle. A military band gave us excellent sacred
music from the choir. The whole service was concluded in three-quarters of
an hour. The whites and blacks occupied pews promiscuously, as at
Paramaribo, though there was no social admixture of races visible. I mean
to say that the pews were mixed, though the people were not--each pew was
all white or all black; the mulattoes, and others of mixed blood, being
counted as blacks. I returned on board for "muster," which took place at
the usual hour of eleven o'clock. Already the ship was full of visitors,
and I was struck with the absorbed attention with which they witnessed the
calling of the names of the crew, and the reading of the articles of war
by the clerk. They were evidently not prepared for so interesting a
spectacle. The officers were all dressed in bright and new uniforms of
navy blue--we had not yet been put in gray along with the army--the
gorgeous epaulettes of the lieutenants flashing in the sun, and the
midshipmen rejoicing in their gold-embroidered anchors and stars. The men
attracted no less attention than the officers, with their lithe and active
forms and bronzed countenances, heavy, well-kept beards, and whitest of
duck frocks and trousers. One of my visitors, turning to me, after the
muster was over, said, pleasantly, in allusion to the denunciations of us
by the Yankee newspapers, which he had been reading, "_Ces hommes sont des
pirates bien polis, Monsieur Capitaine_."
In the afternoon, one watch of the crew was permitted to visit the shore,
on liberty. To each seaman was given a sovereign, for pocket-money. They
waked up the echoes of the quaint old town, drank dry all the grog-shops,
fagged out the fiddlers, with the constant music that was demanded of
them, and "turned up Jack" generally; coming off, the next morning,
looking rather solemn and seedy, and not quite so polis as when the
Frenchman had seen them the day before. The United States Consul having
come down from St. Pierre to receive his imprisoned countrymen, himself, I
caused them all--except three of them, who had signed articles for service
on board the _Sumter_--to be parolled and sent on shore to him. Before
landing them, I caused them to be mustered on the quarter-deck, and
questioned them, in person, as to the treatment they had received on
board--addressing myself, especially, to the two masters. They replied,
without exception, that they had been well treated, and thanked me for my
kindness. From the next batch of Northern newspapers I captured, I learned
that some of these fellows had been telling wonderful stories, about the
hardships they had endured on board the "pirate" _Sumter_. It will not be
very difficult for the reader, if he have any knowledge of the
sailor-character, to imagine how these falsehoods had been wheedled out of
them. The whole country of the enemy was on the _qui vive_ for excitement.
The Yankee was more greedy for news than the old Athenian. The war had
been a god-send for newspaperdom. The more extraordinary were the stories
that were told by the venal and corrupt newspapers, the more greedily were
they devoured by the craving and prurient multitude. The consequence was,
a race between the newspaper reporters after the sensational, without the
least regard to the truth. The moment a sailor landed, who had been a
prisoner on board the _Sumter_, he was surrounded by these vampires of the
press, who drank him and greenbacked him until parturition was
comparatively easy. The next morning, the cry of "NEWS FROM THE PIRATE
SUMTER" rang sharp and clear upon the streets, from the throats of the
newsboys, and Jack found himself a hero and in print! He had actually been
on board the "pirate," and escaped to tell the tale! More drinks, and more
greenbacks now followed from his admiring countrymen. Your old salt has an
eye to fun, as well as drinks, and when it was noised about, among the
sailors, that some cock-and-a-bull story or other, about the _Sumter_, was
as good as "fractional" for drinks, the thing ran like wildfire, and every
sailor who landed, thereafter, from that famous craft, made his way
straight to a newspaper office, in quest of a reporter, drinks, and
greenbacks. Such is the stuff out of which a good deal of the Yankee
histories of the late war will be made.
My paymaster, and lieutenant returned, in good time, from St. Pierre, and
reported that they had found an abundance of excellent coal, at reasonable
rates, in the market, but that the Collector of the Customs had
interposed, to prevent it from being sold to them. Knowing that this
officer had acted without authority, I addressed a note to the Governor,
reminding him of the conversation we had had the day before, and asking
him for the necessary order to overrule the action of his subordinate. My
messenger brought back with him the following reply:--
FORT DE FRANCE, November 12, 1861.
TO THE CAPTAIN:--
I have the honor to send you the enclosed letter, which I ask you to
hand to the Collector of Customs, at St. Pierre, in which I request
him to permit you to embark freely, as much coal as you wish to
purchase, in the market. * * *
With the expression of my highest regard for the Captain,
MAUSSION DE CONDE.
I remained a few days longer, at Fort de France, for the convenience of
watering ship, from the public reservoir, and to enable the rest of my
crew to have their run on shore. Unless Jack has his periodical frolic, he
is very apt to become moody, and discontented; and my sailors had now been
cooped up, in their ship, a couple of months. This giving of "liberty" to
them is a little troublesome, to be sure, as some of them will come off
drunk, and noisy, and others, overstaying their time, have to be hunted
up, in the grog-shops, and other sailor haunts, and brought off by force.
My men behaved tolerably well, on the present occasion. No complaint came
to me from the shore, though a good many "bills," for "nights' lodgings,"
and "drinks," followed them on board. Poor Jack! how strong upon him is
the thirst for drink! We had an illustration of this, whilst we were lying
at Fort de France. It was about nine P. M., and I was below in my cabin,
making preparations to retire. Presently, I heard a plunge into the water,
a hail, and almost simultaneously, a shot fired from one of the sentinels'
rifles. The boatswain's-mate's whistle now sounded, as a boat "was called
away," and a rapid shuffling of feet was heard overhead, as the boat was
being lowered. Upon reaching the deck, I found that one of the firemen,
who had come off from "liberty," a little tight, had jumped overboard,
and, in defiance of the hail, and shot of the sentinel, struck out,
lustily, for the shore. The moon was shining brightly, and an amusing
scene now occurred. The boat was in hot pursuit, and soon came upon the
swimmer; but the latter, who dived like a duck, had no notion of being
taken. As the boat would come up with him, and "back all," for the purpose
of picking him up, he would dive under her bottom, and presently would be
seen, either abeam, or astern, "striking out," like a good fellow, again.
By the time the boat could turn, and get headway once more, the swimmer
would have some yards the start of her, and when she again came up with
him, the same tactics would follow. The crew, hearing what was going on,
had all turned out of their hammocks, and come on deck to witness the fun;
and fun it really was for some minutes, as the doubling, and diving, and
twisting, and turning went on--the boat now being sure she had him, and
now sure she hadn't. The fellow finally escaped, and probably a more
chop-fallen boat's crew never returned alongside of a ship, than was the
_Sumter's_ that night. An officer was now sent on shore in pursuit of the
fugitive. He had no difficulty in finding him. In half an hour after the
performance of his clever feat, the fireman was lying--dead drunk--in one
of the _cabarets_, in the sailor quarter of the town. He had had no
intention of deserting, but had braved the sentinel's bullet, the
shark--which abounds in these waters--and discipline--all for the sake of
a glass of grog!
Our time was made remarkably pleasant, during our stay; the inhabitants
showing us every mark of respect and politeness, and the officers of the
garrison, and of a couple of small French vessels of war, in the port,
extending to us the courtesies of their clubs, and mess-rooms. I declined
all invitations, myself, but my officers frequently dined on shore; and on
the evening before our departure, they returned the hospitalities of their
friends, by an elegant supper in the ward-room, at which the festivities
were kept up to a late hour. Riding, and breakfast-parties, in the
country, were frequent, and bright eyes, peeping out of pretty French
bonnets, shone benignantly upon my young "pirates." The war was frequently
the topic of conversation, when such expressions as "_les barbares du
Nord!_" would escape, not unmusically, from the prettiest of pouting lips.
I passed several agreeable evenings, at the hospitable mansion of my
friend, Mr. Guerin, the ladies of whose family were accomplished
musicians. The sailor is, above all others of his sex, susceptible of
female influences. The difference arises, naturally, out of his mode of
life, which removes him so often, and so long, from the affections, and
refinements of home. After roughing it, for months, upon the deep, in
contact only with coarse male creatures, how delightful I found it to sink
into a luxurious seat, by the side of a pretty woman, and listen to the
sweet notes of her guitar, accompanied by the sweeter notes, still, of her
voice, as she warbled, rather than sang some lay of the sea.
In these delightful tropical climates, night is turned into day. The sun,
beating down his fierce rays upon heated walls and streets, drives all but
the busy merchant and the laborer in-doors during the day. Windows are
raised, blinds closed and all the members of the household, not compelled
to exertion, betake themselves to their _fauteuils_, and luxurious
hammocks. Dinner is partaken of at five or six o'clock, in the afternoon.
When the sun goes down, and the shades of evening begin to fall, and the
first gentle stirring of the trees and shrubbery, by the land breeze
begins to awaken the katydid, and the myriads of other insects, which have
been dozing in the heat, the human world is also awakened. The lazy beauty
now arises from her couch, and seeking her bath-room, and tire-woman,
begins to prepare for the _duties of the day_. She is coiffed, and
arranged for conquest, and sallies forth to the _Place d'Armes_, to listen
to the music of the military bands, if there be no other special
entertainment on hand. The _Place d'Armes_ of Fort de France is charmingly
situated, on the very margin of the bay, where, in the intervals of the
music, or of the hum of conversation, the ripple of the tide beats time,
as it breaks upon the smooth, pebbly beach. Ships are anchored in front,
and far away to the left, rises a range of blue, and misty hills, which
are pointed out to the stranger, as the birth-place of the Empress
Josephine. The statue of the Empress also adorns the grounds, and the
inhabitants are fond of referring to her history. I was quite surprised at
the throng that the quiet little town of Fort de France was capable of
turning out, upon the _Place d'Armes_; and even more at the quality, than
the quantity of the throng. What with military and naval officers, in
their gay uniforms, the multitudes of well-dressed men and women, the
ecclesiastics in the habits of their several orders, the flower-girls, the
venders of fruits, sherbets, and ice-creams--for the universal Yankee has
invaded the colony with his ice-ships--and the delightful music of the
bands, it would be difficult to find a more delightful place, in which to
while away an hour.
Whilst we were still at Fort de France, a rather startling piece of
intelligence reached us. A vessel came in, from St. Thomas, and brought
the news, that the English mail-steamer, _Trent_, had arrived there from
Havana, and reported that Messrs. Mason and Slidell had been forcibly
taken out of her, by the United States steamer, _San Jacinto_, Captain
Wilkes. A few days afterward, I received a French newspaper, giving a
detailed account of the affair. It was indeed a very extraordinary
proceeding, and could not fail to attract much attention. I had known
friend Wilkes, in former years, and gave him credit for more sagacity,
than this act of his seemed to indicate. "A little learning is a dangerous
thing," and the Federal Captain had read, it would seem, just enough of
international law to get himself into trouble, instead of keeping himself
out of it. He had read of "contraband persons," and of "enemy's
despatches," and how it was prohibited to neutrals, to carry either; but
he had failed to take notice of a very important distinction, to wit, that
the neutral vessel, on the present occasion, was bound from one neutral
port to another; and that, as between neutral ports, there is no such
thing as contraband of war; for the simple reason that contraband of war
is a person, or thing, going to, or from an enemy's country. I was glad to
hear this news, of course. The Great Republic would have to stand up to
its work, and Great Britain would be no less bound to demand a retraxit.
If things came to a deadlock, we might have an ally, in the war, sooner
than we expected. It would be a curious revolution of the wheel of fortune
I thought, to have John Bull helping us to beat the Yankee, on a point--to
wit, the right of self-government--on which we had helped the Yankee to
beat Bull, less than a century before. I will ask the reader's permission,
to dispose of this little quarrel between Bull and the Yankee, to avoid
the necessity of again recurring to it; although at the expense of a
slight anachronism.
When the news of Wilkes' exploit reached the United States, the b'hoys
went into ecstasies. Such a shouting, and throwing up of caps had never
been heard of before. The multitude, who were, of course, incapable of
reasoning upon the act, only knew that England had been bearded and
insulted; but that was enough. Their national antipathies, and their
ridiculous self-conceit had both been pandered to. The newspapers were
filled with laudatory editorials, and "plate," and "resolutions," were
showered upon unfortunate friend Wilkes, without mercy. If he had been an
American Nelson, returning from an American Nile, or Trafalgar, he could
not have been received with more honor. State legislatures bowed down
before him, and even the American Congress--the House of Representatives;
the Senate had not quite lost its wits--gave him a vote of thanks. It was
not, perhaps, so much to be wondered at, that the multitude should go mad,
with joy, for multitudes, everywhere, are composed of unreasoning animals,
but men, who should have known better, permitted themselves to be carried
away by the popular hallucination. The Executive Government approved of
Captain Wilkes' conduct--the Secretary of the Navy, whose insane hatred of
England was quite remarkable, making haste to write the Captain a
congratulatory letter. But an awful collapse was at hand. Mr. Seward, as
though he already heard the ominous rumbling of the distant English
thunder, which was, anon, to break over his head, in tones that would
startle him, on the 30th of November--the outrage had been committed on
the 7th,--wrote, as follows, to his faithful sentinel, at the Court of
London, Mr. Charles Francis Adams.
"We have done nothing, on the subject, to anticipate the discussion,
and we have not furnished you with any explanation. We adhere to that
course now, because we think it more prudent, that the ground taken
by the British Government should be first made known to us, here. It
is proper, however, that you should know one fact, in the case,
without indicating that we attach much importance to it, namely, that
in the capture of Messrs. Mason and Slidell, on board a British
vessel, Captain Wilkes having acted without any instructions from the
Government, the subject is therefore free from the embarrassment,
which might have resulted, if the act had been especially directed by
us."
If no "explanation" had been thought of by Mr. Seward, up to this time, it
was high time that he was getting one ready, for, on the same day, on
which the above despatch was written, Lord John Russell, then charged with
the duties of the foreign office, in England, under the administration of
Lord Palmerston, wrote as follows, to Lord Lyons, his Minister at
Washington:
"Her Majesty's Government, bearing in mind the friendly relations
which have long subsisted between Great Britain, and the United
States, are willing to believe, that the United States naval officer
who committed the aggression, was not acting in compliance with any
authority from his Government, or that, if he conceived himself to be
so authorized, he greatly misunderstood the instructions, which he
had received. For the Government of the United States must be fully
aware, that the British Government could not allow such an affront to
the national honor, to pass without _full reparation_, and her
Majesty's Government are unwilling to believe that it could be the
deliberate intention of the Government of the United States,
unnecessarily to force into discussion, between the two Governments,
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. Her Majesty's Government, therefore, trust that, when this
matter shall have been brought under the consideration of the
Government of the United States, that Government 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
gentlemen [the two Secretaries of Legation were also captured], and
their delivery to your lordship, in order that they may again be
placed under British protection, and a suitable apology for the
aggression, which has been committed. Should these terms not be
offered, by Mr. Seward, you will propose them to him."
Mr. Seward had no notion of proposing any terms to Lord Lyons. The shouts
of the b'hoys had scarcely yet ceased to ring in his ears, and it would be
an awkward step to take. Besides, he could have no terms to offer, for the
Government had, in fact, approved of Captain Wilkes' act, through its
Secretary of the Navy. The back door, which Mr. Seward intimated to Mr.
Adams was open for retreat, when he told him, that Captain Wilkes' act had
not been _authorized_ by the Government, was not _honorably_ open, for the
act had afterward been _approved_ by the Government, and this amounted to
the same thing. Later on the same day on which Earl Russell wrote his
despatch to Lord Lyons he added a postscript to it, as follows:--
"In my previous despatch of this date, I have instructed you, by
command of her Majesty, to make certain demands of the Government of
the United States. Should Mr. Seward ask for delay, in order that
this grave and painful matter should be deliberately considered, you
will consent to a delay, _not exceeding seven days_. If, at the end
of that time, no answer is given, or if any other answer is given,
except that of a compliance with the demands of her Majesty's
Government, your lordship is instructed to leave Washington, with all
the members of your legation, bringing with you the archives of the
legation, and to repair immediately to London. If, however, you
should be of opinion that the requirements of her Majesty's
Government are substantially complied with, you may report the facts
to her Majesty's Government, for their consideration, and remain at
your post, until you receive further orders."
This was indeed bringing matters to a focus. Mr. Seward was required to
liberate the prisoners, and make an apology, and that _within seven days_.
This was putting it rather offensively. It is bad enough to make a man
apologize, especially, if he has been "blowing" a short while before, but
to tell him that he must do it _at once_, that was, indeed, rubbing the
humiliation in. And then, where was the Congress, and the Massachusetts
legislature, and Mr. Secretary Welles, and all the "plate," and all the
"resolutions"? Posterity will wonder, when it comes to read the elaborate,
and lengthy despatch, which Mr. Seward prepared on this occasion, how it
was possible for him to prepare it in _seven days_. But it will wonder
still more, after having patiently waded through it, to find how little it
contains. I cannot deny myself the pleasure of giving a few of its
choicest paragraphs to the reader. Do not start! gentle reader, the
paragraphs will be short; but short as they are, you shall have the _gist_
of this seven days' labor, of the American diplomatist. David wrote seven
penitential psalms. I wonder if Lord John Russell had a little fun in his
eye, when he gave Mr. Seward just _seven_ days for _his_ penitential
performance. But to the paragraphs. Mr. Seward is addressing himself, the
reader will observe, to Lord Lyons. After stating the case, he proceeds:--
"Your lordship will now perceive, that the case before us, instead of
presenting a merely flagrant act of violence, on the part of Captain
Wilkes, as might well be inferred, from the incomplete statement of
it, that went up to the British Government, was undertaken as a
simple, legal, and customary belligerent proceeding, by Captain
Wilkes, to arrest and capture a neutral vessel, engaged in carrying
contraband of war, for the uses and benefit of the insurgents."
This point was so utterly untenable, that it is astonishing that Mr.
Seward should have thought of defending it. If it were defensible, he
ought not to have given up the prisoners, or made an apology; for the law
is clear, that contraband of war may be seized, and _taken out of a
neutral vessel_, on the high seas. It was not because contraband of war
had been taken out of one of their vessels, that Great Britain demanded an
apology, but because persons, and things, _not contraband of war_, under
the circumstances under which they were found, had been taken out. If the
_Trent_ had been overhauled in the act of sailing from one of the
Confederate ports, blockaded or not blockaded, with Messrs. Mason and
Slidell, and their despatches on board, and the _San Jancinto_ had taken
them out of her, permitting the ship to proceed on her voyage, Great
Britain would never have thought of complaining--waiving, for the sake of
the present argument, the diplomatic character of the passengers. And why
would she not have complained? Simply, because one of her ships had been
found with contraband of war, on board, and the least penalty, namely, the
seizure of the contraband, that the laws of war imposed upon her, had been
exacted. But her ship the _Trent_, neither having sailed from, or being
bound for a Confederate port, it matters not whom, or what she might have
on board, the question of contraband could not arise, at all; for, as we
have seen, it is of the essence of contraband, that the person, or thing
should be going to, or from an enemy's port. Wilkes' act being utterly and
entirely indefensible, the Federal Government should have saved its honor,
the moment the affair came to its notice, by a frank disavowal of it. But,
as we have seen, the b'hoys had shouted; Mr. Welles had spoken
approvingly; Congress had resolved that their officer was deserving of
thanks, and even Mr. Seward, himself, had gloried over the capture of
"rebels," and "traitors;" the said "rebels," and "traitors" having
frequently, in former years, snubbed, and humbled him in the Senate of the
United States. Hence the indecent language, in which he now spoke of them.
The reader, having seen that Mr. Seward justified Captain Wilkes' conduct,
as a "simple, legal, and customary belligerent proceeding, to arrest and
capture a neutral vessel engaged in carrying contraband of war, for the
use and benefit of the insurgents," he will be curious to know, on what
ground it was, that Mr. Seward based his apology. This ground was curious
enough. It was, not that Captain Wilkes had gone too far, but that he had
not gone far enough. If, said he, Captain Wilkes had taken the _Trent_
into port, for adjudication, instead of letting her go, his justification
would be complete, and there would be no apology to make. Adjudication
presupposes something to adjudicate; but if there was no contraband of
war, on board the _Trent_, what was there to adjudicate? The British
Government did not complain, that the question had not been presented for
adjudication to the proper prize tribunals, but that their vessel had been
boarded, and outraged, without there being any grounds for adjudication,
at all. If the _Trent_ had been taken into port, a prize-court must have
liberated the prisoners. It would then, if not before, have been apparent,
that there was no ground for the seizure. The act still remaining to be
atoned for, what was there to be gained, by sending the vessel in? It is
not denied that, as a rule, neutrals are entitled to have their vessels,
when captured, sent in for adjudication, but Mr. Seward knew, very well,
that no question of this nature had arisen, between the British Government
and himself, and he was only trifling with the common sense of mankind,
when he endeavored to turn the issue in this direction.
One cannot help sympathizing with a diplomatist, who being required to eat
a certain amount of dirt, gags at it, so painfully, and yet pretends, all
the while, that he really likes it, as Mr. Seward does in the following
paragraph:--
"I have not been unaware that, in examining this question, I have
fallen into an argument, for what seems to be the British side of it,
against my own country [what a deal of humiliation it would have
saved his country, if he had fallen into this train of argument,
before the dirt-pie had been presented to him]. But I am relieved
from all embarrassment, on that subject. I had hardly fallen into
that line of argument, when I discovered, that I was really defending
and maintaining, not an exclusively British interest, but an old,
honored, and cherished American cause, not upon British authorities,
but upon principles that constitute a large portion of the
distinctive policy, by which the United States have developed the
resources of a continent, and thus becoming a considerable maritime
power, have won the respect and confidence of many nations."
Like an adroit circus-man, the venerable Federal Secretary of State has
now gotten upon the backs of two ponies. He continues:--
"These principles were laid down, for us, by James Madison, in 1804;
when Secretary of State, in the administration of Thomas Jefferson,
in instructions given to James Monroe, our minister to England."
These instructions had relation to the old dispute, between the two
Governments, about the impressment of seamen from American ships, and were
as follows:--
"Whenever property found in a neutral vessel is supposed to be
liable, on any ground, to capture and condemnation, the rule in all
cases, is, that the question shall not be decided by the captor, but
be carried before a legal tribunal, where a regular trial may be had,
and where the captor himself is liable for damages, for an abuse of
his power. Can it be reasonable then, or just, that a belligerent
commander, who is thus restricted, and thus responsible, in a case of
mere property, of trivial amount, should be permitted, without
recurring to any tribunal, whatever, to examine the crew of a neutral
vessel, to decide the important question of their respective
allegiances, and to carry that decision into execution, by forcing
every individual, he may choose, into a service abhorrent to his
feelings, cutting him off from his most tender connections, exposing
his mind and person to the most humiliating discipline, and his life,
itself, to the greatest danger. Reason, justice, and humanity unite
in protesting against so extravagant a proceeding."
Mr. Seward after thus quoting, continues:--
"If I decide this case in favor of my own Government, I must disavow
its most cherished principles, and reverse, and forever abandon its
essential policy. The country cannot afford the sacrifice. If I
maintain these principles, and adhere to that policy, I must
surrender the case itself. It 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 always insisted, all nations ought to do to
us."
That is "coming down with the corn," now, handsomely, but in view of the
antecedents of the question, and of the "seven days'" pressure under which
Mr. Seward's despatch was written, one cannot help pitying Mr. Seward. We
not only pity him, but he absolutely surprises us by the fertility of his
imagination, in discovering any resemblance between the Madison precedent,
and the case he had in hand. The British Government was not insisting that
Mr. Seward should send the _Trent_ in for adjudication. It did not mean
that there should be any adjudication about the matter, except such as it
had itself already passed upon the case. Had it not said to its minister,
at Washington, "If, at the end of that time, no answer is given, or, _if
any other answer_ is given, _except that of a compliance with the demands
of her Majesty's Government_, your lordship is instructed to leave
Washington, &c."? To be logical, Mr. Seward should have said, "Our officer
having made a mistake, by doing a right thing, in a wrong way, namely, by
seizing contraband of war, on board a neutral ship, without sending the
ship in, for adjudication, we will send the prisoners back to the _Trent_,
if you will send the _Trent_ into one of our ports for adjudication." But
Mr. Seward knew better than to say any such thing, for the simple reason,
that this was not the thing which was demanded of him, although he had
written a lengthy despatch to prove that it was.
I was in Europe when Mr. Seward's despatch arrived there. Every one was
astonished, both at the paper, and the act of humiliation performed by it.
The act needed not to be humiliating. A great wrong had been done a
neutral. It could be neither justified, nor palliated. A _statesman_, at
the head of the Federal State Department, would have made haste to atone
for it, before any demand for reparation could be made. To pander to a
vitiated public taste, and gain a little temporary _eclat_, by appearing
to beard the British lion, hoping that the lion would submit, in silence
to the indignity, Mr. Seward committed one of those blunders which was
equivalent to a great crime, since it humiliated an entire people, and put
on record against them one of those damaging pages that historians cannot,
if they would, forget. The following were the closing lines of this famous
despatch:--
"The four persons in question are now held in military custody, at
Fort Warren, in the State of Massachusetts. They will be cheerfully
liberated. Your lordship will please indicate a time, and place, for
receiving them."
When I read this paragraph, I experienced two sensations--one, of
disappointment at the loss of an ally, with whose aid we would be sure to
gain the independence for which we were struggling, and one, of
mortification, that an American nation had been so greatly humbled, before
an European Power; for though the Federal States were my enemies, as
between them and foreign nations, I could not but feel something like
family attachment. Whilst I would humble them, and whip them into a sense
of justice and decent behavior, myself, I was loth to see strangers kick
them, and themselves submit to the kicking.
So very one-sided was the question, which Mr. Seward had permitted himself
to argue, with so much zeal, and so little discrimination, that all the
principal nations of Europe rallied, as if by common consent, to the side
of Great Britain. Russia, France, Spain, and other Powers, all took the
same view of the case that Earl Russell had done, and made haste, through
their respective ministers at Washington, so to express themselves. I will
let France speak for them all. The reasons which influenced the action of
the French Government are thus assigned:--
"The desire to contribute to prevent a conflict, perhaps imminent,
between two Powers, for which the French Government is animated with
sentiments equally friendly, and the duty to uphold, for the purpose
of placing the right of its own flag under shelter from any attack,
certain principles essential to the security of neutrals, have, after
mature reflection, convinced it, that it could not, under the
circumstances, remain entirely silent."
The French Minister for Foreign Affairs then goes on to examine the
arguments which could be set up in defence of the Federal Captain,
concluding as follows:--
"There remains, therefore, to invoke, in explanation of their
capture, only the pretext that they were the bearers of official
despatches from the enemy; but this is the moment to recall a
circumstance, that governs all this affair, and which renders the
conduct of the American cruiser unjustifiable. The _Trent_ was not
destined to a point belonging to one of the belligerents. She was
carrying to a neutral country her cargo and her passengers; and
moreover, it was in a neutral port that they were taken. The Cabinet
at Washington could not, without striking a blow at principles, which
all neutral nations are alike interested in holding in respect, nor
without taking the attitude of contradiction to its own course, up to
this time, give its approbation to the proceedings of the commander
of the _San Jacinto_. In this state of things, it evidently should
not, according to our views, hesitate about the determination to be
taken."
The excuse which I have to offer to the reader, for permitting so much of
my space to be occupied with this "affair," is, that it deeply interested
every Confederate States naval officer, afloat at the time. I, myself,
made several passages, in neutral vessels, between neutral ports, and
might have been captured with as much propriety, even when passing from
Dover to Calais, as Messrs. Mason and Slidell had been.
On the 13th of November, my water-tanks being full, and my crew having all
returned from "liberty"--none of them having shown any disposition to
desert--we got up steam, and proceeded to the town of St. Pierre, for the
purpose of coaling; arriving at the early hour of 8 A. M., and anchoring
at the man-of-war anchorage, south of the town. I immediately dispatched a
lieutenant to call on the military commandant, accompanied by the
paymaster, to make the necessary arrangements for coaling. St. Pierre was
quite a different place, from the quiet old town we had left. A number of
merchant-ships were anchored in the harbor, and there was quite an air of
stir, and thrift, about the quays. Busy commerce was carrying on her
exchanges, and with commerce there is always life. There were not so many
idle people here, to be awakened from their noon-tide slumbers, by the
katydid, as in Fort de France. A number of visitors came off, at once, to
see us; rumor having preceded us, and blown the trumpet of our fame, much
more than we deserved. Among the rest, there were several custom-house
officers, but if these had any office of espionage to perform, they
performed it, so delicately, as not to give offence. Indeed they took
pains to explain to us, that they had only come on board out of civility,
and as a mere matter of curiosity. I never permit myself to be out-done in
politeness, and treated them with all consideration.
The Collector of the Customs gave prompt obedience to the Governor's
despatch--commanding him not to throw any obstacle in the way of our
coaling--by withdrawing the interdict of sale which he had put upon the
coal-merchants; and the paymaster returning, after a short absence, with
news that he had made satisfactory arrangements with the said merchants,
the ship was warped up to the coal-depot, and some thirty tons of coal
received, on board, the same afternoon. This was very satisfactory
progress. We sent down the fore-yard, for repairs, and the engineer
finding some good machinists on shore, with more facilities in the way of
shop, and tools, than he had expected, took some of his own jobs, of which
there are always more or less, in a steamer, on shore.
As the sun dipped his broad red disk into the sea, I landed with my clerk,
and we took a delightful evening stroll, along one of the country roads,
leading to the northern end of the island, and winding, occasionally,
within a stone's throw of the beach. The air was soft, and filled with
perfume, and we were much interested in inspecting the low-roofed and
red-tiled country houses, and their half-naked inmates, of all colors,
that presented themselves, from time to time, as we strolled on. We were
here, as we had been in Maranham, objects of much curiosity, and the
curiosity was evinced in the same way, respectfully. Wherever we stopped
for water--for walking in this sultry climate produces constant
thirst--the coolest "monkeys"--a sort of porous jug, or jar--and
calabashes, were handed us, often accompanied by fruits and an invitation
to be seated. Fields of sugar-cane stretched away on either hand, and an
elaborate cultivation seemed everywhere to prevail. The island of
Martinique is mountainous, and all mountainous countries are beautiful,
where vegetation abounds. Within the tropics, when the soil is good,
vegetation runs riot in very wantonness; and so it did here. The eye was
constantly charmed with a great variety of shade and forest trees, of new
and beautiful foliage, and with shrubs, and flowers, without number, ever
forming new combinations, and new groups, as the road meandered now
through a plane, and now through a rocky ravine, up whose precipitous
sides a goat could scarcely clamber.
"As the shades of eve came slowly down,
The hills were clothed with deeper brown,"
and the twinkle of the lantern at the _Sumter's_ peak denoting that her
Captain was out of the ship, caught my eye, at one of the turnings of the
road, and reminded me, that we had wandered far enough. We retraced our
steps just in time to escape a shower, and sat down, upon our arrival on
board, to the evening's repast, which John had prepared for us, with
appetites much invigorated by the exercise. We found the market-place,
situated near the ship, both upon landing and returning, filled with a
curious throng, gazing eagerly upon the _Sumter_. This throng seemed never
to abate during our stay--it was the first thing seen in the morning, and
the last thing at night. The next morning, John brought me off a French
newspaper; for St. Pierre is sufficiently large, and prosperous, to
indulge in a tri-weekly. With true island marvel, a column was devoted to
the _Sumter_, predicating of her, many curious exploits, and cunning
devices by means of which she had escaped from the enemy, of which the
little craft had never heard, and affirming, as a fact beyond dispute,
that her Commander was a Frenchman, he having served, in former years, as
a lieutenant on board of the French brig-of-war _Mercure_! I felt duly
grateful for the compliment, for a compliment indeed it was, to be claimed
as a Frenchman, _by_ a Frenchman--the little foible of Gallic vanity
considered.