quite clear that the substantial rights of loyal masters are still best protected by receiving such fugitives, as well as fugitives from disloyal masters, into the service of the United States, and employing them under such organization and such occupation as circumstances may suggest or require. Of course, a record should be kept, showing the name and description of the fugitives; the name and character, as loyal or disloyal, of the master; and such facts as may be necessary to a correct understanding of the circumstances of each case, after tranquillity shall have been restored. Upon the return of peace, Congress will, doubtless, properly provide for all the persons thus received into the service of the Union, and for a just compensation to loyal masters. In this way only, it would seem, can the duty and safety of the Government and the just rights of all be fully reconciled and harmonized."

On the 16th of August, President Lincoln issued a Proclamation, declaring " that the inhabitants of the States of Georgia, South Carolina, Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Alabama, Louisiana, Texas, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Florida (except the inhabitants of that part of the State of Virginia lying west of the Alleghany Mountains, and of such other parts of that State, and the other States herein before named, as may maintain a loyal adhesion to the Union and the Constitution, or may be from time to time occupied and controlled by the forces engaged in the dispersion of said insurgents) were in a state of insurrection against the United

States, and that all commercial intercourse between them and the citizens of other parts of the United States was unlawful; that all goods and chattels, wares, and merchandize coming from any of the said States, with the exceptions aforesaid, into other parts of the United States, without the special licence and permission of the President, or proceeding to any of said States, with the exceptions aforesaid, by land or water, together with the vessel or vehicle conveying the same, or conveying persons to or from said States, with said exceptions, be forfeited to the United States; and that from and after 15 days from the issuing of this Proclamation, all ships and vessels belonging, in whole or in part, to any citizen or inhabitant of any of said States, with said exceptions, found at sea or in any part of the United States, will be forfeited to the United States."

No military operations of any importance occurred for some time after the battle of Bull's Run; but an expedition, under the command of General Sherman, was despatched on the 21st of October, to effect a landing on the coast of South Carolina, and destroy any works of the enemy which could be found within reach. It embarked at Annapolis, Maryland, and arrived at Port Royal Bay on the 4th of November. The Confederates had there three field-works or forts, garrisoned by troops, and protected by three gun-boats. One of the forts was situated on Hilton's Head, and the other two on Phillips's Island. The attacking vessels opened their fire, and soon reduced the forts, which

were abandoned by the Confederates, and taken possession of by the Federal troops, who captured in them 40 pieces of heavy ordinance. After landing and seizing the forts, General Sherman issued a Proclamation "to the people of the South," in which he said:

"Citizens of South Carolina,The civilized world stands appalled at the course you are pursuing-appalled at the crime you are committing against your own mother-the best, the most enlightened, and, heretofore, the most prosperous of nations. You are in a state of active rebellion against the laws of your country. You have lawlessly seized upon the forts, arsenals, and other property belonging to our common country; and within your border, with that property, you are in arms, and making a ruthless war against your constitutional Government, and thus threatening the existence of a Government which you are bound, by the terms of a solemn compact, to live under and faithfully support. In doing this, you are not only undermining and preparing the way for totally ignoring your own political and social existence, but you are threatening the civilized world with the odious sentiment, that self-government is impossible with civilized man.

"Fellow-citizens,-I implore you to pause and reflect upon the tenor and consequences of your acts, of the awful sacrifices made by the devastation of our property, the shedding of fraternal blood in battles. The mourning and wailing of widows and orphans throughout our land are insufficient to deter you from further pursuing this unholy war. Then ponder, I beseech you, upon the

ultimate, but not less certain, result which its further progress must necessarily and naturally entail upon your once happy and prosperous State. Indeed, can you pursue this fratricidal strife, and continue to imbrue your hands in the loyal blood of your countrymen, your friends, your kinsmen, for no other object than to unlawfully disrupt the Confederacy of a great peoplea Confederacy established by your own hands, in order to set up, if possible, an independent Government, under which you can never live in peace, prosperity, or quietness?"

At the end of October, General Scott resigned his command, and retired from active service, on the plea of ill health and bodily infirmities. In accepting this resignation, the President published a graceful recognition of the services of the veteran general, saying

The American people will hear with sadness and deep emotion that General Scott has withdrawn from the active control of the army, while the President and unanimous Cabinet express their own and the nation's sympathy in his personal affliction, and their profound sense of the important public services rendered by him to his country during his long and brilliant career, among which will ever be gratefully distinguished his faithful devotion to the Constitution, the Union, and the flag, when assailed by parricidal rebellion."

An incident now occurred which nearly involved Great Britain in a war with the Federal Government-an event devoutly wished for by the Confederates, who would thus have been at

once relieved from the pressure of the blockade of their ports, and have been reinforced by the co-operation of the navy of the first maritime Power in the world:

The Trent, a packet ship belonging to the British Mail Steamship Company, which runs from Vera Cruz to Havannah, and thence to St. Thomas (where her passengers and mails are transferred to another steamer to be conveyed to Southampton), had touched in the beginning of November, in the usual course of her voyage, at Havannah, to take in passengers and letters. Four gentlemen, Messrs. Slidell, Mason, Eustis, and M'Farland, who had paid their passagemoney for the whole route from Havannah to Southampton, embarked on board. Mr. Slidell was accompanied by his wife and two daughters. He and Mr. Mason had been sent as envoys from the Confederate States to Europe, Mr. Slidell being bound for France, and Mr. Mason for England. They came, however, on board as ordinary passengers at a neutral port, in a neutral ship.

On the 7th of November the Trent sailed for St. Thomas, and when she reached the Old Bahama Channel she observed a ship lying stationary. The Trent hoisted her flag, but no flag was shown by the stranger. As she approached, a shotted gun was fired by the other vessel across her course, and the United States flag was displayed at the same moment at her peak. It turned out to be the United States warsteamer San Jacinto, commanded by Captain Wilkes The British flag was again hoisted by the Trent, and so remained. She

continued her course, and a shell was fired, which burst across her bows. A boat put off from the San Jacinto, followed by two other boats full of armed men; and a lieutenant, in the uniform of the United States, boarded the Trent, and demanded from Capt. Moir, the commander, his list of passengers. This was refused, and Captain Moir formally protested against any right to visit his ship for such a purpose. The lieutenant of the San Jacinto, announcing his commission, said that two gentlemen, named Slidell and Mason, were known to be on board, as well as two other gentlemen, named Eustis and M'Farland, and that his orders were to take and carry them on board the San Jacinto. Commander Williams, R.N., the British Admiralty agent, who was in charge of the mails of the Trent, protested vehemently against the act, and denounced it as piratical. We will quote what follows from the statement drawn up by the four Southern gentlemen, and delivered by them to Captain Wilkes, to be transmitted by him to the Government of the United States:

"The lieutenant addressed Mr. Slidell, and afterwards Mr. Mason, repeating that his orders were to take them, together with Eustis and M'Farland, and carry them on board his ship. Messrs. Slidell and Mason, in reply, protested, in the presence of the captain of the Trent, his officers, and passengers, against such threatened violation of their persons and their rights, and informed the lieutenant that they would not leave the ship they were in unless compelled by the employment of actual force greater

than they could resist, and Messrs. Eustis and M'Farland united with them in expressing a like purpose. That officer stated, that he hoped he would not be compelled to resort to the use of force, but, if it would become necessary to employ it, in order to execute his orders, he was prepared to do so. He was answered by the undersigned that they would submit to such a force alone. The lieutenant then went to the gangway, where his boats were, the undersigned going at the same time to their staterooms on the deck next below, followed by Captain Moir and by the other passengers. The lieutenant returned with a party of his men, a portion of whom were armed with side-arms, and others (appearing to be a squad of marines) having muskets and bayonets. Mr. Slidell was in his state-room, immediately by and in full view. The lieutenant then said to Mr. Mason, that, having his force now present, he hoped to be relieved from the necessity of calling it into actual use. That gentleman again answered, that he would only submit to actual force greater than he could overcome, when the lieutenant, and several of his men by his order, took hold of him, and in a manner and in numbers sufficient to make resistance fruitless; and, Mr. Slidell joining the group at the same time, one or more of the armed party took like hold of him, and those gentlemen at once went into the boat."

A clearer case of violation of national rights and international law never occurred than this. It was evident that the Federal States Government must accept one of two positions. Either it

was a belligerent Power, or it was not. If it was engaged in merely putting down a rebellion of its own subjects, as President Lincoln maintained, it was not belligerent, and had no belligerent rights. In that case the San Jacinto had not even the right of search to see whether the neutral vessel carried contraband of war or not, for there was no war; and if the character of the Southern Commissioners was that of traitors and rebels, they were absolutely protected from seizure on board a British ship.

But we need not pursue the matter further, as it ended in the surrender of the captured passengers on the demand of Great Britain. This, however, was not done immediately; and for some weeks the tone of the American press, and apparently of public opinion in the North, was so determined against the idea of concession, and so hostile to this country, that a war seemed to be inevitable. The most energetic preparations were made by the English Government to meet this contingency, in case the demand they instantly made for the surrender of the passengers was not complied with. Troops were dispatched to Canada with all possible expedition; and that brave and loyal colony called out its militia and volunteers, so as to be ready to act at a moment's notice. Our dockyards here resounded with the din of workmen getting vessels fitted for sea, and there was but one feeling which animated all classes and parties in the country, and that was a determination to vindicate our insulted honour, and uphold the inviolability of the national flag. Happily, however, wise counsels

prevailed in the Lincoln Cabinet, and, after an irritating delay, a despatch arrived from Mr. Secretary Seward, in which he stated, after arguing the case at immoderate length, that the four Confederate envoys, who, in the meantime, had been closely imprisoned, would be restored. This was done by placing them on board a British man-of-war, and they afterwards arrived in this country. Thus terminated a dispute which brought us nearer to a war with America than any difference that has occurred since the celebrated question of the Right of Search.

It is right to add that the French Government did their utmost to induce the Lincoln Cabinet to yield to our demand, on the ground that it was based on justice, and that the act of seizure by the San Jacinto was in open violation of the rules of international law.

On the 18th of November, President Davis sent his Message to the Confederate Congress at Richmond, in which, reviewing the events of the year, he said:

:

"A succession of glorious victories at Bethel, Bull's Run, Manassas, Springfield, Lexington, Leesburg, and Belmont, has checked the wicked invasion which greed of gain and the unhallowed lust of power brought upon our soil, and has proved that numbers cease to avail when directed against a people fighting for the sacred right of selfgovernment, and the privileges of freemen. After seven months of war, the enemy have not only failed to extend their occupancy of our soil, but new States and Territories have been added to

our Confederacy; while, instead of their threatened march of unchecked conquest, they have been driven, at more than one point, to assume the defensive, and, upon a fair comparison between the two belligerents as to men, military means, and financial condition, the Confederate States are relatively much stronger now than when the struggle commenced.

"Since your adjournment the people of Missouri have conducted the war, in the face of almost unparalleled difficulties, with a spirit and success alike worthy of themselves and of the great cause in which they are struggling. Since that time Kentucky, too, has become the theatre of active hostilities. The Federal forces have not only refused to acknowledge her right to be neutral, and have insisted upon making her a party to the war, but have invaded her for the purpose of attacking the Confederate States. Outrages of the most despotic character have been perpetrated upon her people. Some of her most eminent citizens have been seized, and borne away to languish in foreign prisons, without knowing who were their accusers, or the specific charges made against them, while others have been forced to abandon their homes, their families and property, and seek a refuge in distant lands.