The life and public services of Abraham Lincoln ... together with his state papers, including his speeches, addresses, messages, letters, and proclamations, and the closing scenes connected with his life and death. By Henry J. Raymond. To which are added anecdotes and personal reminiscences of President Lincoln, by Frank B. Carpenter.

210

THE LIFE, PUBLIC SERVICES, AND

ing that the British Government was "willing to believe
that the naval officer who committed the aggression was
not acting in compliance with any authority from his
Government," because 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." Earl Russell trusted,
therefore, that when the matter should be brought under
its notice the United States Government would, "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 and their delivery to the
British minister, that they may again be placed under
British protection, and a suitable apology for the aggression which has been committed." In a subsequent note
Lord Lyons was instructed to wait seven days after its
delivery for a reply to this demand, and in case no answer, or any other answer than a compliance with its
terms, should be given by the expiration of that time, he
was to leave Washington with the archives of the legation, and repair immediately to London.
On the 26th of December the Secretary of State, by direction of the President, sent a reply to this dispatch, in
which the whole question was discussed at length, and
with conspicuous ability. The Government decided that
the detention of the vessel, and the removal from her of
the emissaries of the rebel confederacy, was justifiable by
the laws of war and the practice and precedents of the
British Government; but that in assuming to decide upon
the liability of these persons to capture for himself, instead of sending them before a legal tribunal where a
regular trial could be had, Captain Wilkes had departed
from the rule of international law uniformly asserted by
the American Government, and forming part of its most
cherished policy. The Government decided, therefore,
that the four persons in question would be "cheerfully
liberated." This decision, sustained by the reasoning
advanced in its support, commanded the immediate and
universal acquiescence of the American people; while in