Weekly Trinity Journal

The Capture Of Slidell And Mason.—When the telegraph first brought the news of the seizure of Slidell and Mason, ambassadors to European courts from the rebel States, upon the deck of a British mail steamer, many of our loyal citizens were much alarmed lest it should prove to us a breach of International law, and that England would construe it into a direct insult to her flag. We were at the first blush of the affair, inclined to this opinion ourselves, but upon looking up authorities in Wheaton and Vattel we believe Capt. Wilkes was fully justified in the seizure of this brace of traitors though they were snatched out of the very jaws of the British lion. The following authority is from "Vattel's Law of Nations," Book 3, chap. 5, Secs. 63 and 64. "A sovereign who attempts to hinder another from sending and receiving public ministers does him an injury, and offends against the law of nations." "But this is to be understood only in a time of peace: war introduces other rights. It allows us to cut off from an enemy all his resources, and to hinder him from sending ministers to solicit assistance. There are even occasions when we may refuse a passage to the ministers of neutral nations who are going to our enemy." Vattel is an accepted authority upon International Law, throughout all Christendom, and we think the right of seizing the persons of Messrs. Slidell and Mason, clear and conclusive, and divests the question of all further doubt. Edward Everett and Reverdy Johnson hold the same opinions—gentlemen supposed to be pretty good authority, upon such matters.