War with England must certainly
be avoided; and Captain Wilkes, by allowing the Trent to proceed
on her voyage, instead of bringing her into port with the
prisoners, had put it out of the power of his Government to
prove, under international law, that the capture was justified.
Besides all else, the President's quick mind saw, what others
failed to note, that by giving up the prisoners as England
demanded, the United States would really gain an important
diplomatic victory. For many years England had claimed the right
to stop and search vessels at sea when she had reason to believe
they carried men or goods hostile to her interests. The United
States denied the right, and yet this was exactly what Captain
Wilkes had done in stopping the Trent. By giving up the prisoners
the United States would thus force England to admit that her own
claim had been unjust, and bind her in future to respect the
rights of other ships at sea. Excited American feeling was
grievously disappointed, and harsh criticism of the
Administration for thus yielding to a foreign country was not
wanting; but American good sense soon saw the justice of the
point taken and the wisdom of Mr. Lincoln's course.
"He that is slow to anger," says the proverb, "is better than the
mighty, and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a
city." Great as was his self-control in other matters, nowhere
did Mr.
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