Asthepopulationsofthefreestatesgrowfarmorequicklythanthoseoftheslavestates，thenumberofNorthernRepresentativeswasboundtooutstripthatoftheSouthernveryrapidly。TherealseatofthepoliticalpoweroftheSouthisaccordinglytransferredmoreandmoretotheAmericanSenate，whereeverystate，whetheritspopulationisgreatorsmall，isrepresentedbytwoSenators。InordertoassertitsinfluenceintheSenateand，throughtheSenate，itshegemonyovertheUnitedStates，theSouththereforerequiredacontinualformationofnewslavestates。This，however，wasonlypossiblethroughconquestofforeignlands，asinthecaseofTexas，orthroughthetransformationoftheTerritoriesbelongingtotheUnitedStatesfirstintoslaveTerritoriesandlaterintoslavestates，asinthecaseofMissouri，Arkansas，etc。JohnCalhoun，whomtheslaveholdersadmireastheirstatesmanparexcellence，statedasearlyasFebruary19，1847，intheSenate，thattheSenatealoneplacedabalanceofpowerinthehandsoftheSouth，thatextensionoftheslaveterritorywasnecessarytopreservethisequilibriumbetweenSouthandNorthintheSenate，andthattheattemptsoftheSouthatthecreationofnewslavestatesbyforcewereaccordinglyjustified。
Finally，thenumberofactualslaveholdersintheSouthoftheUniondoesnotamounttomorethanthreehundredthousand，anarrowoligarchythatisconfrontedwithmanymillionsofso—calledpoorwhites，whosenumbershavebeenconstantlygrowingthroughconcentrationoflandedpropertyandwhoseconditionisonlytobecomparedwiththatoftheRomanplebeiansintheperiodofRome’sextremedecline。OnlybyacquisitionandtheprospectofacquisitionofnewTerritories，aswellasbyfilibusteringexpeditions，isitpossibletosquaretheinterestsofthesepoorwhiteswiththoseoftheslaveholders，togivetheirrestlessthirstforactionaharmlessdirectionandtotamethemwiththeprospectofonedaybecomingslaveholdersthemselves。
Astrictconfinementofslaverywithinitsoldterrain，therefore，wasboundaccordingtoeconomiclawtoleadtoitsgradualeffacement，inthepoliticalspheretoannihilatethehegemonythattheslavestatesexercisedthroughtheSenate，andfinallytoexposetheslaveholdingoligarchywithinitsownstatestothreateningperilsfromthepoorwhites。InaccordancewiththeprinciplethatanyfurtherextensionofslaveTerritorieswastobeprohibitedbylaw，theRepublicansthereforeattackedtheruleoftheslaveholdersatitsroot。TheRepublicanelectionvictorywasaccordinglyboundtoleadtoopenstrugglebetweenNorthandSouth。Andthiselectionvictory，asalreadymentioned，wasitselfconditionedbythesplitintheDemocraticcamp。
TheKansasstrugglehadalreadycausedasplitbetweentheslaveholders’
partyandtheDemocratsoftheNorthalliedtoit。Withthepresidentialelectionof1860，thesamestrifenowbrokeoutagaininamoregeneralform。TheDemocratsoftheNorth，withDouglasastheircandidate，madetheintroductionofslaveryintoTerritoriesdependentonthewillofthemajorityofthesettlers。Theslaveholders’party，withBreckinridgeastheircandidate，maintainedthattheConstitutionoftheUnitedStates，astheSupremeCourthadalsodeclared，broughtslaverylegallyinitstrain;inandofitselfslaverywasalreadylegalinallTerritoriesandrequirednospecialnaturalisation。Whilst，therefore，theRepublicansprohibitedanyextensionofslaveTerritories，theSouthernpartylaidclaimtoallTerritoriesoftherepublicaslegallywarranteddomains。
WhattheyhadattemptedbywayofexamplewithregardtoKansas，toforceslaveryonaTerritorythroughthecentralgovernmentagainstthewillofthesettlersthemselves，theynowsetupaslawforalltheTerritoriesoftheUnion。SuchaconcessionlaybeyondthepoweroftheDemocraticleadersandwouldonlyhaveoccasionedthedesertionoftheirarmytotheRepublicancamp。Ontheotherhand，Douglas’ssettlers’sovereigntycouldnotsatisfytheslaveholders’party。WhatitwantedtoeffecthadtobeeffectedwithinthenextfouryearsunderthenewPresident，couldonlybeeffectedbytheresourcesofthecentralgovernmentandbrookednofurtherdelay。Itdidnotescapetheslaveholdersthatanewpowerhadarisen，theNorth—west，whosepopulation，havingalmostdoubledbetween1850and1860，wasalreadyprettywellequaltothewhitepopulationoftheslavestates——apowerthatwasnotinclinedeitherbytradition，temperamentormodeoflifetoletitselfbedraggedfromcompromisetocompromiseinthemanneroftheoldNorth—easternstates。TheUnionwasstillofvaluetotheSouthonlysofarasithandedoverFederalpowertoitasameansofcarryingouttheslavepolicy。Ifnot，thenitwasbettertomakethebreaknowthantolookonatthedevelopmentoftheRepublicanPartyandtheupsurgeoftheNorth—westforanotherfouryearsandbeginthestruggleundermoreunfavourableconditions。Theslaveholders’
partythereforeplayedvabanque。WhentheDemocratsoftheNorthdeclinedtogoonplayingthepartofthepoorwhitesoftheSouth，theSouthsecuredLincoln’svictorybysplittingthevote，andthentookthisvictoryasapretextfordrawingtheswordfromthescabbard。
Thewholemovementwasandisbased，asonesees，ontheslavequestion。Notinthesenseofwhethertheslaveswithintheexistingslavestatesshouldbeemancipatedoutrightornot，butwhetherthetwentymillionfreemenoftheNorthshouldsubmitanylongertoanoligarchyofthreehundredthousandslaveholders;whetherthevastTerritoriesoftherepublicshouldbenurseriesforfreestatesorforslavery;finally，whetherthenationalpolicyoftheUnionshouldtakearmedspreadingofslaveryinMexico，CentralandSouthAmericaasitsdevice。
InanotherarticlewewillprobetheassertionoftheLondonpressthattheNorthmustsanctionsecessionasthemostfavourableandonlypossiblesolutionoftheconflict。
TheTrentCaseKarlMarxTheTrentCaseLondon，November28，1861
TheconflictoftheEnglishmailshipTrentwiththeNorthAmericanwarshipSanJacintointhenarrowpassageoftheOldBahamaChannelisthelionamongtheeventsoftheday。IntheafternoonofNovember27
themailshipLaPlatabroughtthenewsoftheincidenttoSouthampton，wheretheelectrictelegraphatonceflashedittoallpartsofGreatBritain。
ThesameeveningtheLondonStockExchangewasthestageofstormyscenessimilartothoseatthetimeoftheannouncementoftheItalianwar。Quotationsforgovernmentstocksankthree—quarterstoonepercent。ThewildestrumourscirculatedinLondon。TheAmericanAmbassador，Adams，wassaidtohavebeengivenhispassport，anembargotohavebeenimposedonallAmericanshipsintheThames，etc。AtthesametimeaprotestmeetingofmerchantswasheldattheStockExchangeinLiverpool，todemandmeasuresfromtheBritishGovernmentforthesatisfactionoftheviolatedhonouroftheBritishflag。Everysound—mindedEnglishmanwenttobedwiththeconvictionthathewouldgotosleepinastateofpeacebutwakeupinastateofwar。
Nevertheless，thefactiswell—nighcategoricallyestablishedthattheconflictbetweentheTrentandtheSanJacintobringsnowarinitstrain。Thesemi—officialpress，likeTheTimesandTheMorningPost，strikesapeacefulnoteandpoursjuridicallycooldeductionsontheflickeringsofpassion。PapersliketheDailyTelegraph，whichatthefaintestmotd’ordreroarfortheBritishlion，aretruemodelsofmoderation。OnlytheToryoppositionpress，TheMorningHeraldandTheStandard，hitsout。Thesefactsforceeveryexperttoconcludethattheministryhasalreadydecidednottomakeacasusbellioutoftheuntowardevent。
Itmustbeaddedthattheevent，ifnotthedetailsofitsenactment，wasanticipated。OnOctober12，Messrs。Slidell，ConfederacyemissarytoFrance，andMason，ConfederacyemissarytoEngland，togetherwiththeirsecretariesEustisandMacFarland，hadruntheblockadeofCharlestononthesteamshipTheodoraandsailedforHavana，theretoseektheopportunityofapassageundertheBritishflag。InEnglandtheirarrivalwasexpecteddaily。NorthAmericanwarshipshadsetoutfromLiverpooltointerceptthegentlemen，withtheirdispatches，onthissideoftheAtlanticOcean。
TheBritishministryhadalreadysubmittedthequestionwhethertheNorthAmericanswereentitledtotakesuchasteptoitsofficialjurisconsultsfortheiropinion。Theiranswerissaidtohavebeenintheaffirmative。
Thelegalquestionturnsinanarrowcircle。SincethefoundationoftheUnitedStates，NorthAmericahasadoptedBritishmaritimelawinallitsrigour。Amajorprincipleofthismaritimelawisthatallneutralmerchantmenaresubjecttosearchbythebelligerentparties。
\"Thisright，\"saidLordStowellinajudgmentwhichhasbecomefamous，\"offersthesolesecuritythatnocontrabandiscarriedonneutralships。\"
ThegreatestAmericanauthority，Kent，statesinthesamesense:
\"Therightofself—preservationgivesbelligerentnationsthisright。ThedoctrineoftheBritishadmiraltyontherightofvisitationandsearch……hasbeenrecognisedinitsfullestextentbythecourtsofjusticeinourcountry。\"
Itwasnotoppositiontotherightofsearch，asissometimeserroneouslysuggested，thatbroughtabouttheAnglo—AmericanWarof1812to1814。Rather，AmericadeclaredwarbecauseEnglandunlawfullypresumedtosearchevenAmericanwarships，onthepretextofcatchingdesertersfromtheBritishNavy。
TheSanJacinto，therefore，hadtherighttosearchtheTrentandtoconfiscateanycontrabandstowedaboardher。ThatdispatchesinthepossessionofMason，SlidellandCo。comeunderthecategoryofcontrabandevenTheTimes，TheMorningPost，etc。，admit。ThereremainsthequestionwhetherMessrs。Mason，SlidellandCo。werethemselvescontrabandandmightconsequentlybeconfiscated！Thepointisaticklishoneanddifferencesofopinionprevailamongthedoctorsoflaw。Pratt，themostdistinguishedBritishauthorityon\"Contraband\"，inthesectionon\"Quasi—Contraband，Dispatches，Passengers\"specificallyrefersto\"communicationofinformationandordersfromabelligerentgovernmenttoitsofficersabroad，ortheconveyanceofmilitarypassengers\"。Messrs。
MasonandSlidell，ifnotofficers，werejustaslittleambassadors，sincetheirgovernmentsarerecognisedneitherbyBritainnorbyFrance。Whatarethey，then？InjustificationoftheverybroadconceptionsofcontrabandassertedbyBritainintheAnglo—Frenchwars，Jeffersonalreadyremarksinhismemoirsthatcontraband，byitsnature，precludesanyexhaustivedefinitionandnecessarilyleavesgreatscopeforarbitrariness。Inanyevent，however，oneseesthatfromthestandpointofEnglishlawthelegalquestiondwindlestoaDunsScotuscontroversy，theexplosiveforceofwhichwillnotgobeyondexchangeofdiplomaticnotes。
ThepoliticalaspectoftheNorthAmericanprocedurewasestimatedquitecorrectlybyTheTimesinthesewords:
\"EvenMr。SewardhimselfmustknowthatthevoicesoftheSoutherncommissioners，soundingfromtheircaptivity，areathousandtimesmoreeloquentinLondonandinParisthantheywouldhavebeeniftheyhadbeenheardinSt。James’sandtheTuileries。\"
AndisnottheConfederacyalreadyrepresentedinLondonbyMessrs。
YanceyandMann？
WeregardthislatestoperationofMr。Sewardasacharacteristicactoftactlessnessesbyself—consciousweaknesssimulatingstrength。IfthenavalincidenthastensSeward’sremovalfromtheWashingtonCabinet，theUnitedStateswillhavenoreasontorecorditasan\"untowardevent\"intheannalsofitsCivilWar。
TheAnglo—AmericanConflictKarlMarxTheAnglo—AmericanConflictLondon，November29，1861
ThelawofficersoftheCrownhadyesterdaytogivetheiropiniononthenavalincidentintheBahamaChannel。TheirrecordsofthecaseconsistedofthewrittenreportsoftheBritishofficerswhohaveremainedonboardtheTrentandoftheoraltestimonyofCommodoreWilliams，whowasonboardtheTrentasAdmiraltyagent，butdisembarkedfromtheLaPlataonNovember27atSouthampton，whencehewasimmediatelysummonedbytelegraphtoLondon。ThelawofficersoftheCrownacknowledgedtherightoftheSanJacintotovisitandsearchtheTrent。
SinceQueenVictoria’sproclamationofneutralityontheoutbreakoftheAmericanCivilWarexpresslylistsdispatchesamongarticlesofcontraband，therecouldbenodoubtonthispointeither。Thereremained，then，thequestionwhetherMessrs。Mason，SlidellandCo。werethemselvescontrabandandthereforeconfiscable。ThelawofficersoftheCrownappeartoholdthisview，fortheyhavedroppedthemateriallegalquestionentirely。AccordingtothereportofTheTimes，theiropinionblamesthecommanderoftheSanJacintoonlyforanerrorinprocedure。
InsteadofMessrs。Mason，SlidellandCo。，heshouldhavetakentheTrentherselfintowasaprize，broughthertothenearestAmericanportandtheresubmittedhertothejudgmentofaNorthAmericanprizecourt。ThisisincontestablytheprocedurecorrespondingtoBritishandthereforetoNorthAmericanmaritimelaw。
ItisequallyincontestablethattheBritishfrequentlyviolatedthisruleduringtheanti—JacobinwarandproceededinthesummaryfashionoftheSanJacinto。Howeverthatmaybe，thewholeconflictisreducedbythisopinionofthelawofficersoftheCrowntoatechnicalerrorandconsequentlydeprivedofanyimmediateimport。TwocircumstancesmakeiteasyfortheUniongovernmenttoacceptthispointofviewandthereforetoaffordformalsatisfaction。Inthefirstplace，CaptainWilkes，thecommanderoftheSanJacinto，couldhavereceivednodirectinstructionsfromWashington。OnthevoyagehomefromAfricatoNewYork，hecalledonNovember2atHavana，whichheleftagainonNovember4，whilsthisencounterwiththeTrenttookplaceonthehighseasonNovember8。CaptainWilkes’sstayofonlytwodaysinHavanadidnotpermitanyexchangeofnotesbetweenhimandhisgovernment。TheconsuloftheUnionwastheonlyAmericanauthoritywithwhomhecoulddeal。Inthesecondplace，however，hehadobviouslylosthishead，ashisfailuretoinsistonthesurrenderofthedispatchesproves。
TheimportanceoftheincidentliesinitsmoraleffectontheEnglishpeopleandinthepoliticalcapitalthatcaneasilybemadeoutofitbytheBritishcottonfriendsofsecession。CharacteristicofthelatteristheLiverpoolprotestmeetingorganisedbythemandpreviouslymentionedbyme。ThemeetingtookplaceonNovember27atthreeintheafternoon，inthecottonauction—roomsoftheLiverpoolExchange，anhourafterthealarmingtelegramfromSouthamptonhadarrived。
AftervainattemptstopressthechairmanshiponMr。Cunard，theowneroftheCunardsteamshipsplyingbetweenLiverpoolandNewYork，andotherhightradeofficials，ayoungmerchantnamedSpence，notoriousforaworkhewroteinsupportoftheslaverepublic，tookthechair。ContrarytotherulesofEnglishmeetings，he，thechairman，himselfproposedthemotiontocallon\"thegovernmenttopreservethedignityoftheBritishflagbydemandingpromptsatisfactionforthisaffront。\"Tremendousapplause，clappingandcheersuponcheers！ThemainargumentoftheopeningspeakerfortheslaverepublicwasthatslaveshipshadhithertobeenprotectedbytheAmericanflagfromtherightofsearchclaimedbyBritain。Andthenthisphilanthropistlaunchedafuriousattackontheslavetrade！HeadmittedthatEnglandhadbroughtaboutthewarof1812—14withtheUnitedStatesbyinsistingonsearchingfordesertersfromtheBritishNavyonUnionwarships。
\"But，\"hecontinuedwithwonderfuldialectic，\"butthereisadifferencebetweentherightofsearchtorecoverdesertersfromtheBritishNavyandtherighttoseizepassengers，likeMr。MasonandMr。
Slidell，menofthehighestrespectability，regardlessofthefactthattheywereprotectedbytheBritishflag！\"
Heplayedhishighesttrump，however，atthecloseofhisdiatribe。
\"Theotherday，\"hebellowed，\"whileIwasontheEuropeanContinent，IheardanobservationmadeastothecourseofourconductinregardtotheUnitedStates，andIwasunabletoreplytotheallusionwithoutablush——thatthefeelingofeveryintelligentmanupontheContinentwasthatwewouldsubmittoanyoutrageandsuffereveryindignityofferedtousbytheGovernmentoftheUnitedStates。Butthepitchergoessooftentothewellthatitisbrokenatlast。Ourpatiencehadbeenexercisedlongenough！Atlastwehavearrivedatfacts:thisisaveryhardandstartlingfact[！]anditisthedutyofeveryEnglishmantoapprisetheGovernmentofhowstrongandunanimousisthefeelingofthisgreatcommunityoftheoutrageofferedtoourflag。\"
Thissenselessrigamarolewasgreetedwithapealofapplause。Opposingvoiceswerehowleddownandhisseddownandstampeddown。TotheremarkofaMr。Campbellthatthewholemeetingwasirregular，theinexorableSpencereplied:\"Iperfectlyagreewithyouthatitisalittleirregularbutatthesametimethefactthatwehavemettoconsiderisratheranirregularfact。\"TotheproposalofaMr。Turnertoadjournthemeetingtothefollowingday，inorderthat\"thecityofLiverpoolcanhaveitssayandnotacliqueofcottonbrokersusurpitsname\"，criesof\"Collarhim，throwhimout！\"resoundedfromallsides。Unperturbed，Mr。Turnerrepeatedhismotion，which，however，wasnotputtothevote，againcontrarytoalltherulesofEnglishmeetings。Spencetriumphed。But，asamatteroffact，nothinghasdonemoretocoolLondon’stemperthanthenewsofMr。Spence’striumph。
ControversyOvertheTrentCaseKarlMarxControversyOvertheTrentCaseLondon，December7，1861
ThePalmerstonpress（andonanotheroccasionIwillshowthatinforeignaffairsPalmerston’scontrolovernine—tenthsoftheEnglishpressisjustasabsoluteasLouisBonaparte’sovernine—tenthsoftheFrenchpress）——thePalmerstonpressfellsthatitworksamong\"pleasinghindrances\"。
Ontheonehand，itadmitsthatthelawofficersoftheCrownhavereducedtheaccusationagainsttheUnitedStatestoameremistakeinprocedure，toatechnicalerror。Ontheotherhand，itboaststhatonthebasisofsuchalegalquibbleahaughtyultimatumhasbeenpresentedtotheUnitedStatessuchascanonlybejustifiedbyagrossviolationoflaw，butnotbyaformalerrorintheexerciseofarecognisedright。Accordingly，thePalmerstonpressnowpleadsthemateriallegalquestionagain。
Thegreatimportanceofthecaseappearstodemandabriefexaminationofthemateriallegalquestion。
Bywayofintroduction，itmaybeobservedthatnotasingleEnglishpaperventurestoreproachtheSanJacintoforthevisitationandsearchoftheTrent。Thispoint，therefore，fallsoutsidethecontroversy。