THE APPEAL OF THE SOUTHERN COMMISSIONERS,
‘ 15 HALE-MoongStrext,
Lonpon, Aug. 14, 1861,

The undersigned, as your Lordship has already,
on two occasions, been verbally and, unofficially
informed, were appointed, on the 16th of March
last, a commission to her Britannic Majesty's gov-
ernment by the President of the Confederate
States of America. : )
The undersigned were instructed to represent
to your Lordship that seven of the sovereign
“States of the late American Union, for just and
"Psufficient reasons, and in full accordance with the
great principle of self-government, had:thrown off
4 the authority ofthat Union and formed.a Con-
federacy, which they had styled the ‘‘Confed-
| erate States of America.” They were further in-
structed to ask her Majesty’s government to recog- |!
nize the fact of the existence of thisnew power in ||
theworld, and also to inform it that they were
fully empowered to negotiate with it’ a treaty of ||
friendship, commerée, and navigation.

At an early day after the arrival of the under-
signed in London, atan informal interview which
your Lordship was pleased to accord them, they.
informed your Lordship of the object of their mis-
sion, and endeavored to impress upon your Lord-
ship that the action of the seven. Confederate
States had been based.upon repeated attempts on |

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world that the action of! the ‘Confederate Statesiof
America was not that of rebels; subject to be dealt
with as traitors and pirates by their enemy, but
the dignified and solemn’ conductof a belligerent,
power, struggling, withwisdom and energy, -to
assume a place among the great'States ofthe civ-
ilized World, upon a broad and just “principle
which commended itself to that world’s respect-
The undersigned have witnessed ‘with pleasure
that the’views which, in their first interview, they 4
pressed upon your Lordship ‘as-to the undoubted *
right of the Confederate States, under the law-of
nations, to be treated‘as a belligerent power, and’;
_the‘ monstrous’ assertion of the’ government. at -
Washington of its right ‘to treat-their citizens;
found in arms-upon land or-sea ‘as rebels and pi-.)
rates, have met with the coneurrence of her Ma-'
jesty’s government; and thatthe moral weight: of4
this great #nd*©C@hristian people has been thus.
thrown into the*seale ‘to’ prevent the barbarous
and inhuman spectacle of war between Citizens so
lately claiming a “common “country, ‘
upon principles which would hi
to the age in which we live. ’. «9 i
The Beople of the Confeder 3S are -an
ral, not a manufacturing or commercial
people.~ They own but-few-ships. Hence there+
has been’ not the least necessity for the govern-
ment at Washington to issue, letters of marque.

the part of the Federal government, andsof many: ||
of the more northern States which composed the

‘of ‘the southern séetion of that Union by means |)
-of the unconstitutional exercise? of power; and:
“that secession from that Unionwhad-been resorted
fo 48, inthe opinion of the: seceding States, the
best and-surest mode of saving the liberties which
their Federal'and State‘constitutions were design-
ca tosecure to them, They also endeavored to place —
before your lordship satisfactory evidence thatthe
justice of this great movement upon the part of,
*} the cotton States was so palpable that it would be
indorsed by many;ifmotal, of the southern States
which were-then-adhering-to the Unies, which:

'

| would-sooner or later become conysiced that tne’
sevurivy uv: theirzrights could only be maintained -
by pursuing the like, process of, secession from
-the.late Federal Union, and accession to the con-
stitution and government of the “Confederate
‘States of America. es

They were specially desirous of convincing your
Lordship, and laid before your Lordship reasons
for their belief, that the: people of the seceding ©
States had-violated no principle of allegiance in,
their. act of secession, but, on the contrary,
had been true to that high duty which all citi-
zens owe to that sovereignty which is the su-
preme fount of power in a State, no matter
what may be the particular form of government
under which they live; they were careful
to show.'to your Lordship, however, that the
idea of American sovereignty was different from
that entertained. in Great Britain and Europe;
that whereas in the great eastern hemisphere géen-
erally sovereignty was deemed to exist in the
government, the ounders of the North American
States had solemnly declared, and upon that dec-
| laration had built up American institutions, that.
“governments were instituted among men, de-
riving theirjust powers from the consent of the ,
governed; that, whenever any form of government’
becomes destructive of those ends. (security ‘to
Aife, liberty and the pursuit, of happiness), it is
the right of the people to.alter or abolish it and to
institute a new government.”

Tn connection with this view, the undersigned
explained to your Lordship the unity, the deliber-
ation, the moderation and regard for-personaland
public right, the absence of undue popular com-
motion during the. process of secession, the daily
and ordinary administration of the laws ‘in every
department of justice, all of which -were’ distin-
guishing features of this grand movement. They
expatiated upon the great extent of fertile country
over which the Confederate States exercised juris-
diction, producing, in ample quantity, every vari-
ety of cereal necessary to the support of their in- |
habitants, the great value of the products of cot-:
ton and tobacco grown by them, thenumber and
character of their people; and they submitted to
your Lordship that all of these political and mate-
rial facts demonstrated to the nations of the

ebig Ee agtemael = $he?

Ns _|-ships, and not much commerce: u:
late" Union-during--a.series- arte fe MP
tended overnear half a century, to DOOD ral

ES

.of the cause of their government, and have

of the South’American Republics while Spain still

The people-of*the Conte e States Rave but few

a

rivate armed. vessels. could-operate. The come
Mmodities produced in the Confederate States are
suéh as the world needs more than any other, andj
the nations of the earth have heretofore sent their:
ships fo our wharves, and there the merchants
buy and receive our cotton:and tobacco. :
nt it is far otherwise with the people of the
present United States. They are a manufacturing
and commercial*people.—They do a large partiof
the catrying trade-of the world. Their ships and
commerce:afford them the sinews of war and keep
their industry afoot. To cripple this industry.and
‘commerce,to destroy theirsships or, cause th/- /
‘tothe disimantied<and.ti apito <fiieir rotting ;

Suczes, ate legitimate object me
-sBaving no navy, no commercial marine ‘out of

hich toimprovise::public ‘armed. vessels'to any
considerable extent, the Confederate States” were
compelled to resort to .the issuance of letters of

——

more
ethan

Therefore they did not deem it advisable to urge

her Majesty’s government to. an immediate
decision. upon 80 .grave« a © question,?but
centented. themselves with a presentation

quietly waited upon events to justify all that’
they had said, with the hope that’ her Majesty's
government would soon come to the conchusion:
that the same sense of justice, the same view of
duty under the law of nations, which caused it to
recognize the de facto government of Texas while
yet a superior Mexican army was contending for
supremacy upon its soil, the de facto governments

‘conducted of three otherpowerful
ave been a disgrace’ j

} the Confederate States an unmixed admiration for

| persisted in claiming to be-theiw:
; the de facto governments of: Greee
i and Italy, would induce it to. recogn
; ernment of the Confederate States:
upon the happening of events: exhitt
seated and abiding confidence that success will
attend their efforts, At all events, reconstruc-
| tion of the Union is an impossibility... The brief
| history of the past confirms them in thi¢ belief. —
Since the organization’ of the government of
the Confederate States in February last, and since
Mr. Lincoln assumed the reins of government in
_ the United States, and commenced preparing his
aggressive policy agaist the Confederate’States,
the moral weight of their position and cause, aid-
ed_ by. the constitutions#action and: policy of the
new President and his Cabinet, have cause" four
other great, States, viz.:: Virginia, North Carelina,
Tennessee, and Arkansas, containing about
4,500,000 inhabitants, ané covering—an extent of
valuable territory €qual to=that of France and
Spain, to secede fromthe late Union and join
the Confederate States; while the inhabitants
States, viz.: Maryland,
Kentucky, and Missouri, are now. agitated
~by the throes. .of ..cevolution, and a. large
part of them are rising im arms to resist. the
military despotism which, im the name of the
constitution, has been so ruthlessly, and in such
utter. perversion of the provisions of that instru:
ment, imposed upon them. The undersigned
have also sufficient reasons for the belief that-
Vexen in the southwestern part Gf the State of Iili~
| nois a part: of the people have: proclaimed open |
opposition to Mr. Lincoln’s. unconstitutional and
despotic government,. while, im several others, "|
public assemblies and their Legislatures have
condemned the war a8 subversive of the  con-
stitution. In addition to these striking-evidences
of the increased strength of-the.. Confederate
States, and of great internal weakness and divi-
sion in Mr. Lincoln’s governments, the undersign-
ed can proudly and confidently point to the unity
which exists among the people: of the eleven
Confederate: States, with the solitary and unim~
portant; exception of. the extreme northwest
‘corner-of Virginia, lying between Ohio and:Penn- |
‘Sylvania, and settled almost exclusively by. north=
ern emigrants. Whatever differences of opinion |
may have -beén entertained among the” people
of the Confederate States as to the policy of
» Secession, there was little difference - of opinion
as to the unconstitutional causes which led to it,
‘and, after a fair decision at ‘tke polls by the
majority in favor of: secession as the means
of retaining their liberties, the great mass of
the people at once yielded-all objections, and are
now engaged with their wealth and their persons
| in the most patriotic exertions to uphold their
) government in the course of independence which
had been decided upon. s
Whatever tribute of admiration. may be yielded
, for the present to the people. who submit to Mr:
| Lincolw’s usurping government, for energy dis-
played in raising and organizing an immense ar-
“my for the purpose of imposing the yoke of that
government upon a people who are struggling for
the inestimable right of governing themselves in
orderto a preservation of their liberties, a just
und impartial history will award: to the people of

ize the gov-
of America,
iting a déep-

an effort which, in the space of six months, has
thrown off the authority of the usurper; has or-
ganized a new government, based’ ‘tipon-the prin:
| ples of personal and public liberty; has put that
government into operation; has raised, organized,
and-armed-an army sufficient to meet‘and defeat
in a fair field, and drive in_ignominions. flight
from that field, the myriads of invaders which
the reputed first general of the age deemed fit to
crush what he termed‘a rebellion.

The undersigned call your Lordship’s attention.
to the fact that Mr. Lincoln’s government, though
possessed of all the advantages of a more numer-
ous population, of the credit due to a recognized
government of long continuance, of the entire
‘navy of the late Union, has not been able to re-
take a single fortification of which the:Confederate
, States possessed themselves; but, on. the contrary,

has been driven out from a mighty fortress upon
the Atlantic and from several forts on the west-
}ern frontier by the Confederate arms; that it has
not been able to advance more.than five miles. in-
, to the territory of any of the Confederate States

4.

Sorenstam
e, of Belgium,

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where there was any serious attempt to prevent. |

nna te

-—

= Which the government of Mr. Lincoln possesses

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one

Acranringenaat:

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it ankes ou asager of losing three great States.
of the Union by insurrection.” Even at sea, upon

undisputed sway, it has not been able to make a:

“find an outlet through the mouth of Chesapeak:

made.

war, thus far the Confederate States have supplied
themselves from their own resources, unaided by
that free intercourse with the world which has
been open to the United States. . Men, arms,
munitions: of .war of every description, have
been supplied in ample abundance, to defeat all
attempts to successfully invade our borders.

States in sufficient quantity. Every loan that
been put upon the market hasbeen taken at and
above par; and the undersigned but state the uni-
versal impression and belief of their government
and their fellow-citizens in the Confederate States

means to
sufficient resources of every character, and suffi-
cient patriotism to furnish them, exist within the

Confederate States for that purpose.
» The undersigned are aware that an impression
“has prevailed, even in what may be termed’ well-
circles in Kurope, that the slaveholding

infofmed circ
b ae poor, and“wot Ahleto sttstain a pro-

longed conflict with the non-slayeholding States

Tis idea is gressly erroneous; and, considering
themportance of a Collect Understanding of the

t of.the North. In the opinion of the undersigned,
}
~

eee eee

; | relative resources Of the two.dontending powers
in resolving. the question of the ability of the
South to maintain its position, your Lordship will
pardon a reference to the statistical tables of 1850,
the last authentic exposition of the resources of

+ ‘the United States which has yet been published,

*
i

_bowhite race alone.

4
-

-—

Si pensions

and which is appended to this communication.
prove that the Confederate States_possess the ele-
ments of a great and powerful nation, capablenet
-only_of clothing, feeding, and defending. thei 4
selves, but also of clothing all the nations ‘
Europe, under the benign influence of peace an
free trade. :

The undersigned are-also- aware that the anti-
slavery Sentiment so untversally prevalent in Eng-
land has shrunk from the idea of forming friend-

The question of the morality of slavery is not
for the undersigned to discuss with any foreign
~ power. The authors of the American Declara-
tion of Independence found the African race {n

English Jaw<and -by.the law of nations. Those
great and. good. men. left that fact and the
responsibility for its existence where they
“found it; and thus finding that there were two
distinct races in the colonies, one free and capa-

| ble of maintaining their freedom, the other

- slaveand, in their opinion, unfitted to enter

upon that contest and to govern themselves, they
| made their famous declaration. of freedom for the
They. eventually planned and
; put in operation, in.the course of a few years, tivo
{eplans of government, both resting upon that great
; and recognized distinction between the white and
| the black-man;-and perpetuating that distinction
; as the fundamental law of the government they
framed, which they declared to be framed for the
benefit of themselves and their posterity; in their
own language, “to secure the blessings of liberty-

~ to oursélves and our posterity.”

as

&

|| discussion with foreign nations,

- | The wisdom of that course is not a matter for

| Suffice it to say
that thus were.the great American institutions
frantedj and thus have they remained unchanged
to this day. It wasfrom no-fear that the slaves

“| would be liberated that secession took place. The

very party in power has: proposed to guarantee
{| slavery forever in the States, if the South would
| but remain in the Union, Mr. Lincoln’s message
proposes no freedom to the slave, but announces
subjection of his owner to the will of the Union,
in other words to the will of the North. Even

effectual blockade of a single port but those which, As the army

ou | Manding General issued an order ~ “no
Bay; vessels of every class, public.and private,!) Slaves should be received into, or ea ee j
armed vessels belonging to the Confederate States, | follow, the camp. The ar, |
< and traders, have found their way in-and out of} therefore, as. now officially announced;is not ¢
every other port at which the. attempt has been | free the slave, in subjection

oe as far as: th wanti-slavery sentiment. of

: t

Money has been obtained in the popiedep ie,
hha

that, no <matter-what may -bethe- démand fer...
defend their country against. invasion, |

i} dy public relations with a@ government recogni-"
© zing the slavery of a part of the human race. |

the colonics to be slaves, both by colonial and:

P.. We svavuie vs ou Kun, do ranches
Q
iy

at the war is-only waged in order to enferce ‘
ee (pro-slavery) constitution, and to uphold
ethe laws

all but two,.and in the Senate all but one vote:

commenced ifs march, the Com-

great object.of the war,

but. ‘to keep -him in, subjection ‘t

| bis-owner, and .to control: his labor.thr. the f
In everything that constitutes the material of legislative’ channels Which: the Linc ae ae

undersigned, therefore, submit with confidence
nd is concerned, it.can have no sympathy with

‘the North; nay, it will »» 7, NV CUMING CiSB ust

ed with’a can tions Ty POCKIBY which would enliges:
1ose-ympatuies on. false pretences, The wn-

iy based at pi
| what is to be its effect in rearing up an element
ipeis conte ae States’ favorable 4 the recon-
struction. ofthe: Uréan,thanupon any | t.
desire to uphold. * y yy Lancpi

provisions of which it

, -constitetion, the - main

has most shamefully vio-

elation of those States; which, it
med, is:intimately blended with
great manufacturing and naviga—

probably not fhe least of the elements of this
prosperity, would’ be visited with results disas-
trousto the world as well as to the’ master and
slave.

- Resort to servile war, itis true, as wel werherp-
tofore stated, not been proclaimed, but officially

. by persons 9:

j hen all ot
raat

° ship
federate Statesinto subjection tothe pa =
Lincoln’s government, ti is by no SET eet
ble that it may be inaugurated. Whenever it
shall be done, however, the motive, it is now ren-
dered: clear, will arotbe that high philanthropic
consideration :which undoubtedly beats in the
hearts of many in England, but the base feeling
“of self-aggrandizement, not unmixed with a cow-
ardly spirtt'of‘revenge. = =~
The undersigned call your Jordship’s attention
to what.is new so publicly knowns a fact—to the
great battle of Bull Run, three miles in front of.
“Manassas Juietion, in which a well-appointed
army of 55,00@ Federal soldiers gave battle to the
Confederate States army of inferior force. ‘After
nine hours’ haré fighting: the Kederalists. were. de-
_feated and driverfrom the field in open flight, and
“were pursued by the Confederate’States army to
Centreville, the position of the Federm reserve:
The enemy lost Konor, and nearly all the arms
and munitions of war awhich had been so industri-
-ously..gatheréd together for months for an.offen-
sive compalge in Virginia; and they did not
eease their flight until, under cover of a stormy
‘night, they had regained the shelter of their
intrénchments in’ frout’ of Washington: The
Confederate States forces have commenced
_offensive..movements and have. driven. the
vaunting hosts of the United States behind
intrenchments upon the berders of Virginia, and,
so far from threatening the integrity of the terri-
tory and the existence of the government of the
. Confederate States, the government at Washing-
ton seems content at present, and will be rejoiced,
if it can maintain a successful defence of its eapi-
tal, and preserve the remnant of its defeated and
disorganized forces, ;
The undersigned would also ask your Lord-
ship’s attention to the fact that the cotton-picking
season in the cotton-growing States of the Con-
federacy has commenced. The crop bids fair to
be at least an average one, and will be prepared
for market and delivered by oar planters and mer-
~chants, as usual, on the wharves of the ports of
those States, when there shall be a prospect of the,

uence in- the United States, and

: the Lincoln. govern- }
mente designs to force upon the cutee The {

Eng

“Tn Glosi I
. desire*to urge upon her Britannic Majesty’s' gov-

dersigned are, ‘WOwever, not insensible vo the sur- |

| its population, its greabresourees for bo! :
| tic and foreign commerce, and its power to main- |

+

| abandoned. It has been, however, recommended ©

hip they will, to bring the Con. *

~~ lotkade being: raised, and not before. As a de-

eS,

: », T¢ussve- measure, in embargo hasbeen laid by the p
“Congress at Washington: passed resolution 4- paeae of re ,

government of the Confederate States upon the pas-
sage of cotton by inland conveyance to the United

| States. To be obtained, it nrust bé sought for in the
5 (many of them -pro-slavery), and out of ‘ fede
‘172 votes in the lower house they received }

Atlantic and Gulf ports. of these States.” They.
submit to your Lordship the Se of the
fact that the blockade of all the‘ports of the Con-
federate States was declared to have commenced
by ‘the blockading officer off! Charleston, when,.-.
in truth, at that time, and for weeks after, there.
was no pretence of a blockade of the ports of the
Gulf. Theysubmit for consideration that since
the establishment of the blockadethere have been
repeated instances of vessels breaking it at Wil-
mingt6n, Charleston, Savannah, Mobile, and New
Orleans. It will be forthe neutral powers, whose
commerce has been so seriously damaged, to de-
termine how long such a-blockade shall be per-
mitted-to interfere with’ their commerce. 3
“In'é this communication the undersigned.

ernment the: just claim which, in their opinion,
the governnient‘of the Confederate States has at
this time #0 a recognition as a government de
) facto; whetherits internal peace, or its + nritory,
omes-

tain itself; are: considered; or whether your Lord-
ship shall-take into consideration the necessity of
commercial relations “being established with it,
with a view to the preservation .of vast inter-
ests of the commerce of Hmgland. If, howev-
er, in the opinion of her: Britannic..Mej
‘government, the-Confederate States haye not yet
won a right to a place snene paon’ of
the 2g bag th, ihe pBherHEns: Si an only assure.
yout Lordship “that while such “an’¢ an-
nouneement willbe received with surprise by the
_. government. they» représent, andwwhile that gov-_

2) ernment is to be left to contena wor interests which...
ting. Diy not He east of he oe the age, and it thinks, are as important to commercial Europe.

as to itself, without even a friendly countenance

from other nations, its @itizens will buckle them:

selves’ to the-great taskz before them with a-vigor
' and determination that will justify the undersign-
ved-in having bepranend: the question upon her Bri-

tannic’ Majesty’s government; and when peace
‘Shall have been -made their government ‘will at
a satin. <i shle
‘ ae shall have 1

shed, nor for the great ond wide-spread suffering
which.so. prolonged a conflict. will have en-
cated poi Millions of the-human race, both in
the eastern as well as upon the North American
continent. é

The undersigned, &c.,

W. L. Yancey,
P. A. Rost,
A. DupLey Mann.
The following is Lord Russell’s reply:
[xo. 78.]
MESSRS. YANCEY,
MANN.
Forrren Orricn, Aug. 24, 1861.
The undersigned has had the honor to receive
the letter of the 14th inst. addressed to him by
Messrs. Yancey, Rost, and Mann, on behalf of the
so-styled Confederate States of North America.
The British government do not pretend in any
way to pronouncea judgment upon the questions
in debate between the United States and their ad-
vefsaries in North America; the British govern-
ment can only regret that these dizerences have,
unfortunately, been submitted to the arbitrament
of arms. Her Majesty has considered this contest
as constituting a civil war, and -her Majesty has,
by her Royal prociamation, declared her inténtion
to preserve a strict neutrality between the con-
tending parties in that war. :
ran Majesty will strictly perform the duties
hich belong to a neutral. Her Majesty cannot
undertake to determine by anticipation what may
be the issue of the contest, nor can she acknowl-
edge the independence of the nine States which
are now combined against the President and Con-
gress of the United States, until the fortune of
arms or the more peaceful mode of negotiation
shall have more clearly determined the respect-
ive positions of the two belligerents.

Her. Majesty can, in the meantime, only ex-
press'a hope that some adjustment satisfactory to
both-parties may be come to, without the calami-
ties which must:ensue in the event of an embit-

EARL RUSSELL TO ROST, AND

‘tered and protracted conflict.
The undersigned, &c. ~ RUSSELL.

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