'Letter from Thomas Ewing to Abraham Lincoln, December 28, 1861'
Dublin Core
Title
'Letter from Thomas Ewing to Abraham Lincoln, December 28, 1861'
Subject
A Letter Carrying the Concerns of Thomas Ewing Regarding the Course of Events in the Trent Affair
Description
This letter to President Lincoln, possibly from then former Ohio Senator Thomas Ewing, reflects some of the concerns within the Northern public as the Trent Affair dragged on. Written only a few weeks before the captured Confederate diplomats were released to Great Britain, Ewing's opinion and suggestions on what actions to take line up with Lincoln's final attitude on the issue. In suggesting that the focus should be upon the course of the war with the rebelling Confederacy, the idea of one war or issue at a time is a central theme to Ewing's argument.
Creator
Thomas Ewing
Source
Digitized by the Library of Congress
Publisher
Papers of Abraham Lincoln, Library of Congress
Date
December 28, 1861
Language
English
Type
Text
Text Item Type Metadata
Text
Lancaster Ohio Dcr 28/61
Sir
I write to express the opinion that a settlement of the now pending question, most favorable to Neutrals will be greatly to the advantage of the U S and acceptable to all the nations except England— The armed neutrality organized in 1780 by the Treaty of Copenhagen originated in a conviction that neutral rights were grossly violated by powerful Belligerents especially by England— Her rebel colonies profited by her persistance in the wrong, and it would be a curious coincidicence, if our rebel states should now profit by our persistence in the like wrong— If England demand the surrender of Mason & Slidel preliminary to any stipulation or concession on her part I would surrender them and say in our diplomatic note that we do so because we are satisfied, some precedents to the contrary notwithstanding that the law of nations did not justify the seizure; and we cannot doubt that Her Majestys Government concurs in opinion otherwise the demand would not have been made— We therefore hold it as settling the law between the two nations now and forever— Our business is not now with England but the rebellion — and England may hereafter be taught to rue any act of arrogance or injustice she may now commit—
But I would conduct the negociation in the most civil terms & throw out no hints of future retribution, but preserve the amere pensé and bide our time—
I am with consideration & Respect
Yours
T. Ewing
Sir
I write to express the opinion that a settlement of the now pending question, most favorable to Neutrals will be greatly to the advantage of the U S and acceptable to all the nations except England— The armed neutrality organized in 1780 by the Treaty of Copenhagen originated in a conviction that neutral rights were grossly violated by powerful Belligerents especially by England— Her rebel colonies profited by her persistance in the wrong, and it would be a curious coincidicence, if our rebel states should now profit by our persistence in the like wrong— If England demand the surrender of Mason & Slidel preliminary to any stipulation or concession on her part I would surrender them and say in our diplomatic note that we do so because we are satisfied, some precedents to the contrary notwithstanding that the law of nations did not justify the seizure; and we cannot doubt that Her Majestys Government concurs in opinion otherwise the demand would not have been made— We therefore hold it as settling the law between the two nations now and forever— Our business is not now with England but the rebellion — and England may hereafter be taught to rue any act of arrogance or injustice she may now commit—
But I would conduct the negociation in the most civil terms & throw out no hints of future retribution, but preserve the amere pensé and bide our time—
I am with consideration & Respect
Yours
T. Ewing
Original Format
Letter
Collection
Citation
Thomas Ewing, “'Letter from Thomas Ewing to Abraham Lincoln, December 28, 1861',” A Study of England in the American Civil War, accessed July 2, 2024, https://johnathanseitz.com/items/show/11.