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Show A WAR TIME NEW YEAR'S THE TRUTH OF THE "TRENT AFFAIR" NOW FIRST MADE PUBLIC. How Reward Arranged for the Ruleana . Miton and Slidell .V Stormy rs-, rs-, tago from a Prison to a Brltlab Man f-War. -E vV ears lJay I of 1862 was big ' with fate for tho American Union. War with Great Britain had been I dangerously probable, but on that day John Bull's wrath was placated by ths deli very of Mason and Slidell intc his custody. The man who made tho delivery, de-livery, E. D. Webster, is now living in Nebraska, and this is the first publication publica-tion of his own account of one of thj most important crises of tho rebellion. Elderly people will readily recall th "Trent affair," bnt for the benefit ol , younger readers a brief statement of thai historic event may be permissible. Ia 1861 Messrs. Mason and Slidell were appointed ap-pointed by tho Confederacy to visit England and France, and, if possible, secure their interference in behalf of th south. They ran the blockade of Charleston Charles-ton and escued to Havana. At that port they took passage on an EnglisK mail steamer, the Trent. Two hundred and fifty miles out at sea a United State i vessel, tho San Jacinto, Cominandei T: rz J,- none of whom, however,' wiw informed a;i to aught but the small part ho was to play in the affair. Lord Lyons, the British Brit-ish minister, was consulted, and expressed ex-pressed u desire to have tho Confederate commissioners delivered to the Rinaldo, a British man-of-war stationed off Prov-incetown, Prov-incetown, a port on Cape Cod. With his letters Webster received verbal instructions in-structions as to his mission, and was urfed to use every precaution tu keep it secret. ! He went to New York and thence to Boston. He had a letter to Commodore Hudson, of the Charlestown navy yard, directing that officer to provide him with a vessel and an escort. The order was general, and Webster called for a tug, thinking that would bo least likely to attract attention. When asked to tame his guard he said: "Give me a sergeant and five or si marines, but instruct them to obey my orders implicitly, if I toll them to shoot I want them to do it." 'The tug steamed down Boston bay to , the little wharf at Fort Warren. To Col. Dimick, the officer in command, was handed another letter directing him to deliver up such prisoners as Webster might designate. Without giving an intimation of what he intended to do the government agent asked for Mason and ; Siidell and their secretaries, Eustis and McFarland. " What arc you going to do with us?" asked Mason. "Take you out to sck" "Where to'f" "I am not permitted to tell you," said Webster. "Now. gentlemen, I am instructed in-structed not to let you take away auy written paper that might be of use to the enemy if it should fall into their hands. If you will give me your word of honor that yon have no such papers I will accept that as sufficient; otherwise other-wise I will have to search you. Mr. Mason, Ma-son, will you give me your word?" "Yes, sir." "All right. Mr. Slidell, will you give me your word?" "I'll be d d if I will!" was the answer. Said Webster, turning to the guard "Search these men, except Mr. Mason, and their baggage, and if you find any paiers bring them to me." Nothing dangerous was found, and the little party marched from the fort to the Wharf. The wind had risen to a gale. "You are not going to take us to sea in that tub in such a storm as this, are you?" protested Slidell. "Yes, sir," said Webster. "That will be murder," cried Slidell. "Well, lam going too, and my life is worth as much to me as yours is to you," retorted Webster. "I will not go of my own consent," persisted the Confederate. "Then you will go without," said the agent, and he ordered two marines to carry him aboard. COMMANDER WILKES. Wilkes, stopped the Trent and took of! Mason and Slidell and their secretaries. Tho prisoners were sent to Fort Warren, in Boston harbor. Great Britain demanded de-manded their . release and an apology. After nmch fruitless diplomatic negotiation negotia-tion John Bull issued his ultimatum. TTncle Sam must deliver the men within seven days or have another war on his hiuuls.. . i The situation was full of peril. On tha , one hand was Great Britain threatening t vengeance; on the other the north was, , ringing with applause of Wilkes. "The United States made- war on Great Britain Brit-ain in 1813 for searching vessels, and now they bad violated thoVfcry principle for which they then fought. William H. Seward, then secretary of state, saw the inconsistency clearly, and prepared to act accordingly. On the last Sunday in the year Mr. Seward called his confidential con-fidential assistants to help him prepare a dispatch. They laborod until 3 o'clock, when the first draft of the state paper was finished. Almost immediately thereafter President Presi-dent Lincoln and his secretary, John JOHN SLIDELL. The storm had blown the water all around the little wharf. The marines, pretendiug not to see a plank lying near by, picked up Slidell one by the arms and the other by the legs and waded through tho water waist deep. Slidell, hanging between them, was drenched. I It was a bitter cold day, and his clothing cloth-ing was frozen stiff before it could be changed. As soon as tho boat started he j was taken sea-sick. Tlie rest of the party i got on board dryshod. The boat made Provincetown without mishap after a fierce struggle against wind and wave for five hours. A British man-of-war' was found at the place, and after satisfying satis-fying himself that she was the Rinaldo, Webster sent word that he wanted to see her commander. The latter invited him aboard. The tug was bumping Hay, came in, and Mr. Seward submitted submit-ted his paper. Mr. Webster read it, and at tho end all eyes were turned inquiringly inquir-ingly to tho president. After a moment'i reflection Mr. Lincoln asked the secretary secre-tary to read it again, slowly, and pans an instant at tho end of each sentence. The document admitted Oapt. Wilkes' mistake, and made a convincing argu-' argu-' ment that the only consistent course win to give up Mason and Slidell. At the conclusion of tho second reading the president said: ? "Mr. Secretary, I will call a meeting of the cabinet for this evening, and I wish you would bring that paper with you." "To submit it to the cabinet?" asked Mr. Seward, with i tinge of dissont in his tone. "No," said tho president, "I will tell the cabinet that that is what we have de- j up against the big ship in a dangerous manner, but a rojie ladder was let down j for Webster's convenience. The captain ; of the Rinaldo had been directed to re-I re-I ceive four men from an agent of tho j United States, and Webster satisfied j him that he was the agent. Mason, ; Slidell, their secretaries and their bag-1 bag-1 gage were hoisted aboard,, and Webster took a receipt for them. After all the business was transacted he said to tho captain: "My orders are to remain in sight until un-til yon set sail." "This is a pretty rough sea to weigh anchor in," said tho commander; "but my instructions are to sail immediately on receipt of these gentlemen, so you will I not have to wait long." j i Afraid to return in the storm, Web-' Web-' eter put into Provincetown, where the ! tug lay two days. The Rinaldo put out ; to sea, and the secretary telegraphed Mr. Seward : ! "The mission on which yon sent rao has been accomplished." I Fred Benztnoer. I JAMES MURRAY MASON. cided on. I think it a courtesy due fh( cabinet that wo let the members kov of or.r proposed action." Tho release of Mason and Slidell having hav-ing been decided upon, it was agreed that tho transfer must be made quietly and wil!ioutprrivious notice to the public pub-lic The task naturally fell to Mr. Welles, secretary of the navy, bnt he maintained it could not be done secretly. Mr. Seward said it could and mast. "Perhaps yon can do it perhaps you would lika to try it," retorted Mr. Welles. Mr. Seward said he would undertake the nlfair, and Mr. Welles washed his hands of it. On returning to his office the secretary of state said to Wcbilter: "How long will it take yon to prepare , to leavo the city on a secret mission for tlie government?" "About fifteen minutes, sir," came the resDoE1"1. ' You may gt ready far the New York train," was tlie older. While Webster was getting ready Mr. Seward prepared a number of letters. , One was for expense mouey. Others Contained orders to irovamvtuuit oBiir |