over to keep the peace in relation to neutrals, and so acknowledge that she has been wrong for sixty years.’  Great Britain did protest and make the demand, and at the same time made preparations for war against the United States.  On the same day that Lord John Russell sent the protest and demand to Lord Lyons, the British Minister at Washington, Secretary Seward forwarded a despatch to Minister Adams in London, informing him that this Government disclaimed the act of Captain Wilkes, and giving assurance that it was ready to make a satisfactory arrangement of all difficulties arising out of the unauthorized act.  These despatches passed each other in mid-ocean.  The Government, in opposition to popular sentiment, decided at once to restore Mason and Slidell to the protection of the British flag.  It was soon afterwards done, war between the two nations was averted, and, in the language of President Lincoln, the British Government was ’forever bound to keep the peace in relation to neutrals.’  The wise statesmanship exhibited at that critical time was originated by Abraham Lincoln.”

Lincoln once confessed that the Trent affair, occurring as it did at a very critical period of the war, had given him great uneasiness.  When asked whether it was not a great trial to surrender the two captured Commissioners, he said:  “Yes, that was a pretty bitter pill to swallow, but I contented myself with believing that England’s triumph in the matter would be short-lived, and that after ending our war successfully we could if we wished call England to account for the embarrassments she had inflicted upon us.  I felt a good deal like the sick man in Illinois who was told he probably hadn’t many days longer to live, and that he ought to make peace with any enemies he might have.  He said the man he hated worst of all was a fellow named Brown, in the next village, and he guessed he had better begin on him.  So Brown was sent for, and when he came the sick man began to say, in a voice as meek as Moses’, that he wanted to die at peace with all his fellow-creatures, and hoped he and Brown could now shake hands and bury all their enmity.  The scene was becoming altogether too pathetic for Brown, who had to get out his handkerchief and wipe the gathering tears from his eyes.  It wasn’t long before he melted and gave his hand to his neighbor, and they had a regular love-feast.  After a parting that would have softened the heart of a grindstone, Brown had about reached the room door, when the sick man rose up on his elbow and said, ’But, see here, Brown, if I should happen to get well, mind that old grudge stands!’ So I thought if this nation should happen to get well, we might want that old grudge against England to stand.”