You are the 16th President of the United States. You are leading the nation during a precarious time, as a civil war between the North and South has recently erupted. You were very popular in the North, but just prior to your assumption of office in March, 1861, secessionists acted on plans to leave the union. In February, 1861, six states proclaimed themselves to be a sovereign nation, the Confederate States of America. They selected Jefferson Davis to be its provisional president and adopted a constitution. On April 12th, 1861, the Civil War officially commenced when Confederate forces fired upon Union troops at Fort Sumpter. On July 21st, 1861, the Union was defeated soundly by the Confederates at the Battle of Bull Run. In October, 21st, at the Battle of Ball's Bluff, your general, George B. McClellan, suffered a humiliating defeat in Loudoun County, Virginia. Morale in the North has been relatively low recently. However, there was a sense of national jubilee when the Union learned that Captain Wilkes, commander of the USS San Jacinto, intercepted a British mail steamer, carrying two Confederate envoys, who were traveling to England to ask for recognition of the Confederacy. Wilkes stated that he consulted international law before taking action. Without having researched any maritime law, your first impression is that Captain Wilkes, though acting without U.S. Governmental authority, was within his rights to board the ship and seize the two men as "embodiments of dispatches." But you are unsure.
At first, when Northerners heard the news about the seizure of Mason and Slidell, they were elated. Congress even passed a resolution honoring Wilkes for his bravery. It boosted their morale which had been lacking due to recent Confederate victories. You have heard via letter from your Ambassador to London, Charles Francis Adams, that war with England is inevitable.
When the Union heard about England's outrage and calls to sever relations with the United States, the stock exchange fell. Government securities dropped by 2.5% and railway stocks plummeted. There was a run on New York banks. Seventeen million was withdrawn in just 3 weeks.
You are very concerned because you know that the United States cannot fight both a war with the Confederacy and a war with England at the same time. You are opposed to freeing the two prisoners outright because they are traitors. You are also worried about popular opinion in the North if you let the captives free. You would like to be heard on the matter and have it go to friendly arbitration. A neutral third party country could be the arbiter, perhaps France.
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One thing is especially concerning. The Union relies on England to supply it with saltpeter, a key component of gunpowder. You heard that the Prime Minister is going to stop supplying it to the Union, which will greatly hinder your ability to carry on the war with the Confederacy. In order to get the saltpeter, you are willing to compromise.
Lord Palmerton, the Prime Minister of England, wants Mason and Slidell to be released and also wants a formal apology. He has given the Union 7 days to respond. Failure to accede to his demands will lead to the British cutting off diplomatic ties with the United States, the final step before war.
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This Photo by George Herbert Watkins is licensed under CC BY-SA
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