WHAT WILL ENGLAND DO?

       Since the capture of Messrs. Mason and Slidell, many persons have been anxiously enquiring what will England do? What she will do is uncertain, but what she ought to to is very sure. The British Government should direct Lord Lyons to return the thanks of her Majesty to the United States Government for its forbearance in not having seized the Steamer Trent, brought her into port and confiscated ship and cargo for an open flagrant breach of international law in suffering the agents of enemies at war with the United States to come on board, and for carrying official papers and despatches of the enemies of the United States. By all writers and jurists the conveyance of hostile despatches is regarded as an illegal assistance afforded to a belligerent of the most injurious, hostile and noxious character.
       This principle has been enforced by the British Government for nearly a hundred years with inflexibility severity against every maritime power. Carrying the enemy's despatches has often been declared by that government as an act of the most noxious and hostile character. . . .
       By the British Queen's Proclamation, in May last, Government acknowledged the rebel States to be Belligerents, to wit, enemies of the United States Government, making war upon it. The hour that proclamation was made, British ships, by their own principles of international law were bound under penalty of seizure and confiscation to abstain from carrying despatches or doing any act that favored the Confederates, because in time of war such act would be noxious and hostile to this Government. But instead of observing such conduct, British vessels have become the daily vehicles of Confederate communication. It was time for an end to be put to his unneutral conduct. . . .