ay have
participated against the United States, which Morocco can take
cognizance of, or bring under the terms of any extradition treaty.

I have the honour to be, &c., &c.

(Signed) R. Semmes.

John Hay Drummond Hay, C.B.,
H.M. Charge d'Affaires, Tangier, Marocco.

On the 24th Mr. Hay replied, and the following extract from his
communication will best explain the grounds he assumed:--"You," he
writes, "must be aware that Her Britannic Majesty's Government have
decided on observing a strict neutrality in the present conflict between
the Northern and Southern States; it is therefore incumbent on Her
Majesty's officers to avoid anything like undue interference in any
questions affecting the interests of either party which do not concern
the British government; and though I do not refuse to accede to your
request to deliver the letter to the Moorish authorities, I think it my
duty to signify distinctly to the latter my intention to abstain from
expressing an opinion regarding the course to be pursued by Morocco on
the subject matter of your letter."

To this despatch Captain Semmes forthwith replied, and his letter is
remarkable for the able manner in which the question of neutrality is
dealt with. After thoroughly reviewing the transaction, he sums up as
follows:--

"Upon further inquiry I learn that my first supposition that the two
gentlemen in question had been arrested under some claim of extradition
(unfortunately I have not a copy of the treaty between Morocco and the
United States) was not exactly correct. It seems that they were arrested
by Moorish soldiers upon the requisition of the United States Consul,
who claimed to exercise jurisdiction over them as citizens of the United
States, under a provision of a treaty common between what are called the
non-civilized and the civilized nations. This state of facts does not
alter in any degree the reasoning applicable to the case. If Morocco
adopts the _status_ given the Confederate States by Europe, she must
remain neutral between the two belligerents, not undertaking to judge of
the nationality of the citizens of either of the belligerents, or to
decide any other question growing out of the war which does not concern
her own interests. She has no right, therefore, to adjudge a citizen of
the Confederate States to be a citizen of the United States, and not
having this right herself she cannot transfer it by treaty to the United
States Consul."

The comm