He was a [[Confederate States of America|Confederate]] diplomatic agent to [[France]] from 1861 to 1865. In an international incident in 1861, Slidell and fellow diplomat James M. Mason of [[Virginia]] were seized by the British from the U.S. Navy war vessel, the ''Trent.''was a key political figure in Louisiana during the 1850s and the administration of [[U.S. President]] [[James Buchanan]]. After the Civil War, he resided in [[Paris]], [[France]],<ref name=lahist/> as had another high-ranking Confederate [[Judah P. Benjamin]], who served in the U.S. Senate alongside Slidell. | He was a [[Confederate States of America|Confederate]] diplomatic agent to [[France]] from 1861 to 1865. In an international incident in 1861, Slidell and fellow diplomat James M. Mason of [[Virginia]] were seized by the British from the U.S. Navy war vessel, the ''Trent.''was a key political figure in Louisiana during the 1850s and the administration of [[U.S. President]] [[James Buchanan]]. After the Civil War, he resided in [[Paris]], [[France]],<ref name=lahist/> as had another high-ranking Confederate [[Judah P. Benjamin]], who served in the U.S. Senate alongside Slidell. |