It wasn't popular among US Congressmen, either.
‘Mr Vallandigham [Ohio, Democrat] introduced the following resolution… “That it is the duty of the President to now firmly maintain the stand thus taken, approving and adopting the act of Captain Wilkes, in spite of any menace or demand of the British government”… The time has now come for the firmness of this House to be practically tested, and I hope there will be no shrinking… We have heard the first growl of the British lion, and now let us see who will cower’ (
16 December, 1861)
Samuel S. Cox (Ohio, Democrat): ‘we have never, in the history of diplomacy, had a clearer case of indisputable right on the high seas**… The other day, at the beginning of this session, the gentleman from Illinois [Mr Lovejoy] introduced his resolution approving the conduct of Captain Wilkes. I voted for that resolution… This matter came again before the House yesterday, and lo! In the face of the morning news which echoed with the roar of the English lion, there seemed to be a different spirit on the other side of the House!’ (
17 December 1861)
John P. Hale (New Hampshire, Republican): ‘I believe the Cabinet… have had under consideration… the surrender, on the demand of Great Britain, of the persons of Messrs. Slidell and Mason. To my mind, a more fatal act could not mark the history of this country- an act that would surrender at once to the arbitrary demand of Great Britain all that was won in the Revolution, reduce us to the position of a second-rate Power, and make us the vassal of Great Britain… not a man can be found who is in favour of this surrender; for it would humiliate us in the eyes of the world, irritate our own people, and subject us to their indignant scorn… We have heard, Mr President, some fears expressed that Louis Napoleon is taking sides with England… I believe that if Louis Napoleon harbours one single sentiment… it is to have a fair field to retrieve the disastrous issue of Waterloo. And besides, sir, all over this country, throughout Canada, and in Ireland, there are hundreds of thousands and hundreds of thousands [sic] of true-hearted Irishmen who have long prayed for an opportunity to retaliate upon England. (
26 December 1861)
Benjamin Thomas (Massachusetts, Unionist): ‘England has done to us a great wrong in availing herself of our moment weakness to make a demand which, accompanied as it was by “the pomp and circumstance of war,” was insolent in spirit and thoroughly unjust… She is treasuring up to herself wrath against the day of wrath… we shall be girding ourselves to strike the blow of righteous retribution.’ (
7 January 1862)
Owen Lovejoy (Illinois, Republican): ‘it is enough for us, in all conscience, to have been disgraced by the British nation, without now appropriating $35,000 to pay the expenses of those who have been instrumental in that dishonour, to let them go in state to the British court… inasmuch as we have submitted to be thus dishonoured by Great Britain, I think the least we can do is to acknowledge it, and to stay at home till the time comes that we can whip that nation. Then I will be willing to go and appear at their world’s exhibition… Every time this Trent affair comes up… I am made to renew the horrible grief which I suffered when the news of the surrender of Mason and Slidell came. I acknowledge it, I literally wept tears of vexation… I have never shared in the traditional hostility of many of my countrymen against England. But I now here publicly avow and record my inextinguishable hatred of that Government. I mean to cherish it while I live, and to bequeath it as a legacy to my children when I die… I trust in God that the time is not far distant when we shall have suppressed this rebellion, and be prepared to avenge and wipe out this insult that we have received. We will then stir up Ireland; we will appeal to the Chartists of England; we will go to the old French habitans of Canada; we will join hands with France and Russia to take away the eastern possessions of that proud empire, and will darken every jewel that glitters in her diadem.’ (
14 January 1862)
(these found by Cerebropetrologist.)
As you can see, it was an issue which united East and West, and Democrat, Unionist and Republican.
**He's sort of right, in that it was clear that the US had no justification to do what it did.