The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1872-02-10 00:00:00

the important period in which he has with such distin-
ankheil ability and integrity prealtiod in this Rouse.'
(Cheen). . • - -• •

Sir John Pakington thought that the occasion. of which
the right Mtn gentleman had given notice would be the
more appropriate one for the expression of those feelings by
which every messier of the Rouse was actuated, but in the
absence of the right hon. member for Buckinghamshire, he
dould not refrain from saying one word to express hew
heartily every one on that site of the [louse sympathises
With the expressions which had fallen from the right hon.
gentleman.
In the motion that the Address to her 31ajes1y be received,
Mr. Bernal Osborne raid that her Majesty's Govern-
ment had exercised a wise discretion in not loading the
Speech with premises of a number of measures which would
have to be withdrawn in July. If they could sueeeed iu pass-
ing a good Mines' Regulation Bill, a licensing Bill satisfac-
tory to licensed victuallers and Sir W. Lawson, and a good
Ballot Bill not encumbered by useless Mamma, the session
would not be unproductive of fruitful results. Ile should
like to know whether the subject of Irish education would
he dealt with by the Government. With regard to the ,
denunciation with which the French treaty was threatened, '
he trusted that every allowance would he made fir the diffi-
culties in which France now was. The Alabama claims con-
stituted the most momentous question which Parliament had
ever entertained. The most bigoted supporter of the Govern-
ment would not venture to support them in their declaration
that there was no ambiguity in the Washington treaty, when
the whole of the tureen of this country maintained that there
was ambiguity. The language of the treaty admitted the in-
direct claims, and a late Lord Chancellor declared that It
had Men most carelessly and unguardedly entered into. Ile
' deprecated the apparent willingness of the House to pass over
tide disgraceful matter, and commented upon the fact that
whilst the American Commissioners were live experienced
lawyers. In the selection of the English Commissioners the
most experienced diplomatists had been passed by in favour
of amateur gentlemen, who had no knowledge of the draw-
ing up of treaties, and less of the American character, the
result being a treaty which landed this country in con-
fusion worse confounded, and which had coat this country
£30,000. Why the hon, member for West Sussex would
have drawn them up a treaty for £lO, in which there
would not have been the slightest ambiguity laughter). its
asked the Government to consider the propriety of revising
our whole system of making treaties, which allowed treaties
to be ratified by the Ministers of the Crown without the
knowledge of Parliament. There was but one course for
the Govermuent to pursue, for not one sixpeum would this
Parliament PVtr consent to vote in pay meut of indirect
claims growing out of the acts of the A tabanto.

After remarks from Sir W. Lawson, Mr. Cavendish Ben
-
thick, Mr. llorsman, and other hon. members,

Mr. Gladstone said that Irish national education was un-
questionably a subject of national interest, and if the urea-
auras promised in the Speech should pass through the House
in such time as to leave a sufficieut period to deal with this
subje.t, the Government would be happy to consider
whether it would be advisable to introduce any measure in
reference to it. It had been asked whether the French Treaty
had yet been denounced. There had been comuninleations
on the subject, and her Majesty's Government had signified
to the French Government their view that tee treaty
could be terminated by twelve months' notice from any
date, and not necessarily from the 4th February. The treaty
had not yet been denounced, but the National Arreembly
had given the Government power to denounce it. and her
Majesty's Government were unable to say whether that
power would be used, or at what period. Papers upon
this subject would be laid before the House as soon as pos-
sible. The feeling that had been expressed in favour of a
limitation of the power of the Crown to enter into treaties
without the assent of Parliament raised a question of deep
national interest, and one worthy of consideration, but he
could not agree with the view that all matters of foreign
intercourse should be at once submitted, to Parliament.
That system bad been tried in France in July, 1070, and he
did not think its result was to show that the signification
of public opinion from day to day and almost from hour
to hour afforded a perfect safeguard against public
and national danger. Ile denied that there hail
been ally erana oiegligentia in the matter of the
Washington Treaty, sad thought that the hem niember
for Chatham might have reserved his judgment as to the
ambiguity of the treaty until the argument of the Govern-
ment had been heard. With regard to the question of
interest on claims, as he read the article referred tic, he was
of opinion that it allowed interest on British claims to be
included in those claims. Tile 11011. member for Waterford
stated that on the tdh March the AUlCriCial COMMlS-
goners informed the British Commissioners that the
indirect claims would be put In. lie begged to
contradict that statement, for the intimation given
to the British Commissioners was to the direct contrary.
The American Commissioners stated that the American -
nation bail suffered heavy indirect injury ; they stated
the particulars of that injury, and they wound up by
say lug that in the hope of an amicable settlement he
estimate was made of the indirect losses, without
prejudice to tile right to indemnification in the event
of no such amicable settlement being made. There
were several other clauses which most powerfully sustained
the view the Government took of tide matter. They main-
tained that that was an unequivocal reservation applying
only if no amicable settlement should be arrived at. The
preamble of the treaty stated that both Goveniments being
desirous for an amicable settlement, they had appointed their
plenipotentiaries with NH powers for amicable settlement,
sod had agreed to and concluded the following articles which
were the articles forming the basee of the proposed Arbitration
at Geneva, and of the amicable settlement which had been
determiued upon. To have offered six millions as a com-
promise, as hail been suggested by the boa. member fir
Waterford, would have been to confess the liability of this
country from 1662, and in every succeeding year, to the
charges which had been made that she had failed in the dis-
charge of international duties. Nothing could be more
fatal to the good name and ancient honour of this
country than after having for ten years altogether
protested solemly that we hail done our best without .
favour to pert erm every international duty, we should Pow
conic forward end admit that we hail not done so by offer-
ing a gross sum (cheers). The Cotton than claims which
had been referred to hail not been presented Icy direction of
the British Government, and with the exception of
some cases where the bonds had been exchanged for
visible property, they were of opinion that those claims
could not be permuted to the arbitrators by them. Is de-
claring the sense of the treaty to be unequivocal and char,
he of course did not deny the right of the American Govern-
ment to hold an opposite opinion :he adhered to the
argument of the meaning of the wicrils, awl also of
the intention of the parties. The Government might
have tollowed the example of the ('noted States by referring
to the arbitratois the question whether the claims came
within the scope if the arbitration, aid if necessary might
have exercised their right of withdrawing fri,ni the arbitra-
tion afterwards, but they considered that that course would
not have been an honourable and convenient course to have
been taken.
The discussion was continued by Mr. G. Bentinek, Mr.
East. ick, Sir J. Elphinstone, Mr. Locke, and Mr. Pell, and
Mr. [truce having stated that the Government Licensing
Bill would be as stringent and effective for all practical pule
poses as the bill of last year, whilst at the same time it
would avoid its faults,
The Address was agreed to.
After several bills had been read a nrst time, the House
adjourned.