The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1872-05-25 00:00:00

SIR STAFFORD NORTHCOTE ON THE
"ALABAMA" TREATY.
_

-
The Right Hon. Sir S. Northcote, Bart., M.P., pee.
skied on Friday afternoon in last week, at the annual
meeting of the Exeter Chamber of Commerce, of
which he is President. Having spoken of the ques-
tions between Canada and the United States as affected
by the Washington Tr: sty, referring to the Alabama
negotiations, he said :
'The past year has been one of great anxiety and trouble
in connection with the questions raised under that
Treaty, and perhaps you will forgive me for saying
that to myself personally the time which we have
been going through has been one of very consider-
able anxiety --(hear. hear)—nOt the least so because,
until within the last few days, I have felt myself in a
position—We, who were the Commisaioners last year, have
felt ourselves in a position in which it was our duty to hold
our tongues, and though holding one's tongne is often very
I agreeable and right, there are occasions upon which it
Involves consid•rable sacrifice. lint I think the country
generally has appreciated the motives which have led to
our silence, and we have felt that it was far better to be
subject even to the misrepresentations, or, at all events,
to suspicions which we thought we could have cleared away
If we could-tarn spoken, than that vve should ray anything
which could by any possibility mar the settlement to
which we were anxiously looking. Ilear, hear.) But the
matter hag this week passed into a stage which places us in
a somewhat different position. It does not indeed absolve
us from the neceasity of great caution in saying any-
thing of a personal character, but it dons place us in a port.
thou in which we may speak with more freedom with regard
to the great International interests concerned. Our position,
personally, has been one of very great delicacy and em-
herr moment, and for this reason. two questions have been
',hied—one, the personal question as to what was the under-
standing between the Commissioners at all events, and !per-
haps between the two Governments, at the time the Treaty
was concluded ; and the other, as to the general ruerits of the
question raised with regard to what are called consequential
it .mages and Indirect claims.
o With regard to the personal question, I will only say
this—that we, the Commissioners, Mine distinctly reationsible
tor ham,: represenied to ti ,e . Government that we under-
stood a promise Isle' given that three claims Mere not to be
pot forward by the United States. But if we are to main-
tain that position, we of course must be brou-rnt into painful
relations, and perhaps painful questions, between ourselvr s
and our American collearnes upon that Commission. It
would have I.nn most iinjostittable if, while the matter was
under dlsclia•i,,n, we had allowed any desire to make good
our own ease in the matter to interfere with the great inter-
national settlement which has been going on. Whether
the time will ever come for speaking fully on the
Matter I don't know, and I comparatively little care.
What I am anxious for is that a reasonable arrange-
moat should be come to which may secure to both
countaies—and I will go so far as to say to the world at
large—the great advantag, s that we promised ouraelves in the
conclusion of the rivet y (II ear, bear.) While the question
, as one merely bgween the two Governments it was dint-
lilt to treat it without entering upon the personal questiMl,
•liit it has how filio tar passed briorri the too Governments
that an a.rangement has been provisionally comets between
Gum whirl, is now awaiting the sanction id the United
States Senate, and which must, If accepted by them, conic
before the Parliament and the people of this country with a
view to its ratification by us also. I therefore speak with
•ome little freedom, because I feel that I can to so without
raising the other class of questions to which I have referred.
"Nothing. I think, can be more satisfactory than theat-
Mode which the people of both countries have taken since
this difficulty arose. There was very great satisfaction in

America and in England also—dtear, hear)—when the Wash-
ington Treaty was concluded. At all events both countries
believed that a settlement of a troublesome queation had
been arrived at, and the principles were agreed upon which
were likely to be of very great importance tor the future.
Suddenly and most unexpectedly to the people of this country,
and as I am perfectly convinced, equally unexpectedly to the
people of the United States, a difficulty was raised that
seemed likely to overthrow the whole settlement. Nothing.
I think, could have been more honomahle to the public of
both countries than the manner in which, lathe face of that
great disappointment, they both behaved. There hail been
iso ispmition to irritate or to embarrass the qnestion ; on
the contrary, there has been an anxious desire shown by
both sides to endeavour, if possible, to undo this knot, and
to arrive at a satisfactory conclusion. And though Ido not
wish to take credit to the late Commission for what may not
belong to them, still one cannot help thinking that the manner
in which the negotiation was conducted on both sides had
something to do with bringing ab.sut a better state of feeling
between the two countries than previously existeel. I firmly
believe that the natural irritation veld 1, pervaded alarge pro-
portion of the United States immediately after theterrible civil
war thromh v.lilch they had passed was greatly allayed by
the prospects of twit year ; and that even if —w'nich I trust
may not be the case—this arrangement should unhappily
fall through, I believe that the disposition which has been
shown to a friendly nettlernent will not he without its fruits.
But with regard to the projects of a settlement, I wish only
to say this, —that I have great confidence that the spirit
which has animated both peoples will &Minato the authorities
also. (Bear, hear.) The Treaty of last year was arrived at
under circumstances of great difficulty, afising from the
peculiar relation of the United Stated Senate to the Govern-
ment ; and those difficulties were enhanced by the fact that
the Treaty embraced neveral diatinct matters, and also by
the consideration that the Senate bad or, former occasions
rejected a Treaty for the settlement of the Alabama claims.
All this made the negotiation extremely difficult and delicate.
I am bound to say the spirit in which those difficulties were
dealt withby the people, hy the G overnment, and by the Senate
of the United Sttltel. wax a spirit very encouraging, as if they
were disposed to prefer great international c. disiderations to
the smaller and more personal considerations to which I have
referred. And they dealt with this question in a broad and
statesmanlike manlier, which. I trust, augurs well for the
future settlement of this quo/Atom IS must IN felt by
us all that it is of the highest deportance to the interests,
not only of commerce, but of peace and tranquility
throughout the world, that these questions which have
been raised should receive a satisfactory solution, that
minor questions, auch as national delicacy and national
pride—even although I ant the last who would wish
to see national honour in the least degree tainted or
weakened—should not be allowed altogether to put out of
our siaht those very great, broad, international questions
which are concerned in a settlement of this kind. And my
firm belief is, whether we arrive at a settlement now or
whether this matter ahould be postponed, and it should be
for the future to take it up again under happier auspices,
that we have now arrived at a stage at which bath countries
are prepared to give proper weight to those great questions
to which I have referred, and in which no petty co:amblers-
, tin. will be allowed to ioterfere with the settlement.
(hiear, hoar) I do not speak—you would not expect me to
speak—of the particular arrangement now proposed; but I
do believe, if the matter is treated by the Senate in the same
spirit as they dealt with our negotiatiom last year, we shall
before long ace such a settlement of it an will secure to the
world those fruits which we had so earnestly hoped and no
confidently believed we had secured by our negotiations of
last year." (Applause.)