The Sun.
London, England, 1869-02-24 00:00:00

GOOD MASTERS MAKE GOOD SERV %NTS.

The Times obituary contains a notice of the death,
at 82, of a James Beaumont Speight, who was " for
upwards of six4-four years a faithful and much
respected domestic in the family of the late John
Ford, Esq. He was the last survivor of three fellow-
servants, whcse united terms of service exceeded l r)0
years." It would be difficult to say upon whom
the statement reflects the more credit, upon
the master or upon the servants. It has been
often said that " good masters make good servants;"
we believe it is equally true that good servants
make good masters, and that just as " faults on both
sides" will produce a quarrel, so virtues on both sides
will produce harmony. It is exceedingly refreshing
in these days, when domestics enter a family with
the intention of staying only a sufficient time to
"get a character," to read such an announcement,-'s l
the above. It carries one back to the old fe4ta
days, when the household was a family, art the
master was looked upon as the father of eve-f mem-
ber thereof.

:FOREIGN NOTES,

fillE ALABAMA CLAIMS

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c
York World, with an introduction from " Historicus."
The latter says little beyond expresssing his belief that,
Arel
however unfavourable may be the appearances, the condact
of the United States will ultimately be governed by
reason, justice, and prudence. Mr. Curtis then begins.
He thinks the treaty ought to be ratified. lie believes, in
the first place, that our recognition of the South as a
belligerent cannot be made the subject of arbitration, for
the right of any nation to declare itself neutral in a
contest between rebels controlling a great extent of
country and their lawful Government is a right that cannot
be questioned. " Least of all can it be questioned
by us. There is too much in our own past history and
jurisprudence that has asserted such a right in the
strongest manner for us to be able successfully to contend
against its existence. And if the right itself exists, the
time and mode of exercising it—the time and mode of
assuming that attitude of neutrality which implies a recoir
nition of the belligerent character in the rebellious or
revolted portion of a friendly nation—must be and can
only be judged of by the Government which sees fit to
assume this attitude. The motives cannot be inquired
into. The presumption is that the motives are friendly,
or, at least, that they are innocent."

It is too late, Mr. Curtis thinks, for his countrymen to
make an accusation which can be decided only by the
arbitrament of the sword. He justifies England's refusal
to submit this question to an arbiter, for it affects Ameri-
can honour as a nation, whilst the Alabama claims
affect American citizens in the form of losses to indi-
viduals. England has made very great concessions, and
has gone as far as the enlightened opinion of mankind
would require or approve. Reserving only the bellige-
rency difficulty, she has conceded everything else that
was asloed ; and, indeod, has yielded all that can be settled
by peaceful means. As to the actual terms of the treaty,
there is nothing in them which can prevent the English
Commissioners from admitting liability for the Alabama
depredations, and proceeding at once to assess their amount.
But if they are not prepared to go so far, this great
case in the equity of nations must surely be referred to a
sovereign, who will have to apply abstract principles of
law to a complicated practical case. No individual is
properly competent to do this. If the treaty be refused,
and the question be kept open, is England likely to give
way any further? A war undertaken by the United
States would be reprehended by the whole civilised world.
The men who snake the public opinion of Europe are more
and more convinced that it is the common interest of
nations to prevent a war between England and the United
States.