The Sun.
London, England, 1867-09-12 00:00:00

THE ALABAMA CLAIMS.

The publication of the further correspondence on
the Alabama claims, which followed on the advent
to power of the Tory Government, will clear away
some misapprehensions both in England and the
United States. Her MAJESTY'S present Ministers are
prepared to submit the claims to arbitration ; and
in the event of the decision being against them to
adjudicate those claims by a mixed commission. The
readiness of Lord STANLEY thus to meet the points
in dispute appears to have been unexpected by Mr.
SEWARD, who had evidently no intention of drop-
ping a weapon he was so well qualified to handle,
and which at any moment he could use to embarrass
and annoy the British Government. He, therefore,
skilfully introduced another question which he
knew would for the moment settle the controversy.
He insisted on the whole correspondence being sub-
mitted to the umpire, which brings in the question
of the conduct of the British Government in so early
recognising the Confederacy as belligerents. The
despatches show to the American people that Great
Britain is prepared fairly and honourably to meet
any reasonable claims they can advance to compen-
sate for injuries sustained, if, in the opinion of an
arbiter, remissness could be proved in allowing
the escape of cruisers from British ports. The
case has been fully stated on both sides, Mr. SEWARD
handling his arguments with the most consummate
tact and ability, while allowing himself the fullest
latitude. Whatever may be the intention of the
Washington Secretary of State, he will be upheld
only by the American people in demands they consider
truthful and fair. It may suit politicians to keep up
this grievance as an aid in their canvassing schemes,
but those do but scant justice to the mass of the
nation who attribute to them complicity in any
such intention. Americans wish to settle and have
done with this dispute, as they have no desire to
imperil the growing kindliness of their relations
with their kinsmen to satisfy the crotchets of Mr.
SEWARD, or to enable that statesman to make a
grand display of his argumentative powers. The
world is responsible for the injury inflicted by the
premature recognition of the Confederacy as a bel-
ligerent. Every maritime nation was equally culp-
able, and this part of the controversy therefore
should be conducted with Christendom, unless
Mr. SEWARD elevates England into the champion
of the world, or intends her to answer f.or what was
certainly the sin of all nations. It is probable
that Mr. SEWARD'S career in office is drawing to
its close, and it would well become him before
retiring from power to settle a question the details
of which he so fully understands, and which
in the hands of a bungler might hereafter
be productive of serious evil. We trust that the
reply of the PRESIDENT to the address of BLACQUE
BEY, the Turkish Minister, when presented to him
on the 23d August, is not significant of a hostile
feeling on Mr. JoiDisoN's part towards Great
Britain. If it be, his enmity will be the fitting
reward of the support extended to him by English
writers, who have overlooked all his shortcomings,
and put the most charitable construction upon his
acts. He said :—" The American people appreciate
and are happy in all cases to acknowledge acts and
demonstrations of amity and friendship. Our
traditional sentiments towards France, Russia,
Holland, and Switzerland are proofs." Why
should Great Britain be omitted ? As usual in
such cases, the controversy has drifted into all
manner of irrelevant channels, and the further it
proceeds the wider becomes the scope. The ad-
vantage that England would derive from a successor
to Mr. SEWARD would be that the controversy might
be commenced between two men who had no part
in the original dispute. Both nations are getting
heartily tired of the interminable subject, and it
cannot be profitable even for filling up the voluminous
pages of our daily contemporaries during the present
dull season of the year.—Anglo-American 7 imes.