Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1850-12-31
Peaceful Arbitrament of Nations.

MIR Winthrop, Senator from Massachusetts,
recently presented in the U. S. Senate a m,
inorial from the American Peace Society, of
very considerable interest. The petitioners
call the attention Of Congress 10 the desirable
ness of substituting for war in case of inter
national difficulties, the plan Of International
Treaties, binding the contracting parties 10 re-
fer 10 arbitrators, chosen by thenlst Ives, such
controversies as may hereafter arise between
them, and which they may not be able 10 set
tie satisfactorily by negotiation.
| In iayor OF this proposal the petitioners urge
! the consideration, that between two and three
hundred thousand persons in Great Britain
have recently pcttioHed Parliament in fayor
of such treaties; and that the petitioners were
respectfully heard by the House, and particu.
larly by her Majests's Cabinet ministers; also
that Lord John Russell, in an interview will
a depntation from The Peace Congress held at
Brussels neer the close of 1913, had EXPIRE. sed
the readiness of the British Government 10
entertain with favor proposition fom oor
own Government for tie adjustment of all
future differences between them by reference
III the last resort, TO umpFes mutually chosen.
Mr.. Winthrop accompanied this memorial
with some appropriate remarks, commendato-
ny OF the plan proposed, saying
II take great pleasure III presenting this
| memorial, and in having such an occasion for
expressing my cordial concurrence in its gen.
eral purposes and views. | have ALWAYS be-
lieved that arbitration presented The best sub
sttute for war, though there nay be some
cases, perhaps, where it might not be easily
or satisfactorily applied. Iveniured to express
this opinion during The tendency of the Ore
gon controversy, five OF six years ago, in
series ofresolutions offered in The other House.
| And it is a somewhat striking and encour-
| aging circumstance that, although the admin
lstration of President Polk so resolutely re-
fused the overures for arbitration upon this
que stion which were soon after made to them
by the British Government, the same Admin
istraton incorporated into the late treaty with
Mexico the precise idea which this memorial
suggests.
| may be also permitted TO mention, as an
] suspicious circumstance, in tile same connex-
1 ion, that the present Secretary of State (Mr
Webster) has recently given the most salts
factory evidence of his vierv5 ufun nils sub
4 jecr, by proposing arbitration for the settle
ment of long vexed question between the
United States and Portugal. 1t is well under
stood that the case of the General A,n,strone
which seemed likely, few months ago, to
disturb the amicable relations of the two coun-
tries, has been referred to the decision of the
President of the republic Of France"
| After some remarks from Mr. Badger, of
North Carolina, the memorial was referred 20
the Committee on Foreign Relltions.
This is a good beginning and we most
heartily desire that it may be followed up by
| petitions from all quarters, and that the day
may speedily come when it shall no longer be-
deemed necessary for nations to adjust their
difficulties by fighting, any mere than ii is for
individuals TO dispose of their disagreemenis
| by trial of battle These are alike tie relics
| Of less civilized ages,