The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1856-03-13

5 ment, to submit the case to the arbitration
Of a third power, but that he had declined III,
r offer. ''
Her Mpiesty's government, said, woult
still abide by that offer, and thought it wouIc
be the fairest and most amicable manner o
arriving alta settlement of the question. Dir
buchanan said he would make it known tC
bis government, and you are instructed tc
communicate this despatch to Mr.. Marcy.
) am, with grenttruth and regard, sir, YOU
most Obedient and humble servant,
@ CLARESDoN.
Mr.. Seward, OF N. Y, said this cores
pondence placed the subject of Central A
merican affairs in light sornewhS dfferen
from what it occupied v hen the debate com
menced. As the case stood when submit
ted by the President, the communications be
tween the two governments consisted of ar
guments, able and deliberate on both sides
maintaining their respective positions regard
ing the construction of the treaty, the Uni
ted States demanding the fuIflment OF it
and Great Britain quite as positive ely-ht
night say, somewhat Extensively refusing
compliance. Under these circumstances he
thought it his dnty to express bis opinions
ard decided concurrence in the position this
government has assumed. 1t now appears
that Great Britain is willing to arbitrate.
He congratulated the Senate on the more
paclhc and pleasing prospect concerning this
changing but still most important question
AS to the enlistment case, the correspon.
dence shows that the British government
may, with plausability,and perhaps conscien.
tionsy say, they had rendered what was re-
garded by them IN the nature of an apology,
which they may have considered as broad
and us full as consistent with the honor OF
that government to make. The President
and Secretary of State may have thought the
acknowledgment not sufficiently explicit;
but it is equally certain Lord Clarendon
thought he had probably made all the apology
which could be made by Power jealous of
her dignity and honor. The point of differ
ehce ID the effect of the language used. 1t
is enough to form the subject of discussion
between the parties, and in fact counsels
against the assumption, which would be u
violent one, that Great Britain has made an
explanatan which ought not to be satisiac.
tory.
Mr., Pierce, Of Maryland, did not concur
with the Senator, and was not willing that
Mr.. Stewards opinion should 90 to the coun-
try as the deliberate view of the Senate
Such apology as we should claim from Great
Britain has not be en- made. The disclosures
in the correspondence, on our part, exhibit
manlness. spirit and frankness, ofwhich all
should be proud. He was sorry no such
spirit characterized Great Britain. Not only
has no satisfactory apology been made. but
the language used by the British Secretary
amounts to taunts, and is, therefore, often
slve. Lord Clarendon says the United
States have resorted to means 10 obtain eyi.
dence against her Majesty's servants, or
their agents, by practices sometimes resorted
to under despotic institutions, but which are
dlsclain ed by all free and enlightened cov.
ernments. Mr.. Pierce said he was not an
advocate of war, and hoped we should main.
tain peace, but he should never acknowledge
that the correspondence furnishes anv salts
factory apology for what was done by Greut
Britain. The power which invited us TO
be neutral was the first to violate neutrality.
Mr. Stuart, of Michigan, remarked, that
Notwithstanding the speech of Lord Claren.
don in the House Of Lords, it turns out, by
The correspondence submitted, that no prop.
osition to arbitrate was ever submitted to
Mr. Buchanan, nor anything in any despatch
from Lord Clarendon to Mr.. Champion which
comes up to that point. 1t seems that Lord
Clarendon had given the British people to
understand that that government had assum-
ed generous position by offering srbtra-
ion, which we declined, and which will be
'enewed. Inasmnch as Great Britain does
not intend to live up to that treaty, he con
essed strong inclination in his mind to alb.
ogate it.
MIR. Seward said he had expressed an O.
Union that the British explanation ought to
'e satisfactory. He intended to show tha,
Lord Clarendon had disavowed an intentional
6ront, and that it should net be forepone
conclusion that nothing in the nature of an
pology had been made. \
!, Mr. Mason, OF Va, said a grave offence
'ad been committed against this government
y Great Britain. 1t will be found in some I
manner, and to some extent, that Great Brit S
in has lent herself 10 violation of her ob r
gation to this country, under international f
elations, and violated our domestic laws b
,ade Tor the protection, Of our own peace v
nd nation. He understood Mr.. Seward tol +
ny that some apology had been made byl.y
ireat Britain for her offence. He (Mason)I
onceived an apology to be this--between
atoms as between gentlemen. When aLe
entlemsn does wrong and desires to make y
he apologies, admits the wrong :
ankly andingenuousl,, without reservation : =
nd places himself where he would have :
ood il the wrong had not been mmitted. :
He (Mason) submitted to tie honorable I
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