The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1865-12-03
TERMtS-IN ADVANCE

-------------
The Relations Between the United
States and Great Britain.
THE ALABAMA CLAIMs-MR. CUsHING's
MISSION.
Amid all the excitement which at
tends the reconstruction of the United
States, and the settlement of some of
the most difficult questions which
have ever pressed upon q people, the
Americans still find leisure to talk and
write angrily about the ravages of the
Alabama and their consequent claims
on the British Government. There is
no use in concealing that, as far as
the utterances of their press and the
tone of their private conversation
indicate their temper, there is as
much determination on their part to
uphold these claims as there is on our
part to reject them. The Atlantic
cities lead opinion, and to foreigners
they entirely represent it. These
Atlantic cities have been the chief
losers by the exploits of the Confede-
rate cruisers. They may have made
money in other ways, but their ship
ping has been wofully crippled In
deed, the expression commonly used,
that the American merchant marine
was swept from the seas, hardly ex-
aggerates the loss suffered by the
shippers of New York and Boston.
The actual destruction caused by the
Alabama represents but a small part
of the real damage American ships
could get no freights, while those of
English vessels rose unprecedentedly.
Numbers of their vessels were trans
ferred to foreign owners and sailed
under foreign flags. National loss,
and In some degree national humilia-
ton, have made the American public
angry beyond measure, and certainly
there is no people in the world which
would he inclined to bear such things
patiently. This feeling has been so
strong that Mr.. Seward has been un-
able to give us any delay in the mat
ter. While the war lasted the claims
might remain in allegiance, but no
sooner was it over than public opin-
ion forced the Secretary of State to
send in his bill. He did SO, and Mr..
Adams urged the demand with allthe
energy and ability of which he is
master. These gentlemen, however,
found equal ability and knowledge of
international law arrayed on the side
of England, and the result was the
late correspondence, which, while it
does credit to the political talents of
the two nations, cannot be said to
have brought the matters in debate
between them nearer to settlement.
The publication of the correspondence
has, of course, been followed by much
comment in America.
We believe that the American Go
vernment is not blind to the LOYALTY
and uprightness displayed by the
British ministry, and that when pub
lie feeling cools sufficiently, it will be
willing to let these questions drop.
Mr. Seward, it is said, originally made
the offer Of arbitration as q conces-
SION to this country, and with the
desire to give facilities to our Govern
ment to evade an inconvenient de-
clslon. That offer having been de-
cllncd, he will have no desire to press
1t, or to make a grievance of the
refusal of our Government to enter
tam 1T. The counter-proposal of l., |
Russell to refer certain matters to a
commission will probably not be ac-
ceptable to the Washington Govern
ment, since the claims on account OF
the Alabama and Shenandoah have
been expressly excepted. The only
issue of the affair rs far as we can
see, is that no agreement will be come
to, and that matters will remain as
they are. 1t is impossible for the
American Government to abandon
these claims. The people would pro-
badly forget all the services Of Mr..
Seward land demand his dismissal if
he were to confess to England that