Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1865-11-03
Mr.. Adams and Earl Russell.

Mr.. Adams and Earl Russell.
The subject of the claims of our Govern
ment on that of Great Britain for damages
inflicted on our commerce by the Alabama
and other vessels fitted out in British ports,
and manned chiefly by British seaman to
serve under the late confederate flag, has
never been lost sight of by our Government
and people. The publication of the later
letters which have passed between our Min
lister. Mr.. Adams, and Earl Russell, has Civ
en- fresh vigor to the public feeling on this
subject. Their publication was first made
in England-with what object, it is not easy
to see, unless it be the general one, to awak-
en- a public discussion by means of which,
perhaps. the British Government hope to
find an easier way out of the difficulty than
any which they now see.
1t is plain enough to see from the remarks
in some of the English papers, that the po-
sition in which the discussion is now left by
Earl Russell. is not a very desirable one at
best Some of them admit that Mr. Adams
urges his case with great ability, and virtu-
ally admit that be is more than match for
his British antagonist in diplomacy.
MIR. Adams has the British minister on the
hip, by showing him, courteously indeed,
but plainly. that there was not shadow of
ground for the precipitate and unprecedented
action of the British Government in declar
ing, when it did, the rebel con federacy
belIigerent power-that, according to its own
acknowledgement, it had no facts before it
on which it could base that actlon-that the
6eHigereney which the British Government
assumed to acknowledge, was one of Its own
making. 1t granted maritime rights and
privileges as to neutrality, to pretended
power which had not fort nor vessel
that under the guise of neutrality it allowed
Its people to take all the benefits of a state
of war against people at peace with them,
without mourning the risks of war-that its
allegation that it did all it could to prevent
damage by its own people to its friends,
when it contented itself with an application
Of its own municipal laws, such as they
were. 10 restrain evil-doers, instead OF max
ing those laws such as they should be, was
Insdmissible dc between nations-that the
proper appeal between nations at peace with
each other is what is right, according to the
others should do to you, and not to the tech
nicalities Of law courts-that on the ground
assumed by Earl Russell. if admitted as in
ternstional law, hereafter an unlimited IL
cense would obtain for those protesting TO
be neutral. TO plumber and destroy the COM
merce Of a friend under any and all DIS
guises, and then to claim exemption from
responsibility for such acts-tbat if such
were TO become rule among nations, it WAS
not difficult to foresee what Great Britain
might have to expect whenever involved in
war hereafter-and that the people OF theU III
tence of such an international rule as that,
perhaps could make as much out of it as
others could. Mr. Adams said, moreover.
that if the two Governments could not agree
on this subject, no doubt his own Govern
ment would be willing to submit the matter
to an impartial arbitrator.
Earl Russell strives to bluff off all this and
says
"Her Msjesty's government are the sole
guardians of their own power. Her
Msjesty's government must, therefore,
decline either to make reparatioR and compenss-
ton for the captures made by the Alabama, or
to refer the question to any foreign state"
Her Msjesty's government are. however,
ready to consent to the appointment Of com
mission to which shall be referred all claims
arising during the late civil war, which the two
powers shall agree to refer to the commissioners.
Touching this proposal for a joint commits
sion, Mr. Adams saws he will submit it to |
his own government. What the result of
sucha submissionwill belt is not difficult to see
when we see by the language of Earl Russell
that the two governments are to "sgree" on
what shall be submitted to the proposed
commission, and that be had said previously
that the British Government would not hold
itself in any way responsible for the Alaba-
ma e acts. The very point then in dispute,
according to him, is not to be submitted.
How the present position of the British
Government, is regarded by some of their
people, may be gathered from the following
remarks in Wilmer and Smiths UiverpooD
European Times.
There is such thing as penny wise and
pound foolish economy even in ststemanship,
and il is lust possible that. TO avoid the payment
of a few hundred thousand or Q million OF mo-
ney, We may base our opposition on principle
% untenable a. to cause Us when the cases are
the Americans are neutras and
We are belligerente-to suffer terribly in person
md pocket 1t must be borne mind that
here is such thing as an argument cutting
both ways, and bungling lawyers are sometimes
,aid to be in the habit of proving too much.
We must avoid this error. The claims Of the
Americans relative 10 the doings Of the Alabama
md her sister Confederate craft are mere baga-
eIle compared with the punishment which is in
,tore for the maritime commerce Of Great Bri-
ain unless this dispute is brought to an end in
harmony with international justice. We do not
.pprehend war, for war in these days could not
rise out Of this business /; but something nearly
Is bad may arisein the future, when the exam
Die we have set, and the practice we have de- :
ended, may be turned against us in 8 way that
9 hideous even to surmise. }"
We often wonder whether If ii is possible