The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1865-11-10
Our Claim upon England.
SUMMARY OF THE CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN
Mr.. ADAMS AND EARL RUSSELL.

The following is summary of tho diplo-
matte correspondence between MIR. Adams
aud Earl Russel:
The correspondence begins with letter
from Minister Adams. dated the 7th OF
April last, in which be calls The attention OF
Earl Russell to the tf1lcal reports respect.
| ing tho ravsges of tho Shenandoah, and an.
nouBces that for the damages caused by
such cruisers bic government cannot avoid
entaillng The responsibility upon Great Brit.
ain.
| Tho reply of Earl Russell is dated May
Alb. He says that the duties of Great
Britain toward the United States are not
hmeasurcd by the iosses which the commerce
| OF the latter may have sustNiDed. The
question is simply whether the Queeps gov.
ernment have faithfully and honestly per
;. formed the duties which international la~
end their municipal laws imposed upon
thum.
The rejoinder OF Mr. Adams is dated May
Goth. He says that the insurgents became
beliie.renls on the oceap solely by reason
of the facilities furnished in her Majesty's
ports for them to do 80. He complains OF
the secret sympathy Of her M.jes,y's officers
iD. the port OF Liverpool, aud conteuds that,
aflsr the information which he supplied re-
negligence of her Majesty's Board of Gus
toms that this vessel. admitted to be intend
ed for war purposes, was suffered to 1epar,
from Liverpool.
!. An interval of three months elapsed be-
tween tho above letter aud Earl Russel's
, reply to It,
, In response Earl Russell proceeds to
, justify the course Of her Msjes,y's govern.
r mont in recognizing the bellgerents, and
t reasons are eivon why there was extreme
D difficulty in giving orders to exclude from
, British ports vessels OF war partly fitted up
0 in tho Uuited Kingdom.
!, A very important point is referred to ir
Q bis letter. Earl Russell notices o state
. ment in letter from Mr.. Adams. in 1863
y as to the government Of Washington being
@ ready to refer these disputes to arbitration
Il Earl Russell declines this cffer, and sayl
q it is question. in the first place, wbethe
L the Queens government have gcted 10 gool
u faith IN maintaining their neutrality and, il
j. the second place, whether the law officer
OF the crown have correctly interpreted
!. British statute.
n Earl Russell continues: The Queens gov
d ernDcnt can refer neither of thcgo ques
d tions to arbitration.
II Tho words used by him are as follows
n Her Majesiys government are the sol
o guardians OF their own honor. Tbey canpo
admit they have acted with bad faith i
D. maintaining the neutrality professed. Th
law cticers of the crown must be held to
], better Interpreters of British statute tha
y any foreign government can be presume
Id to be. Her MajestyIs government mus
g. therefore, decline TO maks reparstion an
D. compensation for captures made by the A
u. abams, or to refer the question to any fol
eign state. Her Mnjesty's government cor
ur ceive that II they we're to act otherwise the
would eudanger the position OF neutrals
70, oil future wars. Her Majestys governmer
IN are, however. ready to consent to the al
re- pointment OF Q commission, to which sha
or be referred all claims arising during ii
70. late civil war, which the two powers sha
ly agree to refer to the commissioners
D." The reply OF Mr.. Adams 10 dated Il
,w 18th of September, and is very serious
= it's tone
nd Mr.. Adams considers that there is nc
ce no dispute az to the fact that the recogr
en- I-tion of the South as bellgerents was SUI
an act as was never done by one nation
d. another in a state of amity. He charg
to the British governments with having act,
without knowledge and upon merepresum
on ton iu assuming that the blockade of q
Southern ports was imperfect. The bloc
ed ade, he says, was the. consequence, not 9
nd cause, of British policy. He thinks that {
oi. only excuse for the British government
that it's conduct was precipitate. He tn
ed intimatee if the doctrines and practices
,as the British government are allowed to
he come the rule, the United States will not
the greater loser thereby. Mr.. Adams d.