, 1865-03-28
OUR RELATIONS WITH ENG
LAND.


On the 9th inst. q significant passage oc-
cured in the House of Commons. Lord R.
Cecil asked the Under Secretary for Foreign
Affairs whether any communications had
been received during the last SIX months at
the Foreign Office from the American Gov
ernment Or the American Minister, demand
| ing compensation for losses occasioned to cit
iz.ns Of the United States by the operations
| Of the Alabama or other vessels commissioned
| By the Government of the Confederate States;
| and. If 80, whether he had any objection to
| lay The papers relating to such demands upon
the table Of the House.
Mr. Layard replied that no such comnnni
cation had been received during the last six
| months.
| Mr. Bright then asked Mr. Layard whether
numerous claims had not been made by the
| Epglfeh Government against the United
States, Arising from transactions during the
wars
.Mr. Layard replied afIlrmatfyely, aud added
that these. claims had been forwarded to
Washington.
The London Nescs sets forth this matter in a
clearer way, as follows:
"Last night Lord Robert Cecil put ques-
| tiou to the Government on subject which
has Ia ely acquired factitfons Importance.
Great pains have been taken ,of late to per-
suade the public that the Government OF the
United States Is nursing grudse against us,
and the next Liverpool steamer will take out
tu America the astounding assertion Of one
Of our principal journals, that this fact makes
Epg,Ishmen less eager than they otherwise
| would be 1Dr the termination OF the Amesi-
can war. It was very difficult +, support
these representations: Of tue policy of ths
ence to facts, but the claims which that Gov
crnment made long ago Upon our OWL for
damages sustained By its.peaceful citizens BY
the depredations Of the Alabama are matters
/ of.ecold. It was therefore thought expedt-
cnt by those who on this side Of the Atlantic
! make it their business to cultivate policy Of
ttstrust between tue two c,unt.ies, to repfe-
sent that the Government Of the United
States was pressing claius which It would be
the duty Of our own Government to resist.
Lord Robert Cecil's question oflast evening
grew ont of the state uf opinion which these
lepresentationsh had fostefed.
The question was answered by Mr. Layard,
who stared that mo such communication
hud been received from tue American Gov
tIpment." HIS reply will dtsappoint the
hopes that have been fed on tho prospect Of
IN embodiment OF this country with the Uni
ted States but VIC arc greatly mistaken II 1t
has ut a1l.1isappolnted the authors Of the
alarming reports which have 81 iudustriously
been circulated, to tho destruction of pubic
confidence, the Limitation OF business, and
the depreciation Of property. These men arc
adopts in the trade Of spreading false news,
and whether they announce great European
league against England, as ID The spring Of
1855, or tho certain conclusion Of peace, as
Inst August, tho effect Is equauy disastrous.
overthrowing commercial houses end bring
ing families to ruin.
".Therc is no journalist In position to be
called on to state the relations between the
government OF Great Britain and America
who has not always had tie means Of know
ing the facts stated last night By Mr. Layard.
Owing to the form Of Lord Robert Cecfl's
ever, be stated in MIR. Layards reply. As
long ago Us October, 1868, Mr.. Seward wrote
to- Dir. Adams despatch, afterwards pub
llshtd In all our newspapers, IN which the
writer set forth the grounds on which his
goyernment claimed 10 bold that Of Great
Britain responsible for the damage done by
the A1abaue. Having stated these, Mr..
se1atd proceeded thus: In saying this,
however, 1t is not to be understood that the
United States intend to act dogmatically or
| in litiglous spirit. They are seriously and
| earnestly dcsirous to maintain not only peace,
but eyeI; a,nity, with Great Britain. =
This Government eon!esses very freely that 1t
dues not regard the present hour as one
,hat is entirely favorable to ca1n
md candid examination Of either the facts
| or The principles involved in such cases as
the Alabama. It looks fof1kard to period
when our intestine WAT shalt flaye ceased, aud
the interests and passions which II has
awakened abroad as well as ut home shall
have subsided and disappeared, Though IN
lu1ging a c+.n6dtnt belief in the correctness
Of our positions IN regard to the claims IN
question, and others, we shall be willing at
all timcs hereafter, as well rs now, to con
| gder the evidence and the arguments which
her MaJcsty's government may Offer, to show
that tht J are invalid, and IL we shail not be
confined, there Is no fair and just form OF
which we shall not be willing to submit
them.' These words we're written, as We have
eo,d, seventeen months ago. We should have
been glad II Lord Robert Cecn's question had
been whether since that date the American
government had pressed The matter on the
changed the basis on which 1T Was placed In
Mr.. SeYald's despatch. We believe the an
s*er would have been satisfactory to the
public.
the discussion Of this and similar questions,
time that the lAnYuage in which they are
treated In newspapers should become CON
lormnble to the usages By which civilized M
ttops regulate their intercourse. That claims
on England by the United States, and On the
United States BY England, should have
grown out Of this war was inevitaae, and
hour spirited blockade runners have done their
best 10 increase both their number and ims
ro1tance. The statesmen Of both countries
have to accept this state Of things aud to
render 1t as harmless us possible. Claims
viii be preferred on both sides, some Of which
will be admitted, while others willhe chal-
lenged in whole or in part, and will then be-
COME the subject Of negotiation. ! We have,
indeed, seen It stated within these few days
that it is the business of English statesmen
to see that We arc not placed uudcr the
| tranapra3 nf hpviur claims urged up1u U9
that we cannot admit. THIS is a pretens!on
to be exempt from the ordinary lot Of all
communities. 1t is needless to say that nc
rntional Eng.ishman expects such q service
from ourpublic men. Our government has
only TO perseveEe 10 Its present course, acting
pretenslons. It will tuen command the sup
port Of united md patriotic people, and We
} Shall not need to disqulet ourselves although
; our neighbors should become unreasonable ;