The Cleveland leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1865-1865, 1865-06-30

delivered up to the government of the
United States, As being escaped prisoners
/ OF var, her Msiety's government would
beg 70 observe that there is no obligation
by international law which can bind the
/ government OF neutral state TO deliver
up belligerent prisoners of wsr who may
have escaped from the power of such bel
| hgerant and may have taken refuge In tho
| territory Of such neutral Therefore, even
/ If her Msjestys government had any pow
eI by law to comply with the above
mentioned demand, her Msjesty's govern
i ment could not do so without being guilty
4 Of q violation OF the duties Of hospitality"
4 Earl Russell goes on to assure Mr.. Adams
thst the British government
] i"HAge adopted and Will continue to
adopt to the utmost Of their lswful power,
such measures a. may be elective to pre-
| vent the preparation, equipment, and out
\ 6t of any naval expedition from British
shores TO make war against the United
! States. The detention and seizure Of the
| Birkenhead on-clads, and the discussions
| in Parlisment on the subject, suffice 70
show that if complete prevention has not
been obtained, all that the government Of
| this, free country can do 10 stop expeditions
has been fully performed"
So far slPs wen. Lord Russell may not
have pleased the American Government,
but there is nothing in all this to arouss''
them; that was 10 be donein he final para
graph. Earl Russell
I aCsnnbt refrain from observing thst her
Msjesty's Government have been fsr more g
successful in preventing breaches of neu-
trslity with regard TO the fitting out Of
cruisers to take part in the civil war in
North America, than the Government Of
the United States were in preventing the
fitting out of ships of war to aid the South
American republics in their revolt agsinst
Spain, which power then stood in the posi-
ton Of 3 certain authority resisting ilsur-
reetion" .'F 80
! Mr.. Adams replies in letter which has
little Argument In it snd less temper. he
begs TO recall Lord RusselPs attention 10
the "originsl allegation" in his note, which
was ~ -
HTo the effect that Csptsin Semmes and
his companions after being saved from
drowning by the intervention Of Beitish
subject, did not reach the limits Of this
kingdom as 8 refugee cisiming the rights
of hospitality, 80 much as in the position So
3 belligerent determined to make his es-
cape from capture or death to q neutral
territory useful to himself and cause BY
initiating furthe proceeding against his
enemy inthe very place where he claimed
hOspitality.p e.l .r-
Which was probably true; though how
the British Government could be expected
TO deliver up Captain Semmes on that
ground alone is not so clear. Mr.. Adams,
al fvs ~. Nh.E
neither was tue sct of Mr.. Lancaster in
saving Captain Semmes from capture hu-
name, nor is the act of her msiesty's gov
eminent in protecting him to be viewed as
wholly within the limits of that sort Of
hospitality which it would value in any
other nation. Nor is he to be snubbed,
without rejoihder, by Lord Russell's refe :
enee to the -conduet of Americans in the
revolt of the South American republic
against Spain. He asks permission to
point out one circumstance which seemed
70 have escaped his lOrdship's attention.
Z i"Whstever may have been tbs defcien-
cies of the United states in the instance
alluded to, Compensation ihareloF has been p
made TO Spain, and her full and free re-
lease has been given under the sanction Of
her hand to 3 solemn treaty. Whenever
her msjesty's government shall scknowl-
edge itself prepared to perfect the parallel
instance the example nsy be cited
against the United States, but not until
then"
Meanwhile, the American Government
maintains its position and Mr.. Adams is
a ,s-acted to express the Presidents concern
AZ ,ha ,'ailure thus far of efforts that were
- - $50, - = misunderstanding between
tbs two . co,nt,i;as : ."roon point which the
tne Two countries =. .ovna 10 raoard az
American people have = e'lne o, 70 S15 EsgSlu y
seriously affecting their natIG.- '-'''O' anu
dignity" .fs.
The last sentence of this note is rather
portentous. But Karl Russelps reply to it
is less gracious than his previous dispatch
es. He has no wish to prolong the eOntro-
versy on the topic of the Dserhound and
the duties Of hospitality. The real point
is, What is the legal obligation of her Msj-
= , = ssSse-@- -.Ant - the " unitsd States in
these matters On this qnestiO1, Lord
Eussell again afirms:
81. That the municipal laws of this
kingdom gave the government no suthori-
ty TO deliver up to the United States Car
tain Semmes, his officers and men,"
NIhst the law of nations does not i'm
pose upon the government of the United
Kingdom the duty of delivering up to the
= =
United States persons in the condition of
Captain Semmes, and such Of his officers
and men as had tsken refuge in this coun-
try. al a.t ,..f..ff
As to the difference between the United
States and Spain in 1878, the Spanish Min
lister complained to the government of the
United States s notorious system Of piIlsge
and aggression, organized in several ports
Of the Union against the vessels and prop
erty of the Spanish nation. In 1919,
treaty was signed between the two cour-
tries, renouncing all elsims Of damages
which they themselves ss we'll as their re-
speetive citizens and subjects, may have
suffered until the time of signing. the
treaty. Now, Gays Lord Russell, it can
be said that treaty arrangement
for the mutual abandonment of claims con-
stilutes 8 specific grant of comPensstiOn.- ,
This is sll we have in the correspondence
at present; but the installment sufficiently
displays the plan in which our government
have met q very dangerous and delicate
demand. OF course it would be premature
10 give any opinion on 80 small portion
Of SO long 8 correspondence; but it is some
thing to be able to say, at any point of q
series Of Earl Russells dispatches, Hsasis-
fact0rysO far
-.- FOrd's Theatre,
Ford's Theatre inside presents a scene of
the greatest confusion. All the properties,
ward rolhaa fnrniturA ekn 81 ara s,ilad rpo, -