East Saginaw courier. (East Saginaw, Mich.) 1859-18??, 1866-11-22
From the london Times, October 30)
THE ALABAMA CLAIMS. ~
The Derby Cabinet Again Urged to
Mako Sor,na Sort of Sat,io,,o,,t .

Mako Some Sort Of Settlement.
We have moro than onco during
the present autumn reminded our
readers Of the outstanding Alabama
claims. If these claims were, as
some people think, destitute Of all le-
gal or reasonable foundation = still
more, if they were preferred out Of q
mere desire to pick quarrel with us,
it would bo useless to waste words
upon thom. No ono, however great
may be his horror Of war, can MAIN
tain that an entirely groundless de-
mand ought to be allowed for tho
sake Of peace, by Christian nation,
or that such a concession would haye
any other effect than to invite further
aggression, The question, however,
wears a different aspect. 1t is certain
whatever view may be taken on this
side of the Atlantic, an almost univer-
sal opinion prevails ON the other that
the United States have suffered a gre
yious wrong at onr hands, and that
we have denied through our govern
ment Legitimate claim for reparation.
This in itself constitutes a strong case
for consideration, and, if necessary,
far reconsideration. A nation, like
an individual, is not an impartial
Judge in its own cause, bnt this re-
mark applies To ourselves as well
as to the other party, and justice COM
pels us to observe that in offering TO
submit the matter to arbitration the
Americans have given the best proof
of confidence in the justice of their
position. Few lawyers. indeed, look
ing mt the circumstance from a purely
legal point Of view, will deny that a
great deal may be said for the argu-
ments embodied in tho dispatches of
Mr. Adams and Mr. Seward.
If the dictates of justice bo doubt
full, those of policy are clear. Great
Britain has everything to gain by the
adoption of code whereby weaker
maritime power may bo restrained
from equipping Alabamas in Ameri-
can ports. Our navy may or may not
not be the most powerful in the world
but, if 1T was ten times as powerful
as it is, it could not protect our COM
merce against privateers built any
where and commissioned nowhere.
1t is said, but without due regard to
past experience, that in time Of war
the United States would never allow
their ship building trade to be preiu-
diced by such engagements. Asser-
tion of this kind are not only insult
ing TO tho honor of kindred nation,
but unjust in the highest degree. The
original foreign Enlistment Act of
1894, so damaging to French inter-
osts, was passed by Congress when
sentiments of friendship towards
France and illwill TO England were
at their height, and the decisions of
United States courts on direct ques-
tons Of international law are deserv-
edly quoted with the greatest respect
in our own. Though we lament the
lately shown to retaliate
supposed injuries at our hands by al
tering the existing American law in
the wrong direction. we do not believe
that as it stands it would bo pervert-
ed by American judges, or that a.
more stringent act, if passed by the
legislatures of both countries, would
fail to be enforced in either. Let us
anticipate. then, the violent counsels
Of dominant party by conciliatory
overtures, which would be appreciat-
ed by the whole nation. We have a
foreign secretary who is not only free
to do so, without any sacrifice of per-
sonal dignity, but enjoys the rare
cpFdlt ehqh at hbme- aud ahr9ad. of
Such an opportunity, if lost, may not
recur before some fresh dispute arises
to coniound the merits Of that now
pending, and to make its settlement
impossible.