The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-01-15
Our War Claims Against England.

fTtM he Hefd(d
The position which our Government has as
sumed with reference to the claims against the
Government OF England, arising out of the action
of that country in connection with the Rebel
privateers Alqbanlnl and Shenandoah, was fully
explained in the lengthy correspondence be-
tween Mr.. Adams and Lord Clarendon published
in our columns last Friday. While we cannot
but admire the firm and explicit terms in which
our Minister at the Court OF her Britannia Ma.
jesty has defied the whole subject we are
astonshed at the peurile ana offensive manner
in which the question has been treated by Lord
Clarendon. The representative of the new Brl-
tsh Ministry IN the Foreign Office has not at.
tempted to treat The subject in any other LIGHT
than tnat in which it was viewed by his prede-
Cessor. Earl Russell. He presents no new facts
and adduces no new arguments. His cOrrespon.
dence can only be regarded as repetition OF
the feeble logic OF Earl Russell, upon whose
authority he seems to rely as an eb cdthedra
declaration of the policy OF her Maiesty's Gov
ernment upon question which this country
justly considers of grave moment in the settle
ment OF vital international principles as wen as
OF serious importance in the light OF her own
dignity as great Power.
against the British Government Not bubble
nor shuttle in the whole Russell Clarendon cor
respOndence can stand against the solid facts and
manly logic OF our Minister. Conscious, there
fore, of this fact, and evidently overlooking the
danger to which England may be exposed by a
refusal to concede our claims, Lord Clarendon
brings the controversy TO an end by the cool
assumption that all the topics are eXhauste !,
with wnat may imply a threat that the further
continuance Of the argument might lead to un-
friendly relations between the two countries.
What the future relationship may be between
the Two Governments of the United States and
England is to be decided by the people and Gov
eTnment OF the United States, in the event of
her Maiesty's Ministers persisting in a refusal OF
our demands. Whlle we do not court war with
any power, 1t must be understood that this
country is in position to maintain all her claims
to iul and perfect justice.
There are certain public questions upon which
the American poodle are a unit. One OF them is
the necessity oil Macmillan Withdrawing from
Mexico, and another the full decentralization
for the losses TO our commerce on the high seas,
for whicn the Government OF England can be
held responsible. II is well that foreign states
men should explicitly understand this; and il
Lord Clarendon Is not already aware OF it. we
now recommend the fact to hls especial notice
In closing his correspondence the British
Foreign Secretary descends to diplomatic false
hood when he SAYS that during the late civil
war no armed vessel departed from British
port to cruise AGAINST the commerce of the United
States. 1t IS notorious that the two pirate!
concerning which this controversy has ariseI
were fitted out Tor the purpose, and with all thC
accommodations Of armed vessels, although thu