New-York daily tribune., 1866-01-15
The Diplomatic Correspondence
Between MIR. Adams and
Lord Clarendon.
Comment Of the English
Press


day. Her news has been anticipated. We give below
the comments OF twoof the leading London papers on
the diplomatic correspondence between Mr.. Adams
and Lord Clarendon:
From The Daily News. Dec 26
To many IL will surely be considerable relief that the
correspondence between the British and the American
Governments with respect 10 the damage inflicted by
Confederate cruisers has at last been brought to a
close. The sui iect has been completely exhausted
aud the only possible effect Of proonging the argu-
meni would be Ito introduce acrmony into the rela-
ions between the two countries. 1t would serve no
useful purpose state the pleadings either side The
misfortune is that no tribunal should exist before
which the pleadings could be laid. ana which should
have authority 10 pronounce final decision. II is vain
10 hope hat the Americans viii forego the claims which
they have put forward and according TO Lord Russell
and his successor there il little prospect that the
English Government will abandon the position which IL
has now assumed. But time works wonders. Already
our contemp porary the Tiss looks forward to the time
when Joint commission rerhaps not limited 10 Eng
land and America shall be appointed to recast the
whole chapter Of international Jaw which treats OF neu-
trs rights and duties Other journals are disposed to
adopt the same tone. And. indeed there are unms-
tax ibe signs tina, the day must soon arrive when ma
tons viii be compelled Ia submit their disputes to some
International tribunal before they viii consider them
selves justified in enforcing this right by force OF arms
In the meantime II nav ba useful "a state
the principles of international law which Lord Russell
and Lord Clarendon have laid down. and the conse-
ouences that must follow from them. Lord Clarendon
distinctly asserts that the British Government have
steadily and honestly discharged all 'he duties incum
bent them neutral Power. and have never de-
Waited from the obllg aons IMPOSED upon Them by In
irrational law. II IL also admitted not only by the
American but also oy the British Minister that the e1
existing lsvs on the British s,atnie.book are
utterly Intellectual to stop the dispatch OF such
ships as the Alabama, the Shenandoah. and other
cruisers Of the like sort But IL Is further maintained by
tie British Minister. that although the American
statute law contains more stringent provisions than
own these provisions are equally inefficient 10 stop
such expeditions. 1t is rnuintained. moreover. by the
British Minister that although the inecency ~ these
atutes has demonstrated By the experience OF
the years AID although the result OF tie present
II the law has been that American commerce has
been swept frrm the by the lSnbama and
her consorts the British Government under
no obligation 10 improve her statute OF mum.
cipa law by rendering 's provisions more stringent
and that BY uerlecting 10 do 70 this country
incurred no LIABILITY. II may be presumed thnt
IN the opinion Of the British Minister no iT"psitons
lees extensive than iese "ouh suh.e 10
cover the position oi the British Government Never
theess they startling propositoDs anc u Is but too
obvious that If this country were now at war they
wond led IN start ing consequences. For what have
We done We have taught the American aud every
foreign government that the Of a nenfas duty
toward beiycrent Is the British Foreign Enlistment
Act that having tins Act on our statute book We arc
statute which has been found utterly powefess 10 pre-
rent the destruction of American commerce during the
late civil war s the only kind Of statute which any
can he called upon 10 pass or 10 enforce; that all
the additional securities which were supposed 10
| he contained in the American ststnie BOOK are
useless and that in case OF war their provisions
might be repealed left unenforced, wit ou' ex.
| posing the American Government to the charge OF
neclectinQ their duties as feutTas IL snch the
principles whsh 10 be applied 10 the people o TINS
country when they are next engaged IN var II Is not
difficult anticipate the fate Of the British mercantile
navy Its destruction by cruisers obtained from
American ports must be speedy and complete and
neither the American Cover nm"nt nor any other Gov
ernment will be deied responsible. In short no
new laws need he pste and those already IN existence
are admitted 10 b. a, souiely useless such is the
which follows from The Justification OF leir
conduct put forward by the British Government.
But ei us hope that there are some men IN Parla-
msnt whO III discern the character Of this argument
The common sense Of the nation cannot be 81 hood
winked. War must he admitted Ia be always possbie
ana 10 leave questions ~ sach Gravity unsoyed would
be 10 expose interests 20 too serious rss II the
argument were worth anyhing-ifth the statutes of Ia
gland and America afc 30 utterly useless-l ought 10
prove that IN the laws Of both countries
was iuperatlyely needed. And seems that LOrI Ras
sell feeling ths. actue y suggcFcG to The American
Government ihfyfopneiy of making some chahfe. IL
some mode Of sett nr the EXISTING disputes upon this
very suhjrct has been agreed to. Indeed, secord-
ing 10 Sir. Adams. tiis the very suggestion
which the American Government pressed upon the at
icntion Of the British Government at the commence
rnept Of the civil II il The same suggestion Which
was then rejected by TIE British Cabinet. III" says
Mr. Adams the reasons for IL sOnrd LOW, uL st
loss TO perceive why they did not avail during aperod
when NY country copd have felt tie benoht Of theLI
To ADOPT the suggestion now wonld he ~ pro-
ceed upon thes assumption that the duties OF ncu'
traliy lad changed their character since ihc concu
SION Of the This s Obviously absurd. IL The
municipal law enforcing these duties ought TO be made
stringent now, 1t ought TO have been made more
stringent before the war cl0sed and the Government
which declined 10 take this must be responsible
for whatever damoge has resulted from Is neglect Inc
other words. the Ghestion. what are The duties o'
Deurai must precede the question. ought zoe statute
enforcing them TO be- altered Means should therefore
be taken 10 ascertain whether durAg the AiucIioan
civil war England performed her duty. This can ony
be done by referring the matter In dispute to Conn
mission; and that Lord Russell and his successor
have refused to refer the matter II eau only be done by
the intery enon OF Parliament.
from The London Times. Dec Is.
We may congratulate Mr.. Adams, as well as
Lord Clarendon and ourselves ,he close Of a
spoIdence which had ceased TO any useful pnr
pose The question 0f liability for the dcprcdalyns
Of the Alabama and the many other questions arising
OF it, have long since been exhausted 80 far as II 10
poss ole for any subject 10 be exhausted in diplomatic
controversy UDhapplly. there is one sense in which
this II not possible II IL not possible In an exchange OF
dspaic at long intervals between the representatives,
Of TWO great countries TO observe the stct rules oi
pleading which render the issue narrower ana simpler
1T each stage On the contrary II Is far more pronD
If not inevitable that II should become by degrees more
ard more complicated, until the original point III us'
pute Is lost among amaze OF dgressons ana prccedehs
Such has IN fact been the with the discussion ~
which the termination appeared In our Impression OF
SATURDAY IL Is due 10 Lord Russell and his successor
ON the hand and to Mr. Adams on the other to nc
il has been conducted. Everything that could be
said has been said many times over, ana several
things, perhaps. which need not have been SAID, ana
would have been better left unsaid. At the same
time the result ig unsatisfactory and the why
it Is unsatisfactory Is quite obvious The OASIS OF ~
was neyei settled with any precision. nnd mas been
widened or shifted by either disputant, as occasion
might require IL Mr. Adams has IN this respect been
the greater offender 1t Is because part was assigned
10 him which e.t him alternative. On the ground
Of positive law Lord Russes main position was almost
iupresaabe for i could not be maintained that any
nation IS responsible damages for acts done beyond
jts Jurisdiction and control, and Mr.. Adams could