The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1866-11-17
FECM. EU ROPE e.
ENGLAND Ans TiIE UNITED STArES-TiIE
ALABAMA CiAN1IS.
FIRM. lie ho.:,ioa Times, oc'o0cy 2O.j

4! ALBANIA tiANiNS.
ryr,. II, Ea:,j,i Times oc,o0c.' aO.j
.rbo r,lai;oas Of Great britain with the United
Stu. ar, IN " condition which, ri first sight APP
pra"g Ag'iN anDuGlol3. Nohing can ba more
iricnG'r 80 fu. =; tie public knows, than the dip
lolnp si p.crraUI>c bCrWCCn The two Governments:
no colii.n. q interests, present prospCctivc
iustiti.nau attitude of suspicion either side;
and I'll tIl.t las occurred since the close OF the
war has rather tended to Favor MI amnesty Of past
misEI lin,iingj. Yet, i'll the very last session
of Congress. and while full Justice wis being done
by all parties in thi5 country to the vigorous exc
and Mr.. Seward, tho Committee of Foreign Affairs
had recommended the House OF Representatives
to make uose very laws less stringent and roso-
I'D to the Senate.
II In short, whilo wc arc ostcnsibly on good orms
spires TO strengthen the bonds OF amity between
the two Ango-Saxon communities, root of bitter
ness yet remains which may bear evil fruit at any
mOnlent.
There is time for nll things, and tho time has
come when it is possible and expedent to discuss
without prejudice or rcscrvo the main cause of this
estrangcment. We have moro than once during
the present autumn reminded our readers Of the
outstanding Alabama claims. If these claims were
as people think, destitute of all legal or rea,
sonable foundation-stim more, if they were prefer
red out Of more desire 10 pick quarred with us,
it would be useless to waste words upon them. No
one, however sincere may be his honor of war, can
maintain that an entirely groundless demand ought
to be allowed, for the snko of ponce, by Christian
nation, or that such concession would have any
other etc effect than to Invite further aggros-
very different aspect. It is certain that, whatever
Wow may bo taken on this side of tho Atlantic, an
that the United States have suffered src Gus
wrong at Our hands, and that we have denied
through our Government legitimate claim for
Ior consideration, and, if necessary for recon-
sderaton. A nation, like an individual, is not an
impartial Judge in its own cause, but this remark
applies to ourselves as well rs to tho other party
to submit tho matter to arbitration the Americans
have given the best proof of confidence i'll the JUS
ticc OF their position. Few lawyers, indeed look
ing at the circumstances from purely legal point
OF view, will deny That great deal may be said for
the arguments embodied in Tho dispatches of Mr.
Adams and MIR. Seward. A compendious statement
OF thcso arguments may be found in tho North
American Review for the present month, and if
they fall short OF establishing tho liability of Great
her consorts, they go far to show, what has often
Doen admitted IN our own columns, that she rep
rcsents 4 caSuS OnlisSTs in international law,
Lord Russell denied, in substance
that anything beyond an honest application OF our
own municipal statutes can be required Of us by n
foreign power, and declined to ontortan the aues-
ton whether, in fact, our Foreign Enlistment Act
had been applied in good faith. But no one had
raised this question, while another question
promptitude- excluded by his general doc
trlne. Here is the weak point Of our advocates
reasoning % and it is right that We should acknowl
obligations are limited by the provisions of NUM-
cipal legislation though apparently sanctioned by
the high authority Of the lato Attorney General is
assuredly not above dispute, and if this principle
ba surrendered we can hardly help recognizing the
conflicting ''equities" of two innocent parties in
the Alabama caso
Upon this ground alone VIC should regard re-
ference of these claims to joint Commission with
great satisfaction, but it is not upon this ground
alone that we venture to urge this course upon the
attention of Lord Stanley. If tho dictates Of JUS
tice be doubtful, those of policy clear. Groat
Britain has everything to gain by tho adoption of
code whereby weaker maritime power may be re-
strained from equipping Alabamas in American
ports. Our navy may OF may not be the most pow
erfu III the world but, if it ten times as pow
marine against privateers built anywhere and com
mlsaioned nowhere. It is said, but without due
regard 10 past experience, that in time of war tho
United States would never allow their shipbuilding
sertons of this kind are not only Insulting to the
nonor OF kindred nation, but unjust in tho high
est degree. Tho original Foreign Enlistment
Act OF l19i so damaging to French interests,
ship towards France and illwill towards England
We're at their height, and the decisions OF tho
United States Courts on delicate points Of inter
national law are dcscrvcdly quoted with the great
est rcpect III our own. Though we lament the dis
position lately shown to retalate supposed injuries
at our hands by altering the existing American law
IN the wrong direction, we do not believe that as
1t stands, it would be perverted by American
Judges, or that moro stringent act, IL passed by
the Legislatures of both countries, would fail to be
enforced i'll either. Let us anticipate then, the
Yolont counsels of dominant party by conciliatory
overturcs which would be appreciated by the whole
ilaIon. We have foreign secretary who is not
only free to do So without any sacrifice Of personal
dignity, but enjoys the rare credit, both at homo
and abroad, of beng superior to national preju-
dccs. Such an opportunity, if lost, may not re-
cur before somo fresh dispute arises to confound
the merits OF that now pending, and to mako its
HcttlCment mDoasible