, 1866-01-02
q . . . y

ended, has left some tracrs In our relations
with one at least Of the great maritime
Powers. The formal accordance of bel
llgtrent rights to the insnrgrnt States
was un precedentrd, and has not been
justified by the issue. Bat in the Sys-
trm> of neutrality pursued 10y the Powers
which made that coucs>slou, there was a
marked difference. The materials Of
war for the insu'gfnt States were fur
nlshed, in a gr'a' measure, from he work
shops of Great Britain and British sh pS,
nannrd Ivy British subjects, and prepar-
ed for receiving British armtmrntS, sail
cd from the ports of Great Britain to
make war on American commerce., under
the Sht tier of a commission from the in
sutgut States. These ships, having
o.c, escaped from British ports, ever af-
terNard~ entered them in every part of
the world, to refi, and so renew their de-
prtdAlIous. The consequences OF this
conduct were NEST disastrous TO the
States thrn in rebellion, increasing their
deso,atlon and misery by The prolonga-
ton Of our civil contest. Il had, more
over, IN, IF ct, to a great extent, to
drive the American hlg from the sea, and
to Transfer much Of our Shipping and our
commerce TO the very Power whose sub
ices had created the necessity for such Il
change. These events took place before
I Was called 10 the administration Of the
Government. The sincere desire for
peace by which | am animated led me 10
approve the proposal, already made, to
submit the questions which had thus
arisen between the |couutrit to arbltra-
ton These questions are Of such mo-
ment that thy must have commanded
the attention of The grta, Powers, and are
81 interviewer with the peace and utter
cstS Of every one OF them as to have en-
surrd an impartial decision. | regret TO
ilfotm YOU that Great Britain declined
the urbIiramtnt, but, on the other hand,
inv ted Us to the formation of IA ioInl COM
mission TO settle mutual claims between
the IEo countries, f, om which those for
The drpr. datlous before mentioned should
be excluded. The proposition, In that
very Unsatisfactory form has been declined.
The United states dill not present the
subject as an Impeachment of The good
lal;h Of Il Power which was protesting
the most friendly dispositions, but rs M
@yolviu2 ques ions Of public law, OF which
the S tIl' mo- nj is c>sentl j to HE peace
OF nations and, lt'on9h prrnalary rrPa-
ia ion 10 lh.lr injured citlzpn$ would
have followed incidentally on a d, clSlon
against Great B ali, such compensation
was not their primary Inject. Trey had
a higher mo'i.e, aau ii was In III inter
eStS OF peace aud i%H$tic, 10 establish inn
northnt principles u. .uterna3ionaI law.
The c,rte<poadpt G. VIII br placed be-
fore You The g quad on which the BIZ
ti~h Minister r.Sjs his Justification is,
substantially, that the municipal law OF Il
nation, and the domestic interpretations
oflhat law, are the measures of lis duty
as u neutral and | trel bound to declare
my opinion, before you and before the
world, that that jus ifcatlon cannot be
sustained before The tribunal Of nations.
At the same time | do not advise to any
present attempt at redress by acts of Ie-
g.slation. For the future, friendship be-
tween tn two countries must rest IN
the oasis Of mutual justice.
f'rom the moment of The establishment
e our free Constitutions, the clv!tized
world. has has been CONFUSED by revniu-
tions in the interests Of democracy or of
monarchy /; but through all those revo-