The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1866-10-21
Our Alabama Claims.


It appears to be q more difficult
matter to get our own Government to
make the demand than it promises to
be to force that Of England to pay
eu Alabama claims. The important
speech of Lord Stanley, and the not
less significant extracts from the Lon
don Times, which we gave in yester-
days Herald would indicate not
merely a disposition to come to a
quiet settlement, but also that it is
the fixed policy of the new admins
tration of Earl Derby to conciliate
this nation, instead of pursuing the
false policy of Earl Russell. 1t is by
no means forced conclusion to as
sumo that the Times article fore
shadowed this change of policy; and
certain it is that it indicates a great
change on the subject in the public
sentiment of the country. The
speech of Lord Stanley is eminently
conciliatory and reveals an earnest
desire on his part to explain away
Observation-Disclosures misun-
derstandings, as he calls them; but
the mistake is all on the English side
with regard to the Alabama claims
The article of the Times commencing
the speech says it was ''designed to
satisfy the United States, and that
English relations with this country
care safe in his hands" 1t will have
been noticed, too, that an important
passage Of the other article which we
quoted, and which proposed an
international commission to decide
upon the Alabama claims, explains a
presupposed difference between the
policy of Lord Stanley and that Of
Earl Russell. IN brief, the tone of
the speech, the articles, and of pub
lie sentiment generally in England
with regard to this country, shows
that the policy of the Derby ad-
ministration is changed and much
modified from that of Earl Russell,
and that nothing remains to be done
by this country but to make firm
demand for settlement, backed by a
plain intimation that in case of
refusal to settle on equitable terms,
the United States proposes to take its
just pay out of Canada or out Of
English commerce.
But it seems that the administration
has not nerve enough to make this
demand in a prompt and decided
manner. English opinion has been
changed, English policy in this regard
modified and altered-not by the
action Of the Government, but, as
Lord Stanley intimates, by the tone
of the newspapers and declarations of
the merchants of this country That
the public sentiment of this country
demands indemnity for our losses by
the action Of England in building
pirate ships for the rebels, has been
made clearly evident to the British
but it is apparently unperceived, or
if observed, misunderstood by our
own Government. The favorable
opportunity for this desirable settle
ment has come. England shows dis
position, and our merchants indicate
by their late movements at Washing
ton determination to come to a
final settlement of the question, and
nothing remains for Mr. johnson to
do but make the demand in unequi-
vocal language. Let the intention
to enforce these demands be made
definitely and Immediately, and they
will be as good as settled. The first
step should be made by the retire
ment of Mr.. Seward from the Cabi-
net. He has done all that one man
could do to misrepresent the senti-
ment of this people on foreign ques-
tions, and his dismissal from the
Cabinet would do more to indicate to
France and England that the admin
stration at last comprehends the feel
ings and accedes to the demands of
the people on the subject of the
Alabama claims and the Monroe doc
trine than any one act in Mr.. John