The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-12-18
SPIRIT or THE PRESS.
EprToRIAu OPINIONS OF THE LEADING JOURNALS
UPON CURRENT ToP1Cs-CoMPmED EVERY
DAY PoR TBB EVENING TELEGRAPH.
The Alabama Claims.

HE wo Governments shows not only tnat no
lrooress has been made, but that the position
iaksp resneotively by the two Governments
Tanders Il almost impossible that any should
he made towards a settlement by arbitration.
When the new British Ministry came into
mower, one of the first acts of Lord Stanley
Tyas to reverse Earl Russell's action, and to
Inform our Government that he was willing
thus to attempt the adjustment of these
i claims. Mr.. Seward, in reply, said that we
should expect the recognition of the Southern
COnfederates as belligerents by the English
Government to be also submitted to arbitra-
lion.
This was peremptorily refused by the Bri-
tsh Secretary; and in the course of the cor
Tespondence which ensued, Lord Stanley said
that the precise question on which Great Bri-
tain was ready to 60 to arbitration was,
SIWhether in the matters connected with the
vessels, out of whose depredations the claims
Of American citizens have arisen, the course
pursued by the British Government, and those
who acted upon its authority, was such as
would involve moral responsibility on the
part of the British Government to make good,
either in whole or in part, the losses Of Anne
rican citizens"
Mr.. Seward virtually authorized the accept
ance of this proposition as sufficiently compre-
hensive, but with the understanding that the
Government of the United States ''would
deem itself at liberty to insist before the
arbiter that the actual proceedings and rela-
tions of the British Government, its officers
agents, and subjects, towards the United
States in regard TO the Rebellion and the
Rebels, as they occurred during that Rebel
lion, are among the matters which are con-
nected with the vessels whose depredations
are complained Of"
This of course implied that, in prosecuting
our claims for losses by the Alabama, we
should feel at liberty to urge the recognition
Of the Confederates as beligerents by the
British Government, as among the grounds of
our claim-inasmuch as it was one of the
reasons for the depredations of the Alabama.
Mr.. Seward sought thus to bring "reeogni-
tion' into the case, if not as matter for direct
arbitration, as one of the reasons for claiming
damages for other acts.
The latest letter of Lord Stanley distinctly
refuses to admit this construction of his former
proposal. He says that the British Govern
ment "cannot depart, directly or indirectly,
from their former refusal to refer to foreign
power to determine whether the policy of re-
COgnizing the Confederate States as bellige-
rent power was or was not suitable to the
circumstances of the time when the negotia-
lion was made.' Any arbitration that is
had must proceed con the assumption that
an actual state of war existed between the
Government of the United States and the
Confederate States" and it would be for the
there had been any such failure of duty on
the part of the British Government as would
make them responsible for losses by the Ala
bama and other vessels of her class.
This despatch bears date November Is;
what reply it has received we have yet to
learn. 1t seems clear, however, that the arbi-
tration cannot proceed on the basis proposed
by Mr.. Seward. Whether that proposed by
the British Government which does not strike
us as illiberal, shall be accepted, or whether
other measures shall be resorted to to obtain
redress, is point which will soon demand the
decision Of our Government.
The Coming Political Revolution at
HOmes
From the NJ ?. Herald
AT the time of the Connecticut State election
last spring, when the Republicans put hum,
bug Snowman upon their ticket for Congress,
we predicted that the people, already begin
ming to be dissatisfied with the policy of the
radicals, would repudiate the party thus
abusing its power and reject the whole Of its
candidates. The result verified our predic-
tion and the rebuke administered to the Re-
publicans was so severe that we at once dis
covered in it the indication Of coming politi-
cal revolution throughout the country,
directed against the atrocious legislation OF
the radical Congress. In the elections that
followed in Maine and California, and subse-
quently in Pennsylvania and Ohio this revo-
tuition began to take form and substance, and,
despite the desperate efforts of the Republi-
cans to account for their sudden reyerses on
the plea of local issues, or the Indifference OF
their supporters, Occasioned by over confidence
in their own strength, it became evident that
a deep feeling was at work among the people,
and it seemed as if the doom Of radicalism
Were already sealed.
The tremendous change that followed in the
votes of the States holding their elections in
November, and especially the disastrous over
throw of the radical State ticket in New York,
and the complete annihiation of the party in
the metropolis, put the matter beyond ques-
tiOn or dispute and so alarmed the radical
leaders as to summarily stop the Impeachment
agitation in Congress. 1t is clear, how
ever, that the Republicans still remain re-
solved upon carrying out their reconstruction
policy at the South and will persist in their
enorIs 10 bring the Southern States back into
the Union under the political control of the
prutanZeu ana ignorant negro population, in
order that they may add to the strength OF
their party In the approaching Presidential
election.
Under these circumstances we oradiot tba
elimination in November next of the nolticaI
revolution of which we have alread,y f,It tIa
first shock. From all the symptoms tbat sTr,
round us it is easy to foresee that the vio,enoo
and folly of Congress, in forcing upon tbe
country policy entirely foreign to our ipsti
tutions, and in conflict with all our ideas q
freedom, justice, and generosity, will unit,
H.. a..