New-York tribune., 1867-09-12


tain for damages which were suffered by them during the
period Of late civil and some months thereafter
by means Of depredati0ns upon our commercial nafe
committed the high by the Sumter the Alabama,
the Florida, the Shenandoah, and other ships Of war,
which built, manned, armed. equipped and fitted
ont in British ports, and dispatched therefr0n by
through the agency OF British subjects and which
harbored sheltered, provided and furnished
required, during their devastating career in ports OF the
realm the ports of the British Colonies IN nearly s
parts Of the globe.
The table supposed to he complete but presents
snch reeapituaton of the claims the evidence Tins
far received in this Department enables 10 furnish
Deficiencies will he supplied hereafter. Most Of the
claims have been from time to time brought by yCnrse
the President directed the notice Of Her Maestys
Government and made the subject of earnest and
tinued appeal That appeal intermitted Only when
Her Maiestys Government after elaborate discussions
refused either to allow the claims, to refer them to
Joint claims commission, 10 submit the question ~
liability therein 10 any form of arbitration. Tho United
States on the other hand have all the time insisted
the claims rs Just and valid This attitude has been and
doubtlessly continues 10 be. well understood by Her
Msjestys Government. The considerations wEcb in
clned this Government to suspend for time the pres
sure Of the claims upon the attention Of Great Britain
were these:
The political excitemens Great Britain which
during the progress the war and which did not
atey subsde at its conclusion seemed to render that
period what unfaVOraDlc 10 deliberate eNalnaiOn
OF the very grave questions which the claims involve
The attention Of this Government during the
period largely ongrossed by questions at home abroad
- peculiar interest ana urgency Inc BRUSH 'oNeth-
,ient has seemed 10 have been similarly engaged
These circumstances have now passed away and hine
has arrived when il believed that the subject nay
ceiye just attention III D0tn countries. ..,,
The principles upon which the claims are asserted by
the United states have been explained by yourself
elaborate correspondence with Earl Russell aud Lord
cheney to he supplied by this Department Tins, II II
should be the pleasure Q. Her Majesty Government TO
TO the subject in friendly spirit the materials for
any discussion Oh your part Will be found is the
records Of your legation properly and duly prepared Tor
you now call the attention Of Lord Stanley 10 the claims
IN respectful, but earnest manner and inform hlm that
come urgently necessary to reGstabishment OF entirely
friendly relations between the United States and Great
This Government, while it thus insists upon these par
ticular claims is neither desirous nor willing 10 alme
an attitude unknd uDc0nciliaory toward Great Bnt
II on her part there are claims either OF CONNER
ciai regulation, which Her Majesys Government esteem
important to bring under examination at the present
time, the United States would, in such case he rot M
willing 10 take them in in with
the Claims which are now presented on their part and
hensive settlement all existing causes of msunderstnd-
In asking an early attention to the subject. il snp
posed that you may with prOpTlety dwell upon so'e ~
its important features which although they have here
been indicated by you may, nevertheless nos
hitherto have sufficiently engaged the attention Of the
British Government.
United States had by means OF commercial enterprise at
abroad, built realized the 0f
foreign trade, second only among the nations and but
little inferior to that Of Great rtan They had Dabitu
ally refrned from wars, and especially from iDterven
tion the political affairs Of other nations Mutual rceo
lectiOns Of ancient conflicts which for three orths OF
century had held the two countries in state Of partial
Alienation and irritation had subsidized and what sap
posed to be lasting friendship mad been established be-
tween the United States and Great Britain at this mo
ment domestic disturbance in county, which
although II had severe peeula1eS yet was IN iae only
such sediuous insurrection as is Incidental TO natonal
progress In every State
In It's incpicnt stage it foreseen here that the in
sirgents would In all insurgents must, appeal O
foreign States intervention Ii supposed that
their appeal IL successful where, would be successful
one sense kindred nation-n another sense rival
and third. by reason of the great expansion of maD
of the southern sates which were to become the heaer
vention even, though stopping many degrees short Of
actual alliance, or even OF recognition OF the lDsngents
as a political power. must nevertheless inevitably proraef
the apprehended civil war and aggrayate its evils and
suferngs on the land, While II must materially Jnfe
not stogethes destroy our national commerce
when the Instruction gan the United States believed
them selves TO hold position and prestige equal IN
il was fore seen that foreign Intervention in behalf Of
insurgents TO the extent only Of recognizing them
as belgeent. must directly and more or less complete
y derogate from the just and habtual Influence Of the
Republic 1t was foreseen that, should the insurgents
receive countenance aid and support IN any degree
from Great Britain the nsurrecon might be rpened
nva Se life Of the nation itself The United states did
not fail to give warning to Her Maiestys Government
that the American people COZ Goua not oe @ 20 %
great evils, through the means Of any failure oi Crest
Rrain the established relations Of peace,
amity and good neghbOrhood with the United States.
The earnest remonsrrances thus made seem to The
limited states have have failed 10 receive Just and ade
Guate consideration. While yet the civil war Was ui
developed and the insurgents were without any ORGANIZED
military force n treasury. and long before they
tenced flag. or TO put either an armed snip or
even merchant vessel upon the sea, Her Maesiys Gov
olained' proclaimed the insurgents bellierent power
and conceded TO them the advantages and privileges ot
thar character, and thus raised them IN regard 10 ne
nrosecmon OF an unlawful armed insurrection TO sn
equality with the United States This GovernDent mas
moi denied that within the sovereign authority OF
Great Britain to assume attitude but. the other
hand il insisted In the beginning, aud mas cOphnF
insisted that the assumption of that attitude unheseA
sarily and premaurely would be IN luxurious lio'eeog
for which Great Britain would immediately come hhdS
indemnty The United States of the opinion thai
the proclamation referred to has NOT Deen on any
rond OF either necessity moral right and that there
fore IL was an OF wrongful intervention, departure
nom the obligations OF existing treaties anu WITHOUT
saiction OF the law OF nations -
Iuoo candid review the history OF the Rebellion. It
IA believed that Great Britain viii not deny thai very
large number the Queens subjects combined them
selves and operated rs active allies WIN the shbes
aided them with supplies arms munitions men, ami
many ships OF THE chief reply which Her mesys
has made to this complaint. has been that
they apprehended Inconvenience. from being involved
trails and further, that they did, in fact put forth all
the prevent such agessons by British subjects
which the laws Of Great Britain permitted. "
without descending this occasion 50 far az to iss
as we always have insisted that there was deficiency OF
energy the respect adverted TO- you may rennbd Iofd
Stanley that the view which we have taken OF the sub
iect the misconduct of the agsressoTs was aee and
Legitimate fruit the premature and injurious po'ama
ton OF belgcrency. against wich We mad protested ami
that the failure Of HerMajesys Government TO prevent
or counteract aggresions of British subjects
enuaIly traceabe 10 the same unfortunate cause.
WHEN the municipal laws OF Great Britain proved
nracticai application be inadequate 10 the emergency
the British nation omitted for various reasons which
seemed 10 us Insufficient 10 revise these laws, and the
United States left to maintain conflict with do
mestc enemy which British sympathy aid and assistance
had rendered formidable, and in which British subjects
continued throughout 70 be active allies, without any
effective inerpositi0n by Her MajeStys Government
The claims upon which insist Of large amount.
They affect the interest Of many thousand citizens W the
United States, In various parts OF the Republic ThoJus
tice of claims sustained By che universal senaent
Of the people Of the United States Her Mestys