The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-12-12
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HDToRIAL oeEIoEs OF THR LEADING JOURNALS
Uror CURRENT ToPos-coMPmED EVERY
DAT FoR EBR EVENING TELEGRAPH.
THE Alabama claims In Copersss.

The Alabama Claims In CO"greaS'
EontSe N. y. Herald
In the Senate of the United states on mon-
,ay last, Mr.. Chandler called mp his resolution
lCrecognize the belligerent rights Oh AoySsi-
.ds. his ob,eot being to reciprocate the cour-
esv of Fnoland towards us in 1861 in pro-
aair;oo her neutrality on the basis Of the
Jaoual belligerent rights of the ''so-called Con-
foderste States" But for this position assumed
bv England in support Of the Rebellion, Mr..
Chandler contended that it would have been
mt down in six months, and two hundred
thousand lives and two thousand millions of
dollars would have been saved. A large num-
ber of American ships were also lost by that
recognition. Hence he was in favor of deci-
sive measures in exacting from the British
Government a large indemnity. He consi-
dered, in fact, that we held lien on every
foot Of British soil on this continent, and he
would never again refer to the Alabama claims
until this mortgage was foreclosed.
Mr.. Anthony admitted the justice of these
complaints against England, but pleaded the
policy of peaceable measures for satisfaction.
Mr. Reverdy Johnson thought no greater evil
could happen this country than war with
Great Britain. Mr.. Summer, Chairman on
Foreign Relations, and in immediate rapport
with the State Department, referring to the
Presidents Message touching these Anglo
Rebel spoliations on our merchant ships, said
that Mr.. Chandlers resolution was premature,
that certain documents were expected, and
that 1t would be better TO wait until the COM
mittee officially charged'with all these matters
had considered them, as they covered one of
The most important questions ever presented
them, touching not only our interest directly
involved, but certain great principles of the
law Of nations, and so on. Mr.. Nye thought
That some specific instructions to the Com
Inittee on Foreign Affairs would not be out of
place; and as for himself, when Great Britain
paid those damages and apologized for heT
insults to the American flag, he would be
ready for the peace policy advocated by the
Senator from Rhode Island.
We reproduce these salient points of the
debate in question in order to show as far as
we can, what they signify. Mr.. Chandler has
been consistent in his position on the general
question since Lord Russell's Offensive and
outrageous neutrality proclamation of 1861;
but in this matter, as in many others, it has
generally been supposed that Mr.. Chandler has
permitted his radical zeal to outrun his dis
cretion. We think, however, that he has not
been too fast in bringing up this subject at
the present time, although we rather suspect
that belligerent rights to Abyssinia, if granted,
would never be heard of by his royal African
Highness, descended from King Solomon and
the Queen of Sheba; we also suspect that Mr..
tary of State in temporizing evading, and put
ting off this question of British indemnity,
from the fear of giving mortal Offense to Eng
land by pushing the controversy to General
Jackson's ultimatum of indemnity or repri-
sails.
President Johnson, under Mr.. Seward's in
fuence, hesitates to take the decisive step.
The chairman of the Senate Committee and the
chairman General Bauks) of the House Com
mittee on Foreign Affairs are awaiting those
expected documents from the State Depart
ment. But the Presidents Message plainly
intimates that England has taken her position,
and that we have nothing to expect from her
as the controversy now stands. In this dilemma
the proposition of Mr.. Nye, to instruct the
Senate Committee by resolution to report some
definite line of action, appears to be the only
remedy. We would accordingly suggest the
trial of such resolution in the Senate, re-
quiring Mr. Summers committee to report
joint resolution advising the President to try
the ultimatum on those Alabama claims of
General Andrew Jackson; for we have no
doubt that such resolution can be passed
through both Houses. If so passed the course
OF the President will be plain, and he will
Cheerfully pursue it.
The question of war involved in this ulti-
matum belongs to Congress; but let it be
adopted, and there will be no war. No danger
Of it. England will come down with her in
demnity, and the prestige of the United States
will thus become that of the first nation on
the face Of the globe. AS to the pulse of the
American people, it will respond to this ulti-
matum from ocean to ocean, Let the resolu-
tlon suggested be tried, and our way out Of this
difficulty will soon appear.