The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-09-12
Another Letter from Secretary Seward
to Minister Adams.
Tho Ravages OF the Rebel
Privateers.
LOSSES AED CLAIMS OF INDIVIDUALS.

om-rou VIII herewith receive q sum nary OF Claims
Of citizens Of the United States against Great Britain for
damages which suffered by them during the period
OF our late civil war; and some months thereafter by
means OF deprecatiins upon our commercial marine
committed on he high by tho SUMTER the Alabama,
the Florida the Shenandoah, and other ships OF war;
which built manned, armei. equipped and fitted
In British PORTS and despatched thcrefrom by or
through the agency Of British subects aud which
harbored sheltered, provided and furnished, occasion
required durin their devastating career ports Of tbs
realm ports OF the British colonies in nearly all
parts OF the go5e.
The table is supposed to bs complete but II pre-
sens such recapituIsop OF the claims tbs evidence
thus far received in tins department enables
ssh. Deficiencies will be supplied hereafter Most OF
the claims have been If time to time by your
sell, the President directed 10 the notice OF her
Naes'ys government aud made tho subject Of earnest
and continued appeal That appeal iniermited only
when her aj"s government AFTER elaborate discus
sions roussd either 10 allow to refer them
70 jolut clam commission. the quest on
OF liab,lt, ther,in 10 any form II arb,tra,on lhe
United States. the other hand, all time
sisted up the ca ms a. just and valid. This attitude
has BEEN anu doubtless continues 70 be- well understood
by her haje"y's g0serument The considerations
which inclined his 60 eminent pend for time
the pressure OF the claims upon the attention Of Great
The political excitement IN Grea Britain which arose
during the progress Of tho war and which did i'm.
medistey sub-ids conclusion seemed to render
that period sonsw nnfavorabie deliberate exani-
nation OF the very grave questions which the claims in
wolves.
The attention OF this government was. during the
same period largely enRrossed by questions at homo
abroad If peculiar interest and urgency The British
government seemed to US to have been similarly
engaged. These circumstances have passed
away. aud limo has arrived when 1t Is believed
that the subject may receive just attention Ia both
countries.
The pnnc pies upon which tho CLAIMS are asserted by
elaborate correspondence with Earl Russell and Lord
Clarendon. In this respect there 10 be no de.
fciency TO b. Supplied by this department Thus IL it
should be pleasure Of her MaJestys government to
revert to the sa0ct friendly spirit the materials
for any new d. on your part will be found In the
records OF your legation properly and duy prepared for
use by your own hand II is the Presidents desire that
You call the attent Of Lord Stanley the claims
In respect nj but earnest manner, and inform him
that In the Presidents judgment settlement OF them
has become urgently necessary shment Of
entirely friendly relations between the Quilted States
aud Great r'ri ain
This 60, nment while It thus insists uros these par
ticular M, Is neither desire willing TO asume
an attitude unknd or unoorci,iator9 toward Great
Britain. II on Ter part there Gains Q ther II q
commercial Character Of boundary OF commercial
or Jud cia regsti n. which her Majesys government
esoem important 10 bring under examination ut the
present tme the Uni ed Siaes would in such case be
not unwilling to take them into cons deralou
nection win tue claims wach are now presented
their part and with view 70 remove at time and
BY one comprehen i've settlement all existing OF
In asking early attention to the subject 1t Is sup
posed that YOU may, with propety. dwell upon OF
heretofore been ind cs'cd by You, NAV. nevertheless
not hitherto have sufficiently engaged the attention Of
In the beginning OF the year 1851 tn. people Of tho
United States had by means VI commercial enterprise
n home aud abroad. boil. and real Fed the enjoy
nations, and but Little inferior to that Of Grea,
Britain They had habtuaiiy rcfraned from wars
Of other nations Mutual recoiiecrions OF ancient
conflicts which for three-fourtbs OF century
had held the two countries IN . state Of partial
alienation and irritation had subsidized and what
supposed TO be Last friendship hal been established
between the Uuited States and Great Britain Al this
moment . domestic disturbance country,
which, although bad severe pecaliartes, yet in
fact only such sedtious nsurr incidental TO
national progress In every STATE
In Its incpieut sAge foreseen here that the In
sureents would-as In all cases insurgents must-appeal
70 foreign sta ca for Intervention. IL supposed that
sher appeal II successful any wherr, would be
full IN Great Britain, popularity regarded In both
countries in one sense As . Kindred nation, In
reason OF the great expsnsion OF manufacture,
o dependent upon the cotton planting interest
ofthe soutLern S'aes, VII CHI to become the tho
aTe OF the nsurr ction Il foreseeu British in
tervent even. though stopping many degrees short OF
uai alliance OF recogn ton OF the insurgents
political power, must erthe inevitably pro-
tract IN. arprehcndea civil war; ami lts evils
and su1erngs tne land, VIII he 1t must mater ally in.
jure II altogether do troy ouai commerce
When the Instruction began tue Unied States he
Ieved thems,lve g. bod position and prestige equal
In consideration and influence that II any other
tion; and IL was or-ssen that foreign ntervent be-
half OF the insursen to the only
ng them beliserent must dire tiy aud more
les completely, defvgate from the 1ist anu habtuai
influence OF the repaoic. Il vas foreseen
that, should tbs Insurgents receive counts-
nance nance ,. end and support. m any degree from
under such Influences into social war which would
involve life of the nslon sef. Tue United States
did fail 10 warning to her Majcstys
that the American pcope could not be expected sub
without resistance TO the endurance OF any Of these
great evils through the Of any failure OF
Britain TO preserve established rea ous OF peace
amity and good ignborhood with the United States
The earnest ren.nslranccs thus made seem 10 the
Ola haya afOdfn al
consideration. While a. yet the civil undcvel.
opsd and tho Insurgents were without any orgauizcd
military force or treasury, and long before they pre-
tended 10 nzg put either an armed ship
reliant vessel uron the sea, her Maessy's gov
planned VI claimed tie Insurgents bsligsrent power
corceded TO tom the advantages and privileges OF
that oharao and thus raised them regard 70 the
prosecution Of fu armed insurrection 60 On
equality " tn the Unit cd Siates Tnis government hal
not denied that within tho sovereign authority
Great Britain to asume this attitude; but on tbs othe
hand IL tnsised in the besinnug and has coniin rally
insisted that The ass mpt'o, that attitude onnsces
sarily and orely would DO an .nuroas proesed
Ing for which Great Brigain would immcdiatciy com
under full responsibility W justify II render redress
apc ind mnny. Tho United stass remain Of hi
opuion tho proclamation referred TO has not beer
justified on any ground Of either necessity mora
right and that therefore, was On act Of wrongful In
tsrven.'.n dsparurs fom u: oo,gs',ons Of s,ssn'
Upon . candid review OF the history OF the rsbsion
be ieved thai Great Britain viii not dcnv that yer,
large nu naber Of Queens subjects combiued them
selves and opera,ed allies with the insur
gents aided them with supplies, arms, munitioas mel
aud many ships OF var. The chief reply when he
Najes ys gov ernment has made 70 THE complsiot ha
been that ibey apprebendsd inconvenenees IRON bein
involved In The contest unicss they should decar
themselves usutrzls, aud further, that they d. y
fact put forth ali The siorts 10 prevent sucn q grss
BY Britsn subjects which the laws Of Great Brian pei
mtted.
Without descending on this % fer - 70 10
sst. ~ always have insisted that there was "a
ncsncy Of energy the respect aivcred 20, you ma
rem nd Lnrd Stanley that in the Wow which We nav
taken OF the subject the misconduct Of the agsrees
was direct and icgit fruit Ut tho premature aud
injurious pr camauon OF iiigerency against whie
had protested, ana that faurs u her Najesty
government TO prevent the aggressions
British Subjects was equally uacsAbls TO tue IN
fortunate cause.
when tn municipal laws Of Grsas Britain proved q
practical application 10 be Inadequate the emergency
the British nation omitted, Tor various reasons whc
seemed 10 US nsuic on 10 revise these lava aud On
IIuItsd States left ~ malnaiu conn,cl With A a.
mss,ic enemy which British sympa,hy, aid aud ssss
arc. had rendered formidable. ana in which Rita