Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1868-11-14
Foreign News.

l.
spbiect of the convention for the settlement
of the Alabama claims, aludef to Secretary
Seward in the following terms: The official
career of Mr.. Seward is now drawing to close.
To the favorable result OF the late war his skill
and energy largely contributed. His foreign
policy has been successful. lie retlres when
all chances of domestic and foreign STRIFE have
disappeared He must naturally wish, IN COM
mon with Lord Stanley, to terminate before
parting from office dispute OF all whose de-
tails he is master. The convention IS especial,
" important, because at a time when national
lealousies weaken confidence 1t estabnshes a
freer nreeedent for resort to arbitration, IN
stead Of war; for the settlement OF differences.
Lord Stanley opened the Parliamentary can
vass in the borough of Kings Lynn yesterday
with speech to his constituents. After re-
viewing and defending the policy OF the Min
istry, he proceeded to consider the state OF
Europe. He said that the mutual Jealousy
and overgrown ornaments OF France and Prus,
STA were sources of uneasiness, but he believed
If peace were maintained, that France would
become reconcied to the union Of Germany
under the leadership of Prussia. He feared
Turkey was in danger, but only from internal
causes. Returning to the questions which
agitated England, he declared himself In favor
of reform, but opposed to diScstabshment
of the Irish Church. In the course OF his
address he announced that the differences with
the U. S. were SO far settled that the arrange
ment which had been made only awaited ratl-
fication by the Government at Washington:
1t is denied from London that William
Thompson has succeeded to the Archblshoprlc
OF Canterbury, or that Samuel Nliberforce has
succeeded to that OF York
The bill prescribing the numbers and equip
ment of the Austrian army when on war
footing has finally passed both Houses OF the
Reichsrath by large majortles.
The Captain General of the PHILIPPINE Is
lands will be removed by order of the Provl
sional Government of Spain. Gen. Prim,
Secretary OF War, has issued an order forbid
ding the attendance of armed soldiers at public
meetings The Papal Nuncio at Madrid con-
times relations with the new Government
CAN IT BE PosSIBLE?-Governor Wells Is
reported in the Norfolk Virginian as utteriOg
the following, in his speech there on Thursday
night:
Just previous TO great battle, and while
Gen. Wickham was sitting on his horse, sur
rounded by his staff the Union forces came in
sight, displaying the old flag. The General OBJ
served it, and remarked, while the tears rolled
down his cheeks, God bless the old flag
wish it may win the day. he asked his hearers
if such man was not worthy oftheir suppoIt?'
We would answer this question by asking
Gov. Wells whether he would have trusted
Benedict Arnoldp Conceding, for the sake OF
argument, that secession is wrong, and the re
bellon' wicked, it is only armed resistance to
constituted authority, the same as that which
our fathers inaugurated against the British
government The crime OF Arnold, in orlgl'
nay taking up arms against the Mother
Country" was that repeated by Wlckham. -
In both cases the action was volnntary-there
was no compulsion. But here the parallel ends,
for Arnold deserted the cause of his compatriots
iu arms and went over boldly TO their enemies /;
while Wickham remained in the camp OF the
Confederates making resistance to their
enemies, while, at the same time, he Sc
cretly desired that they should prevail II
Wells statement be true, Wickham's case is
the worst of the two, and cannot be justified by
any man Of honor. We hope, tor the sake OF
Gen. Wickham' S reputation, and the honor OF
his native State, that the statement is wholly
incorrect. We honored him for the manly stand
he took in the convention in 1861, against Sc
cession and war; we afterwards gave him the
need Of praise Tor gallantry and good conduct
in the field when defending his native State
in the face of an invading army; but We thought
that he spoiled noble record in the shameful
letter he wrote Immediately after the cessation
OF hoslilites. And now, if the statement Of
Governor Wells should prove to be true, ~
Gen. Wickham must sink still lower in the es-
TEEN of the people of Virginia. -L9mch. T1g.
WASHINGTON ITEMS. Notwithstanding the
dismissals that have recently taken place at the
Treasury Department, the work on hand does
not justify the retention Of all those yet en-
ployed, and further dismissals of some of the
lady clerks are to be made.
Mr.. VIM. w. Corcoran, who has already