New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1868-01-30
GREAT BRITAIN.
THE ALABAMA CLAIMS.

THE ALABAMA CLAIMS.
Lord Hobart has addressed the following letter
20 The Times on this subject:
SIR few days ago there appeared in your columns
very short diplomatic letter. which seems almost 10 nave
escaped public observation but which was proDaay ~
importance, far the future OF tis coul! n
r@ceni Times II was dspatch from Mr. Seward TO Mr.
Adams dated the 29th Of November last anu w.
was 10 break OIL FOR The present at least tne ncsoau
between this country and the United states respecting
the Alabama Difficulty The condition. writes mr.
Seward being ihaG,5si therefore, declined"
There can be doubt that the failure OF tnee
tween Great Britain and the United States that un-
friendly relations mean iS ss Great Tpfain and The
United states would be calamity as great as any which
could afet the world But there is more
imme6iaely urgent which enhances the evil The Gov
ernnent OF the United States has hitherto Loyalty dones
Fenianism within their domnion but 1t plainly enough
intimates in this correspondence that II may nov DE
obliged to conform ts principles and policy 10 those
which considers have been the principles and policy
of this country during the American civil war Noths
else is wanting TO make Fenanism which Is now only
troublesome and vexstious, serious and formidable
should clearly understand the position in which they are
placed reference this subject When all deduction
is made faults Of national character there IN lne
generality Of Englsmnen und OF good sense ana rgh,
feeling which would, il only they were tuly instructed
or about TO do prevent believe, any very great or
frequent IN onr foreign policy ThreefOurths OF
have been impossible II the nation could have been made
fully aware Of What was taking place IN the ing
cessble 10 the general public and unaurng 10 the req
The matter then stands thus The United States Gov
ernmeDt has pressed upOn the British Government
Formidable list of claims on account OF losses inflicted
upon American citizens nv the depredaons OF the Ala
bama and other vessels Of her class and has ~ the same
the settlement Of those claims. Those grounds reca
ptulated by Mr. Seward in his dispatch OF the 9th OF
August. 1850. and are. shortly as follows That by
the Queens proclamation Of 1861 becerent rights were
yronguly conceded 70 certain slaveholdng sa'ss then
IN msuTroctiOn against Their WIN Government lha III
consequence Of such cOncossOn those states obtaed
among other advantages, power to assume national
flag, and 10 seize aud destroy goods ana shppLg oi
the United States that thereupon from the very ma
ton which had mainly occasioTed TINS Injustice thers
proceeded swift and powerful vessels OF war WHEN
became the recognized property OF the insur
| gents and inflicted enormous Injury upon American
trade and navigation that TO such vessels from
leaving her shores, no serious, or at Least no shceh
moreover. such vessels repeatedly harbored and
protected various ports OF Great Britain and her colo
demnlty FOX the which have thus been sustained
| The british Government, while refusing 10 admit
| question 10 arbitration: but condition
thst in the case submitted TO tho arbiter no &C
states belgerents by the Royal proclamation OF lsC
On this condition insists because considers that me
question the legality propriety OF that recognition
is Of kind upon which every state must be hed 10 pe
tne sole ladge OF Tvs Tsu dss, S t ,e
whole controversy may be referred 10 arbitration as 10
stands NOT FOR decision ron it's merits but In order that
their demand for compensation may laid before tho
aIbiter, accompanied by the arguments on which II Is
It comes then TO this-that the British Government has
refused only yield to the demand OF the United
safs n G9s S o sa 10 'f eson Il the British nation
prepared 10 accept the responsibility To decline TO
| BECAUSE You consider il unreasonable, is ono
| thing to refuse TO adopt the only exist
! is quite another And It may well be asked whether
question such that Of the recosnon Of the sonth ~
upon friendly STATE De not proper s subject I Ier
hereafter be decided by any other thau those time
honored bur somewhat Eogica, authorities, bullets aud
In the protocols appended 10 the Declaration Of Paris
there stands recorded The part OF the four great
Powers sgnares OF that declaration the unanimous
preston Of O hope that In futnre nations will, be
lore declaring var refer the matter in dispute 70
sh MHsre who Proposed that o@ens sSa,
against its application. But Governments lnye short
guidance 10 fnd naiIon which decade ago appeared
in the character Of general esce maker and advocate OF
frsricida war; extreme and rigorous theories
There s however no need TO rely upon.ths argument
For present happens that no one proposes
that any decision shall be pronounced upon the right
of Great Britain 10 recognize the bellgerency OF the
South The United States does not require ON the con-
trary they expressly exclude from thelr requirements
be submitted to the srbifer. which is the question
whether compensation due to the United states Tor the
both nations arc agreed; That such an arbtraton
may be resoTted 70 without prejudice 10 natonsi
that certain facts and differences which the other consd
material 70 the issue shall be excluded from Inc case
laid before the arbter simply because his decision might
otherwise be Influenced by the solution, IN the hidden
recesses Of his mind, Of question upon which
every State must be the sole judge OF its duty The
decision given by the arbter VIII amount neither direct
y nor indirectly neither expressly nor by Implication,
any opinion upon that question lie may consider IT,;
be may arrive al q conclusion upon u, ana MI, MS
decision may be Influenced by that conclusion But
what that conclusion whether he has been able 10 form
one whether believes that the question has any such
bearing upon the particular issue referred TO him as that
H. need consider Il at al, will ever know Acts
and words supposed 10 derogate from national honor,
have throughout all time been guarded against or
avenged at terrible cost 70 the world; this Is probably
the rst time has been thought necessary to de-
fend national honor At The risk OF the most calaitous
consequences against the secret thoughts OF the heart
trust that il may not he even now too late 10 hope Tor
a renewal OF tie negotiations. WIN the English
people facitly acknowledging the morbid suscep-
tbifies imputed ~ il by its rulers or actuated by the
childish fear being thought afraid allow Itself to be
committed to an rrec0nclabe quarrel with nation
OF whose friendship stands just peculiarly IN need,
aud TO be at peace with whom Is OF ncslcuabe import
ance TO itself and TO the world VIII 1t insist on the
settlement by way VI arbitration without capOus and
sensitive reservations, Of question which ought not 10
b. kept open FOR single day, and which an Impartial
tribunal can alone satisfactorily decide am sir your
Otsdient servant HOBART
80. .. Eaf0a-paee. South, Jan II.