The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1868-03-13

ters ia dispute might be arranged.
Mr.. Mill addressed the House. He
said what we were bound to see to
was TO make eu~ municipal law sufi-
eient for the fulillment of our inter
national obligations. 1t was not sut-
fcient already, and this was the only
ground of complaint which could be
urged. The question was, whether
we were bound by international law
to prevent certain things from being
done. and whether, if we were so
bound, we did all we could to full
fill the obligation. He congratulated
the House and the public that the
issue between the United States and
this country was an exceedingly small
one; and that this small point alone
prevented a settlement of a fretted
question. He did not think there
was much room for blame In any
quarter. This discussion had brought
out evidences that the two parties to
the correspondence did not understand
one another. Hear, hear. The
noble Lord, as it seemed, had not
understood Wnat the United States
demanded, land the United States
Government had not understood
what the noble Lord refused. He was
confident that the United States had
never demanded that the question
whether we were premature in
recognizing the belligerent right of
the Confederates should be referred
| to arbitration. 1t could not be main
tanned that our recognition, even If
| premature. would be a violation OF
/ international law.
He had again and again seen it
admitted by Americans, even IN the
writings of Mr. Seward himself that
our recognition of the beiligerent
rights of the South was thing about
the truth of which we had, by inter
national lava right to decide for our
selves. It was, however, urged
that what we did was an
unfriendly precipitate, and its
precipitations were unprecedented.
but he was not aware 1t had been con-
tended that we had thereby commit
ted any violation of international
law for which we owed them repara-
ton. He, however, cordially well
coined the hints thrown out by the
noble Lord as ito the probability of
solving this question in some
other way than by arbitration.
Indeed, he did not see for what
arbitration was specially required
in this country at present. Who were
disposed to deny that we owed repa
ration in some sort Of degree to the
United States? 1t was quite clear
that the noble Lord was OF this opIn-
ion. This, therefore, was not a case
In which arbitration was wanted. Ii
we owed anything, we must pay 1t;
and what we wanted was some one
to say, not whether we ought to pay,
but how much; and this would be
best decided, not by arbitration, but
by mixed commission hear
hear!1. He could not but think
that there was a great increase
of good and friendly feeling on
both sides of the water. There were
a few people In this country who did
not believe that the arbiter would de-
eide against US, and that 1t would be
: exceedingly to the interest Of this
: country that he should do so
Hear, hear. In such a state ot
] affairs, if some person Che would
. not say his honorable friend, the
: member from Birmingham not un.
! acceptable to the Americans
we're sent to them. and if nego.
! tiations were reOpened on the basis o.
2 admission that we owed them repara
! | ton, and that the object was merely
] to ascertain the amount. He cOu!C
! not believe there would be any con
e siderable difficulty Ia arriving at ;
] settlement without going beyond
= the two dispatches. He earnest
+ " hoped that something o
} this kind was intended in the hin
: which Mr. Seward had thrown out
f The great point for consideration was
! whether there should be settlemen
= Of what was to be the real law Of IA
q tions; and this matter and that ques
Y ton was settled when 1t was admltte,
/. that reparatiOn was due from Us.
= this country admitted that we owet
e reparation for the acts which tn
4 Alabama, without any intention Of
4 our part. was enabled 20 commit. thel
i a question of international Jaw, whic
o might again be the snbject Of quarrel
: would, so far as these two coUatrie
. we're concerned, be forever settled
e LCheersl
IS Mr.. Gladstone, In the course of hi
It remarks said | think [ may admi
.e that the noble Lord, when he deter
5 mined to make MS proposal Of arbi
r tratiOu, exercised a wise discretion
1t and without any degree comprOmis
1t ing the honor Of this country. took
= step which was likely to lead to TIA
lie termination OF difficulty of a yer
II serious character. and I shoul
l. frankly own, that although
a should be thoroughly satisfied
sr this question can be brought beeor
4 the judgment of a tribunal more IN