The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-02-05
CHI A R L E S T ON.
WEDNESDAY MORNING, FEBRUARY 5, 1868
The other Side of the auestion.

| SYNOPSIS of the views of an intelligent Eng
lish gentleman upon the Alabama claims.
The opinions of Lord HOBART may be taken
as those of the party which sJmpathises
with the United States, and is disposed to
censure the conduct, of Lord STANLEY
There is, however, another party, which
is largely in the majority, which opposes
the making of any further concessions and
| which believes that the honor and dignity
of England will not permit her to consent
to the demands of Mr.. SEWARD. 1t Is well
TO consider what may be said upon this side
of the question.
The Alabama claims have been mixed up
with extraneous matters by Mr. SEWARD
who seems resolved to press Lord STANLEY
to the wall. The astute politician at Wash
ineton has availed himself to the utmost OF
the present embarrassments of Great bri-
tain. To her the peace policy inaugurated
by Sir ROBERT PEEL, is now almost neces-
sity. Disturbed by political agitation, by
financial straitness, by the distress of her
operatives, by the spreading f.e of Feni-
anism, and by the cost Of the Abyssinian
invasion, she would sacrifice much to settle
her vexatious controversy with the United
States. But our Secretary seems to have
oyerestimated the necessity, for at last the
diplomatic hunt is ended and tie royal lion
stands at bay.
The English gentleman, who now directs
the foreign policy of the United Kingdom
has to repair the botoh-work of that small
trickster, Earl RUSSELL so-oalled, who
plsyed hide and seek at the foreign Office
during the time of the Confederacy. Amid
the conflict of great principles, that small
ohangeling in the illustrious house of BED
FORD was lost, like traveller in unknown
regions. He took both sides; he 1sttered
and betrayed both parties; he hid in oppor-
tune crannies; he secuted around the rival
armies like an unprincipled camp-follower,
and swooped down upon the fallen and che
helpless like vulture. Either he went too
far, or he did not go far enough. he was
80 utterly false and base that his admins
tration, or that of his successors, had to be
called to an account, whether the Confede-
racy or the Union succeeded. And now
the day of reckoning has come; but unfor-
tunately it Is Lord STANLEY who has to an
swer for the delinquencies of Earl RussELL
No doubt the present Minister admires the
Earl just about as much aswvdo!
Even according to the one-sided repre-
sentations of the Tribune, the concessions
of the British Secretary have been very
great. He agrees to an arbitration. Heis
willing to leave some neutral power to de-
eide whether Great Britain as culpable in
allowing the Alabama and other Confede-
rate cruisers to leave her ports. In the
event that the British Government should
be held responsible for the damage COM
mitted by them, he is willing that the
amount of indemnity should be settled by
8 mlxeu cOmInlsSiou. Du1n NV" fhA' NE "nAAD
further insists, that the recognition OF the
Confederates as belligerent power was a
grave wrong to the United States. He
argues that it was premature; that it en-
coursged the war; that it enabled our oruis-
ers to find rights Of shelter 10 foreign ports.
And he demands that this also must be SUBJ
mitted to arbitration-s claim 80 prepos-
ferrous that Lord STANLEY cannot but reject
it. For this if admitted would warrant the
United States in demanding indemnity for
all that was done by each Confederate
cruiser, in whatever sea she operated and
from whatever port she went forth upon
her mission. Nay, if the indirect influence
of recognition must be taken into account,
why should not England be held response
BILE for the muskets and the cannon, for the
clothing and the medicine which that recog-
milton secured to the Confederacy; for all
the victories of our armies and all the dam
age done to the United Staces? Upon this
principle England might be saddled with
all the expenses of the war. 1t is clear
enough that Mr.. SEWARD, in making so pre-
posterous demand, does not intend that
the controversy shall be settled.
To one who has watched Mr.. SEwARD's
course it might not be difficult to discover
the object of all this badgering l. The
Irish voters are to be conciliated by the
promise of war with England. They
have been deceived once. Perhaps the
same tempting bait may serve again. 2.
British America may satisfy demand
which has become more and more excessive
with every new concession. Territorial
expansion is Mr.. SEwARD's hobby. He
plots, and threatens, and coa1es, and hag-
giles to extend the American Union to the
Arctic Sea-to realize the distich:
ssNo pent.up Utica contracts our powers,
But the whole, boundless continent is ours"