The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-11-05
ENGLAND.

English Diplomacy and the Alabama Claims.
LONDON, Oct. "a 1868.
You have already had by cable full report OF the
grand banquet given TO Minister Reverdy Johnson OF
Liverpool on Thursday evening, and from the Eng
lIsh Journals despatched to you by this mail you WIN
obtain very clear idea Of the English sentiment In
regard 10 tue pacific speeches made at the banquet.
Let me- then. very biey. describe to you the senti-
ments or those Americans who were present At the
dinner and saw, with unprcjudiced eyes, the genu-
inc feelings OF the Liverpool Englishmen The
editor OF the HERALD, judging the whole affair from
higher standpoint and with wider view OF inter-
national polty and policy may not agree with these
Americans In their conclusions but nevertheless ne
viii not refuse to allow their opinions to 90 upon
record for what they are worth.
In the lrst place at least nine-tentns OF the Eng
lishmen present OF the Liverpool banquet had been
sympathlsers with the Southern rebels Many OF
them had invested money In the sacred cause OF
disunion. Most OF them had been losers by the
triumph OF the Union. Prom Mr. Gladstone 70 MT.
Laird these gentlemen had sympathized with seces-
sion for more or less interested motives. They did
not disguise their preferences or course they
cheered every allusion to peace, because peace
means more commerce, and consequently more
money for England; but they did not ciieer
and looked grimly askance at eacn other
when Mr.. Johnson talked OF the perma-
manent triumph OF the American government.
Every man OF them would own to-day II lie we're
placed In the witness box, that he believed the South
still anxious to escape from the North and that he
approved OF this anxiety.
Then why did these gentlemen meet Minister John.
son at banquet For two reasons-one OF which il
very clear ana the other very unpaatable to some
persons la the United States. The 1rst reason IT,
pOlcy-wh.ch everybody can understand. The sec.
ond reason, and the more potent one it, that Min.
lister Johnson ls SOutherner. lie comes from Mary.
'land-thst state which sang "Dxen one day and
ssiiau Columbia the next-that state which
was Southern In principle aud Northern In
practice secession by instinct, but loyal BY
Force OF circumstances The merchants OF Liver
pool know Maryland well. The majority OF their
orders for blockade goods and secession prvatcers
came through MARYLAND, FROM Maryland hrTns or IN
letters dated at Maryland. Ihey Know, therefore,
how TO appreciate minister from Mary land aud IN
this way they appreciated Minister Johnson.
II any confederation Of this opinion were needed
BY any one who listened to the conversation OF his
English neghbors during tho dinner, IL was FUR
ner, when MIR. johnson was led up and introduced
TO Mr. Laird, the man who built tne al ba
ma and who declared In Parliament that
be would like TO build a nunprcd Alabamss.
These representatives OF the two countries shook
hands-not formally, but heartily cordially, aud for
n long time. The next day MI. Laird took Minister
johnson over his docks at Dirkenhead aud probably
showed him where the Alabama lay aud how she
sort OF visit to be paid by an American Minister who
intends 10 settle the Alabama claims Ia the right
way and who knows that there Is only one way
wnloh Ia right
or course your correspondent cannot be aware OF
the exact nature of the instructions given b, Secre
tary Seward to Minister Johnson; but II Minister
Johpson is now conforming TO the letter and spidl
OF his orders from the State Department " Is evident