The Montana post. [volume] (Virginia City, Montana Territory [i.e. Mont.]) 1864-1869, 1868-02-08
ASSERTED AT LAST.


The intimation comes from Washing
ton that unless England acquiesces in
the position taken by Secretary Seward
and endorsed by Congress and the Presi-
dent regarding the rights of naturalized
citizens abroad and the basis of settle
ment for the existing claims of our
government for the depredatiras of
British privateers there is imminent dan
ger of q rupture between the two coun-
tries. While another plunge of our
country into the maelstrom Of war is To
be deprecated, and, If possible, avoided,
there are great underlying principles of
government which it is suicidal and ruin
GUS to abandon; rights TO maintain, i'm
perative upon us as a nation, and inflex-
able adhesion to determined and just
foreign IA well as domestic policy is
essential to the peace. progress and per
petuity of the Union. 1t has been main
tanned by Secretary Seward trom the
first, that the Queens proclamation of
1861, recognizing the rebelling States
Us belligerent power. was, under the
circumstances, in violation of the law o
nations, and that the claims of the
United States resting on that propo-
sition, no satisfactory adjustment could
be reached until that question was con-
clusively decided. He has therefore de
c,ined any submittal of the special
claims in the Alabama case unless the
main question was also submitted tn
a mixed commission for their decision
England, rs per the correspondence Of
Lord Stanley and the Official organs
positively refused to authorize rcpresen
tatiyes of any other government to de-
eide upon her national policy. 1t was
believed that Sir Frederick Bruce and
Sir Seward would eventually have ami
cably adjusted these diversities of policy
but the death of the former, for a time
ended negotiations, and his successor
Sir Edward Thornton. although it is re-
ported lie is fully empowered to rssum.
and adjust them, has not yet hai su Ii
cient time to indicate his instructions al
policy. In this point of view the rlier
determination evinced and proclaimed
by the Executive and Legislative
branches of cur government in supper;
of policy on which they have been
hitherto excessively conservative, may
look immoderate and premature. IN
another view it is proper that we should
maintain our rights, sustain the Minis
ter of State, if he is correct and we think
he is, and give England and the world
To know that no more petifogging. delay
evasion or assumption Of arbitrary au
thority on so important a question will
be tameiy submitted to. With some
people this course is necessary TO attain
rights and il is the same with nations
Our country is not desirous of war. We
wish 10 recuperate from the exhaustion
of our late struggle, 10 refill the depict
ed treasury, To pursue the arts of peace
and win victories fraught with bettel
results than those of red battle fields
England has not. however. been just
much less generous to this country, and
her policy would seem to evince tha,
however formally polite the intercourse
between the two nations, her rulers still
retain the spirit that actuated their an
cestors in olden days. While she
stretches out her hands for greater do
miniors in the East, under the plea o.
releasing captives, she is trembling in
every fibre from fear of her Irish sub
jects. Refusing to give America hear
ing before an impartial Congress, she
had not nerve enough to manifest an
opinion on the Luxemburg or Roman
questions. Making war on Theodore o.
Abysinnia, because he imprisoned Eng
lish agents who had stirred up rebellion
among his people. she shuts in dreary
dungeons innocent men entitled to all the
rights and protection of American citi-
gems. Privateers fitted out in her port
and sailing under her flag. destroyed
during our war nearly three hundred
vessels, valued At eighty million dollars,