Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1868-03-18
Debate in Parliament on the Alabama
Claims.
LONDON, March 10.

the question Of the Alabama claims. He made
o long and eloquent speech on the subject, in
witch he urged tie settlement of this veXed
question on the plan proposed by the Ameri-
can Government. In calling for papers on
the subject, and in moving the consideration
Of the question, he disclamcd any feeling Of
prejudice. All future negotiations, lie said,
would but add to complications already eX
isting He skeched the progress OF tho re.
cent civil war in The United States to It's Lap-
py termination. He said the fall of Fort
Sumter evoked the famous proclamation of
Mr.. Lincoln. In less than month alter the
appearance of that proclamation Great Bri-
tain had recognized the Southern insurgents
as belligercnts. They had no feet, but they
purcha.ed the ships in our ports. These
ships, Notwithstanding the vigorous measures
Of our Government To stop them, eluded our
vigilance, and went to sea, and were hoSpi.
tably received at British colonial ports. They
captured and destroyed during the War more
than two hundred american merchant vessels.
In less than two years the United States was
literally driven from the seas, while the COM
merce of Great Britain was doubled. For
this reason, the speaker thought We ought to
treat these claims generously. They We're
first made in 1862, by The American Minis
ter, Mr.. Adams.
After warm er' ium on the course Of
Mr.. Adams on this d other questions, Mr..
Shaw Lefevre c. nued: The arbitration Of
the matter had been proposed by the Ameri'
can Government, but refused by Lord John
Rassell, who repclled the suggestion. Mr..
STANLEY might have taken the other course, as
the Tories had changed on the question OF
household suffrage. The question Of recogn.
ton by England was only SIS to her rights, if
these were rights that might safely be refer
r,d. But Mr.. Stanley had insisted that the
responsibility of England was only moral
one in the Alabama case. Thespeaker thought
the less said about morality on this question
the better He regarded the breaking out OF
a war between England and tue United States
as extremely unlikely; but thought, on the
other hand, that all needless irritation should
be stunned.
Lord Stanley then took the floor. lie prais-
ed the pacific Grafton of Mr.. Lefevre, and
warmly co,op!imented Mr.. Adams for the con-
ciiiato:y spirit he had displayed in the sub
iect under discussion. He said we could not
make indiscriminatc concessions, but we could
learn the right of the case. There never was
a case where there was more need Of under
standing the points Much allowance is to
be made for the feeling of the United States.
Great Britain, iu the same case, with five
hundred millions OF debt contracted through
n civil war in which mlliou of lives had
been lost, might appreciate the matter better
thun mere lockers on only. He thought Eng,
land had been entirely neutral; but nc neu
tralty would have pleased America. What
the Unied States wanted was neutrality cou-
pied with warm sympathy and support. The
Ulren was reSdy to arhitr!tc and submit all
questions bat the great point of recognizing
the belligcreut rights OF the South Nobody
contends that at no time the South acquired
them. and, if not, why deny the right ot Great
Britain 10 recognize them at tic time she did
The Confederate skip Alabama did Iot sail
from England until 1862, and the hait!" OF
Bull Run was fought in 1861. Admitting
,aat il was wrong for Great Britain to recog.
nize the South, would the United States Gov
crnmeut say that its case against the Alaba-
ma had been altered had Great Britain made
the declaration of neutrality six rather than
eleven months before she sailed? The speak
or rcterred 10 tho cpercheS o. Daniel Webster
in the United States Senate, on the subject
of recognizing Hungary. in support OF his ar
gument. How could England refuse to re-
cogaZe war which Mr.. Seward himself had
announced to be civil war nine, twelve or
sixteen days before the proclamation? Who
could complain that England had recognized
.-o-:l --.- which the ualln t''o'~' .:au au-
mitted some weeks before? In conclusion,
he thought friendly arrangement of this
difficulty was still practicable. BE depreca-
ted the debate. The friendly reception of
Minister Thornton at Washington was a
pledge of peace. The Ministers were ready
TO leave the question to the entire world.
W. E. Forster, member from Bradford,
thought Mr. Sewaris views of the question
of the recognition of the Alabama claims de-
served better treatment and more careful con-
sderation, as being, perhaps, the view that
was right and sensible. He complained of
the abrupt disposition of the question which
had been made when the universal wish Of
the United Kingdom was for its speedy set
tement. He thought that if any impartial
statesman had been sent to the United States
as Minister, the point in dispute might be
readily adjusted.
John Stuart Mill, the member for West
minister, was the next speaker.
He regarded the present condition Of the
question as the result Of mutual mistake. |
The real question was whether England was |
bound to prevent such expeditions as that of |
the Aablma. He denied that the United
States Government claimed or could claim
that the recognition of the South was vic.
lation of law, but only that it was an untriend-
", rash and unprecedented act. The Ameri.
Can Government only pressed the point for
the purpose of showing that but for the un'
friendly action Of Eugand. the Alabama dep.
relations would not have occurred. Mr.. Mill
thought that an arbiter between the two coun-
tries was needless, and that reparation was
fairly due to the United States. He concluded
by advising the appointment of mixed com
mission for the purpose Of the adjustment of
the question.
W. e. Gladstone, member from South Lam
cashire, thanked Mr.. Lcfoyre for his abe
speech, and Lord Stanley for his temperate
reply. He (Gladstone) could not understand
why the negotiation ended, nor could he agree
with Mr.. Mill that Lord Stanley had admitted
that rcpara:ion was due, or that an arbiter
would surely decide against England. For
!liuself, be doubted if reparation for tue Ala
Jama depredations was due the United States.
1t was urfuestionably right that the point
should be referred to q commission; but if
he Government feared such reference, it
should settle the matter at once, or leave the
decision with an umpire.
Mr.. Gladstone inferred, however, from the
closing sentences Of Lord Stanley, that the
between the two Govern
nents had not closed, and that friendly feel
ncs between the United States and England
gould be preserved. He concluded by saying
{ his inference was correct, the whole coun-
ry would support Lord Stanley in just and