The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1869-06-10
Mr.. M0tley's Instructions.

tee on Foreign Relations upon the John
son-C Clarendon treaty, have fallen into two
paipable errors first, In. chasing Mr..
Sumner among those statesmen whose ut.
terances are always wise and dispassion-
ate, and Of semi, judicial weight with the
people; second, in assuming that be has
spoken as the exponent of the views and
policy of General Grants administration.
1t is said that Mr.. Sumner has been
more surprised than any one else at the
excitement produced by his speech at
home and abroad. This effect is due to
an extreme sensitiveness on both sides
the water, and Is no evidence that all his
opinions are assented to by the people,
When a person asked Themistocles to
play the lutte at supper, he replied,
that he could not fiddle, but he could
| make small State a great one" The
accomplishment of oratory is not always
ACCOMPANIED by discreet craftsmanship,
| and In Mr.. Summers case his peculiar
political experience has facilitated that
lntermlxture of the moral and sentimental
with questions of purely legal obligation
which has attracted the criticism of the
| English press. The vote Of the Senate
was rejection Of the treaty, not an in-
| dorsement of Mr. Summers opinions. In
| condcmning the treaty the speech ex-
presses public sentiment. There is no
difference of opinion as to the liability of
| the British government for the losses oc-
casioned by the fitting out of the Ala
bama and other priyateers. These claims
must be paid. But when MIR. Sumner
drifts into the wide sea of unliq Undated
| damages for moral support rendered to
| the rebels, for GOODNESS and apathy on the
slavery question, for dislike of us and
abuse Of the war, and for its prolongation
by causes like these, he is quite outof sight
OF craftsmanship and were he less grave
and dignified Senator it would seem as if
he were impelled by the gusts of unrason-
ing prejudice and passion.
The impression seemsto prevail in Eng
land that the Chairman of the Commit
tee on Foreign Relations speaks III the
Senate as authoritatively on questions
concerning the policy of the dominant
party, as Mr.. Gladstone might represent
in the House Of Commons the policy of
the English Liberals New York cores
pondents, who should have known better,
have done their best to strengthen this
impression. The London Ncacs, our most
consistent friend during the war, says:
Mr. Sumner speech certainly conveys
General Grant view as what ought to be
done. Grant is reported
to have said that he would consider the
cost of carrying on the war for one year
about the amount for England to pay"
The absurdity of this gossip, which is
circulated in England to stimulate the al
ready excited public mind, is palpable
If General Grant had sent Mr.. Motley to
the Court of St. James with instructions
based on the extreme sentimental views
of Mr.. Sumner speech, war would have
been inevitable. Mr.. Sumner is a non
combatant, and may claim as the privll-
ege of non combatants the right of ut
terlng sharp personalities with impunity
The President has already been through
two wars he is not man to make un-
meaning FACES, and none know better than
he that whatever demand is made on the
English Government by the United States
at this Juncture, must, If rejected, be en-
forced with arms.
The claims of Senator Sumner are so
yague-some of his propositions are so
wide of any known principles of interna-
tlonal law-that they are utterly incapa
bic OF adjudication by any tribunal. We
can conceive of nothing more absurd than
Mr.. Motley demanding an apology of her
Majesty Tor the wrongs we have suffered
at her hands, and assuring her that such
an humble confession Is necessary pre-
llmlnaTy to any settlement of our diffe-
eEces. Nor can we conceive how Mr.
Summers bill OF particulars can be sus-
tanned until steps are taken to ascertain
precisely how long the war was prolonged
by the action of the British Government.
A recent issue Of the London .Specta-
f0r nroSpptS worry pbat tho
of the English Liberals on this subject
After avowing the most emphatic and
frank regret" for the course of the Gov
teers, and willingness to pay the claims
To- losses caused by them upon adjudica-
ton, 1t says:
But this we will say. that there is not
a party or the materials for party
barely, we should think, even group of
ndlvlduals-prepared to go beyond this
There is not a party or the ghost ofa par
ty that aoo,sld as much as consider the
question Of apologizing for our recogni-
ton of the beligerent rights of the South
There is not in all probability any society
of Englishmen, however Northern in
feeling, even man here and there who
would hear of such proposition as our
paying as general damages any proportion
however small, of the cost of the Amcri-
can war, on the ground that by recogniz-
ing the South, We gave substance and
hope to the rebellion, or ON any other
ground which ingenious Senators may
hereafter devise, without Indignation or
who would not at once advise war, with
all its horrors, than submit to dictation so
preposterous. We do not doubt-we
speak, we need hardly say, without any
private communication with Mr.. Bright
that MIR. Bright himse If would resist such
terms as Mr.. Sumner proposes and Gen
eral Grant is said to approve, with posi-
tive scorn-that even he,a Quaker states
man, would rather keep silent thap pro-
pose to avert war by any compromise so
disgraceful."
The London Times of May 18th says:
IF Mr.. Motley comes on an errand of
conclllatlon and peace, he will be received
in like spirit. If his message be a re-
petition of Mr.. Summers extravagancies,
he must expect that it will be firmly re-
jected.''
The people have great confidence that
General Grant will act firmly and discreet
ly IN this very delicate matter. They de-
sire to remain at peace with all the world
We are quite sure that the present ad-
ministration will go all lengths to assert
our rights, and to defend our honor
With that the people are content A few
fenlans may perhaps crave an outbreak
with Great Britain; but, on the other
hand our entire German population are
well aware that the prospect of such war
| gives great satisfaction to France, where
England's preoccupation IL regarded as
opportunity for another aggressive move
ment toward the Rhine
| The fact that MIR. Motley, before sail
ing for England, had many aud long con-
situations with the President and Secre-