The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-06-02
EDITION
H N O. l. a ~ ID.
Sir Francis Heads Views on the
Alabama Claims-Is America
Right in Demanding
ReparatiOn
Head VS.. Sumner.

Canada, in two-coumn letter TO the London Times
Of the 2st ultlmo calls to mind the course pursued
by the Americans in the Canadian rebellion of 1887
The communications exchanged between Sir Francis
and Mr.. Marcy, then Governor of the State of New
York, are given in full. On the 22d he published
another communication with additional letters from
Mr.. Marcy. third communication, which con-
cludes the series, was subsequently published.
The concluding portion OF the first letter reads as
f0lows:-
The facts and figures for the comparison are briefly
as fOUows:--
on the 4th of December 1887, when Mr.. Mckenzie.
at the head OF 500 followers, armed, many with
sticks, many with pixies and the rest with rifles, sud
denly appeared before Toronto, the population of
Upper Canada was 100000 and that Of the Home Dis
trict 10000, that of Toronto 10000
On the 1th, with great difficulty he escaped in dis
guse TO the United States. On the following day /
not only issued proclamation 90 stop the volunteers
who from all directions were hockng towards To-
ronto, but besides the whole of the Queens troops
who previous to the outbreak had been despatched
placed the militia OF counties at the disposal
OF Sir j. Coborne IN the lower province; and, lastly
so completely was the outbreak at an end that, not
requiring the assistance of military civil law
pardoned on the day of their capture every rebel
prisoner brought before me, and during my admin
isration did not allow single rebel to be executed
for the reason as expressed it, that not requiring
the death OF fellow creature, felt the Angel OF
Mercy would be OF greater service to me than the
Demon of Revenge, and it was So"
Now, 1t was under these circumstances and at a
moment when there not in Upper Canada at
rebel in arms that the Governor of the State of New
York, on the 25th of December, as advised by his
Attorney General, resolved 10y abrogatlng that
solemn treaty between Great Britain and the United
States under which, only four months before on
the demand Of the authorities of his own State of
New York, had Loyalty delivered up to him
American citizen charged on due evidence of having
robbed the Bank of Rochester in the said State, to
proclaim on behalf of the United States "neutra-
ity" between two so-called beigerent' forces. The
one, the triumphant mercifu power and peaceful
authority of Great Britain in Upper Canada; the
other, gang of desperadoes Commanded, as will
be shown, by an American ''generalD, every one OF
whom had followed him and the fugitive murderer,
Mr. Mckenzie, not from Canada, but from the ter
ritory of the United States to little uninhabited
British island in the narrow river Niagara Assem-
oled there, and waging war under no national flag,
pirates--the enemies of mankind in general, and
especially of the United States whose sensitive honor
you, forcibly captured twenty two pieces Of their
Government artillery, as well as many thousandssof
their muskets.
Instead however OF avenging they condoned this
insult and, allowing their cannon to fire for fort
night on the Canadian people Including myselD,
three Of whom they killed, the Governor OF the great
and highly civilized State of New York, against my
earnest remonstrance, insisted ana persisted in
sumng the misnomer of "neutral," and in declaring
me and the robber of his arsenals, Mr.. Mckenzie,
70 be "belligerents," allowing, however, in breach
of neutrality the latter whenever he Thought proper,
not only to land and harangue the citizens of the
United States but daily to receive from them for his
gang, increased by them to upwards of 1000, food,
powder shot, and ball cartridges, the three latter
taken from the Government arsenals. Now, beg
leave to ask the people of the United States to con-
slider and declare whether such conduct accords
with the doctrine eXpounded in Mr.. summers speech
The course of policy above pursued by the consti-
tuted authorities OF the United States was either
Supposing for a moment, that it WIS wrong, it
does not follow, because England overlooked it at
the time and has long ago forgotten it, that she has
now no dormant claims for apology ana compensa-
ton
The American Government and people, however,
maintain that it was right. II so, as 1t cannot be
right only when they pursue IL, and wrong when
pursued by any other nation, most respectfully
submit to their good sense and good feeling that
comparing to tiny dimensions of strength dura-
tion and Of the outbreak of the rebel Mckenzie
with the gigantic dimensions OF the strength, dura-
tiOn and cost of the outbreak of Rebel jefferson
Davis, it is logically, morally, and politically lmpos
sible for them to refuse now 10 accept fronl the
British people, as Their reasonable apology Tor queen
Victoria having in May, 1861 tas Mr.. sumner COM
plains, accorded beligerent rights to the latter, at
that perioda successful 'rebel THE identical words OF
explanation given TO her representative in Upper
Canada in December, 1887, by the authorities Of the
United States, for having accorded begerent rights,
protection cannon, muskets, ammunition and food
to the former defeated fugitive and rebel and roboer
OF their own Government arsenals.
England's lrm friendly answer, therefore, TO what
Mr.. Sumner has deemed it advisable TO term the
great question, the massive grievance, the original,
far-reaching, and destructive wrong" in his
words authorized to be published by his own Senate
is, submit, as follows:-
He jefferson Davis at the head Of military force
force hostile TO the Government and seeking its suit
ans S or S as o the
purpose to inquire it is enough that it was state OF
open, public, and notorious one side TO over
throw and the other to preserve the United states
Between the beligerents or wagers OF this "open,
public, and notorious war" no foreign country had
any right to interfere and in acknowledgment
thereof England alone of all the nations Of Europe,
pledged herself by proclamation to remain neutral.
nave the honor to be, sir, your obedent servant,
Late Leutenant-G Governor OF Upper Canada
Mr. Forster Reviews Senator summers Ala
bamn speech
MI Forster member of Parliament for Bradford,
appeared before his constituents on the 2Oth u, at
public meeting, and in the course OF ms speech
delivered on the OCCASION he alluded TO the position
OF MI Sumner on the Alabama claims. The follow
ing s a synopsis of Mr. Forster's address,
The right honorable gentleman next alluded 10 the
American question, especially referring 10 sumner
speech. England had felt a warm interest IN the
cause OF the North OF Amerlca-ln the Vlctory Oh
freedom over slavery Sumner had complained tnat
England had acted in hostile manner WIN respeCI
TO the proclamation of neutrality sumner appeared
to consider that the South ought to nave been
treated as pirates But he Mr F0rster) found, from
his study of international law, that where Cnere
was a revolution between States in the same coun-
try they were belligerents ana that IL was Ile uuy
OF a neutral government TO treat tnem as SUCH
Then again, Mr. Sumner nad remarked tuaI, az
though there was by land then IN America Ilere
was no war at sea; but remember the prOclalnauohs
the Northern States made, and let then also con-
slider that the North themselves, by the Dlock-
ade OF ports III the South, recognized Ine
existence OF war with the South. The Southern
COnfederacy their vessels out OF port,
and time after time disturbed the blockade the
North had instituted The blockade in Itself was an
act OF war. Sumner also appeared 10 contend That
that blockade was not real blockade, but MI
Forster argued that the American Government were
playing upon words, for saing TO Southern ports
was the act OF a belligerent power Although there
were individuals who had committed acts offensive
10 the North they ought to look at what the Govern
ment OF the country had done.
Regarding the press, Mr. Forster said :-"Well,
there were newspapers, and very able newspapers
your owns newspapers the newspaper OF Leeds
many newspapers In london, who took the side OF
the North. And / win say this-there is a great
newspaper in England, the Times, and there is
a great newspaper in America, the New York
Herald There was time in which the Times
En0land and the North. There was q time. and