The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1869-04-22
SENATOR SUMMERS SPEECH ON TIE
ALABAMA CLAIMS.


published Senator Sumner great speech
on the Alabama claims. It is very ex-
haust;Ve statement of our grievances re-
sulting from the action of Great Britain;
butts in much more temperate tone than
it was generally believed to be, and can
not fail to make deep impression upon
the American people. Mr.. Sumner takes
the ground that England must first apollo
gize for the unfriendly and unwarrantable
acts committed against US during the re-
bellion and then make payment for all
damages sustained. He makes out case
as clear as day, and from present indica-
tions, the American people will take moth
ing less Mr. Sumner says that the mag
nitude of our claims will increase rather
than diminish, with the lapse of time.
The payment of sl2, 900, 900 which would
have satisfied US few years ago, will no
longer be sufficient. 1t does not follow
that we must go to war with England, but
as long as this matter remains unsettled,
England and America will stand in an at
titude of hostility towards each other.
Mr.. Sumner commences his Indictment
against Great Britain by showing that the
recognition of belligerent rights gave to
the rebellion something which it did not
before possess, namely, status on the
high seas. Ocean belligcrency being a
fact and not principle" (as affirmed
by Mr.. Gaming and admitted by Earl
RUSSELL, it is susceptible of proof that
no such belligerency existed until after it
was recognized ny Great Britain. In
point of fact British recognition created
it. 1t is scarcely probable that it could
eyer have existed without such previous
recognition. 1t is certain that the subse.
quent naval power of the rebellion was
created, launched, manned and equipped
in the very country whose recognition
made it possible that The rebels should
have flag on the high seas. Neutrality
requires that no act shall be done which
places one party in better position than
1t was before. The rebels, being without
a ship, or port, OIL prize court, Great
Britain gave all these, except the last, to
the rebels, in violation OF the first prin-
ciples ofneutrality. The recognition was
like an inyesture of knighthood, gratu-
itous act, and mark of special favor, fol
lowed by other acts of more glaring
character.
Mr.. Sumner then gives history of
the building and sailing of the Alabama,
in defiance of the protest and proofs OF
Minister Adams; her subsequent manning
at British port, with British sailors and
gunner; her triumphal reception at Brit.
ish ports the world over, down to her last
and only fight with the Kearsarge, where
a British yacht was in readiness to rescue
her commander from his lawful CAP tors,
presenting an unbroken chain of peridy
and unfriendliness, for which no word OF
apology, or even of regret, has ever been
TSCClSCu llOu ouV pOMCE
The extent of our losses by reason Of
these acts is not to be measured by the
number ard value of the vessels actually
DESTROYED by cruisers, but by the fact
that the remainder of our property wa:
rendered valueless. The damages under
this head are minutely set forth by Mr..
Sumner, and constitute an enormous
grievance, and one which cannot be over
looked or forgotten in the final settle.
ment.
In his conclusion, Mr.. Sumner depre
Gates the possibility Of war between the
two countries. bu. intimates that there
may be condition worse than that OF war
the condition where one country, cherish
ing sense ofwroug, stores up the resolve
of Shakespeare Jew: The villainy you
teach me | viii execute, aud it shall go
hard but Il will better the instruction. ,