The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-05-17
EDITION
H ~ O. L a ~ ID.
What She Says About the Interna-
tiCnal Squabble on the Ala
bama Claims Further
Press Criticisms
on Summers
Speech.

nrp
claims speech. For three consecutive days the Lon
son Times assailed the Senator's position, each
day growing warmer in its work. on the 81 instant
1t had leader the subject, from which the follow
ing extracts are made:-
II the speech of Mr.. Sumner against the Alabama
claims treaty purpOrted to he mere expression OF
personal opinion we might have reported it without
comment. When indictments OF this kind are drawn
up by an individual, on his own responsibility,
against whole nation, they are best answered by
dgnifed silence. Mr.. Sumner, however, fills no
His speech though delivered in secret session, was
forthwith published 10y order OF the Senate, and
has already been republished in this country His
sentiments were not only adopted expressly by
several of his colleagues, but afterwards re-
ceived an apparent ratification H1 from an n, almost
ners speech falls short OF the impartiality to be
than Justice for too often ransgresses the rules OF
professional advocacy. One instance Of this unfair
ness is the omission of all reference to any liability
on the part OF France. Another is the one-sided
estimate which he submits OF the effects produced
10y the war on British and American trade. il
all the possible gains OF British shpowners by the
war rates insurance in the United States are to be
reckoned up against u.s. why is MT. sumner
suffered by our cotton trade and manufacturers
Does he suppose that no pressure was put
pronounce the blockade ineffective, and does he
count for nothing the sacrifice to our national good
when he strings together the boisterous PARTISAN
ship OF Mr.. Laird's friends with "the cheers Of
British passenger-ship crossing the path Of the
Alabama" and treats both as conclusive proofs OF
national completely with the South, does he take no
account OF the fact that no popular meeting was ever
appeals made on behalf OF his own cause He does,
indeed, notice these appeals, but only to point
his attacks upon the English naon which he chooses
TO identify with particular section of English society,
and not with its government or its most representa-
tive men, With like want OF candor, he alludes to
Mr.. Goodwin Smiths vigorous protests against South
ern proclivties but forbears to refer to recent
ty agsnst he accnsaon OF having been Sc
tuated by them In short, he studiously labors to
put the worst construction ON every act OF Great
Britain, sometimes interpreting it by the Ian
guage OF irresponsible critics, and sometimes
by the er post acO test OF consequences now judging
t by the lOftest principles OF international morality
and then by the most technical rules Of the common
law. Having done so, he assures us that his invec
tives have been wrung from him by sense OF duty;
that he has long suppressed his feelings; and that
it is but lately that our liabilities have revealed
themselves in their true enormty. During the
war and for some time thereafter it was impossible
TO state them. The mass of mountain cannot
a certain distance, and this rule of perspective is
justly applicable to damages which are vast beyond
reaching point OF view from which he can see the
question in its real proportions, the world must
now decide & do us me I S1 Mr.
Before that case is again considered IL VIII need TO
be carefully stripped OF Mr.. summers passionate
arguments in aggravatiOn Of damages. Thus
limited, it will be entertained by the British Govern
ment and people with sincere desire to satisfy any
legitimate demands which can be established against
us either in a court of equity or in court OF honor
The London Herald of the same date devotes a
column to the sensation Of the day. From the fol-
lowing extract the general tone OF the article may be
Judged
We are glad to find that Mr.. Sumner rests his
whole case on the supposed wrong done to the Union
10y this recognition OF Southern beigerency, because
his argument in this particular Is so untenabe that
even the most fanatical Northerner must see the
holowness of it. While the Americans pro-
posing TO recognize the independence OF Cuba, an
island ruled by a Spanish governor and held by q
Spanish army, in which an insurrection has broken
out which is yet in its infancy, they cavil at our
Government for having admitted as belgerents
a people whose ports had been declared by
the Northern President TO be in state OF blockade
against whom he proceeded after the method and
with the courtesies of regular war; people which
part Of four years, and brought into the field an
army Of half million OF men. Instead OF blaming
us for the strictly legal and impartial position
friends OF the Union owe us thanks for not having
recognized, we well might have done and as an
influential ally invited us TO do, the independence
the Confederacy and the destruction OF the Union.
The London Telegraph, after seriously thinking the
subject over, comes to the conclusion that
In plain English whether for good or evil, we de-
cline to accept Mr Sumner as the deliberately aa.
thorlzed spokesman OF the final American Judgment.
The real Importance of the Senators
address consists not in its practical application but
in the state Of popular feeling (which its delivery pre-
supposes AS a matter OF fact we cannot doubt that
Mr.. Sumner expressed the opinion OF numbers among
his fellow countrymen when he declared that Eng
land had been the 'naval base Of the Confederacy;
that the Rebellion had been kept alive, II not called
into being by the expectation OF English interven-
ton; and that the civil war would have ended two
Afforded from this country. We not now discuss.
ING the Justice Of these assumptions and we refrain
from dwelling the other side OF the account as II
stands between England and America. Just or un-
lust such conviction as we nave described Is popu
iarly entertained throughout considerable portion
of the United States and IL would be idle to hope
that any argument on our side would snake the COM
mon belief of the hour Even II the English nation
took exactly the same view Of It's conduct as Mr.
Sumner we do not see what more We could possibly
do than offer restitution for any specific injury which
we can he proVed TO have inflicted This we have al
ready offered, the Senator Ol MdssacnuseJtS MN
self admits; and If the Americans decline our oliel
there Ia nothing more to he done on our side. III We
consented to adopt any form OF apology which Mr.
Sumner might dictate, and If we onered 10 pay
any sum which he might consider q lalr egulValen
for our misdoings we should not thereDy remove remove
the feeling SO prevalent I'm America that we turned
apainst the Union IN the hour OF It's trial Time anC
time alone can remove that feeling; ana we beneV'
mis- country win best serve the cause OF peace ant
amity by attaching little weight 10 compliments OF
the one hand, such as those with which Mr.. Reverb.
Johnson has lately overloaded MS, or TO scoldng, OF
the other, like that OF which MI. sumner mas JUS
given us a specimen
The London Daily Netes again reviews the speecl
in these terms:-
Thare can he no doubt that the tendency OF
sneech IKE this by man OF Mr.. Summers eminence
Is OF nature to produce III certain clIcunsIdhSes
grave situation. AT present nothlng mas peen doil @
Grants mower to control AT the same Tune IL ls no
TOO early TO point out what must DC the eueco y y
declarations OF this kind II they receive any @ sdnc
tion from those who are the Official representative
~ the United States towards TINS country IN
character OF a long train or argument Whlcl
Ieads M 10 impossible demands IL not heu
90 the close and the practical conclusions Whlcl
now from Mr. Summers speech leave very llttle Ioon
indeed for effusve sentiment our PrVtte lestSn s
rom the United States inform US tha o cssed
az thet MA nreposterOus doctrine OF consequential
Manage Is repudiated even by his own constlLuenI