Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1869-05-01
SENATOR SUMMERS SPEECH.

(Which Is Postmaster)
SENATOR SUMMERS SPEECH.
In the very completeness Of symmetry,
evei, cdldly severe in its simplicity, with
not single ornate sentence, it towers
above n ruined commerce and an outrag-
ed nation, an obclisk of statesmanship, q
thing OF grandeur, an enduring national
monitor and meDtor--Senator Summers
speech against England and for the Uni
ted States. 1t is indeed State paper
broad, earnest, honest manifesiO-with
nothing of self or sophistry about il, but
with every sentence nobly national, eve
~ argument terribly true.
On no question OF vital national inter
est, perhaps, was there more popular ig-
norance than on this of our new relations
with Great Britain. Senator Sumner has
here brought forward the whole case,
and in such an array of facts and figures
as must startle and at the same time
deeply interest the whole reading world.
The Senator first shows the complete
inadequacy of the proposed Johnson
Clarendon treaty for the settlement of
the differences between the u. States and
England. The so-called 'treaty'' was
simply small balancing of individual
accounts, such as might arise between
nations under ordinary circumstances,
not taking into its provisions at all the
"claims" of our government against the
destroyer Of our marine commerce and
the real sustainer Of the whole hate war
upon our unity. The submission of such
a farcical document can only be eaccOunt-
ed for in the disgracefnl haste of the
johnson administration to finish up the
work aud claim the honor, and the guilt
bility of the oMer johnson, whose agen-
erosity" always kept the better Of his
judgment. .-.............
Next, the Senator makes out the case
against England, and it is surely dam
aging one. The first act of the "frlendly''
power in question was to recognize the
belligerent rights Of the rebels, when
they had not as yet shown single evi-
dence of any right to such concession.
Ocean belligercncy is fact, not a princi
pie it can only he recognized where it
manifestly exists. The sequel to this act
however, shows that it was the begin
ming of series of outrages, which were
all evidently instituted on the strength
of the toregone conclusion that the dis
ruption Of the American Union Was in
evitablc. The fitting out of rebel cruis
ers in British ports and their subsequent
ravages OH our commerce, both under
the connivance and even with the aid ot
that government, are too familiar TO re-
quire lengthy notice here, though they
are all put down with dreadful accuracy
in the speech.
] take the case of the Alabama, be
cause it is the best known, and because
the building, equipment, aud escape o.
this ship were under circumstances most
obnoxious TO Judgment but it will not
be forgotten that they were consort ships,
built under the shelter of that fatal proc
lamation, issued in such an eclipse Of just
principles, and, like the ships it unloosed
'rigged with curses dark" One after ths
other, ships were built one after the
other, they escaped on their errand; and
one after tho other. they enjoyed the i'm
munities OF British ports. Audacity
reached its height when iron-clad ram,
were built, aud the peryersity of tn,
British Government became still NOR,
onspicuous by its long refusal to arres
those destructive engines of war, destin
ed to be employed against the Unitet
States. This protracted hesitation, wher,
the consequences were SO menacing, is :
part of the case.
1t is plain that the ships which wert
built under the safeguard OF this i'll
Omsned proclamation, which stole forti
from the British shores, and afterwar,
enjoyed the immunities of British ports
were not only British in origin but Brit
ish in equipment, British in armament
and British in crews. They were Britisl
in every respect, except in their com
mandurs, who were rebel aud one O
these, as his ship was sinking, owed hi
safety to q British yacht, symbOliEiRg th
omnipresent support OF England. Brit
ish Eympathixcrs were active in their be
half The cheers Of q British passe1ge
ship crossing the path of the Alabam'
encouraged the work OF piracy, aud The
cheers Of the House of Commons en-
couraged the builder of the Ala
hama, while he defended what he hac
done, and exclaimed, in taunt TO him
who is now an ilInstrious member OF the
British Cabinet, John Bright, that h'
"would rather be handed down to poster
ify as a builder of a dozen Alabalnas'
than be the author OF the speeches of thai
gentleman serving up" the institution
OF the United States, which the builder
of the Alabama, rising with his theme
denounced ''as Of no value whatever
II IL. -CIs