Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1869-04-27
THE WAR sPECK.

The London Times, in a recent leader,
sneoks in a very fattering tone of the appoint
ment of Mr.. Motley as Minister to the Court
of St. James. The conclusion of the article
alluded to is as follows: st is great thing,
however, to feel ourselves demonstrabfy in the
right. This country has gone to the extreme
of concession in the matter of the Alabama
claims. 1t has agreed to refer everything
except its own honor to arbitration and to the
judgement of a mixed commission. 1t has
agreed to give Americans who profess to have
been wronged every opportunity to assert their
claims by providing that the commission shall
hold its sittings at Washington Except abb
soute submission to every demand the Amer.
leans may chouse to make, there is nothing
further that could have been conceded The
convention, in which all this is stipulated, has
been the work Of their own Minister and their
own Secretary Of State and has received the
assent of their own President. IF they now
set it aside our duty will simply be to abstain
altogether from further overtures, and let any
proposal for renewal of negotiations proceed
from the American Government. As for that
downright demand for payment which our
American correspondent describes as being
advocated in the United States, this country
would. of course. know how to treat it ; but
we have not the smallest belief that President
Grants government contemplates a course Of
action so unfriendly and offensive. 1t is more
likely that, assuming the present convention
to be set aside, Mr.. Motley will be instructed
to open negotiations for another, differing
somewhat in machinery, but embodying sim
liar principles. Should this be the case, our
Government will be ready to give the pro-
posals a fair consideration. Should it, on the
other hand be the desire of the Americans to
keep the question still unsettled, the British
nation, having fully manifested its good dis
position, will not feel bound, however, to
initiate fresh negotiations. In any case, we
shall welcome Mr.. Motley, not only as an old
friend but as one who has the confidence Of a
really powerful Executive, and of the most
powerful political party in the United States.
me LOOuOu OSt-a CONSERVATIVE WING
organ-in its issue of the 221 Of April, has
an elaborate editorial article on the Cuban
question, in which it mentions that it is as
serted that President Grant has longing eye
upon Cuba and would not be unwilling to
distract the attention of the people of the
United States from catching the course of
internal affairs by war with some foreign
power. A conflict with Spain cannot leave
any doubt respecting the issue, unless Eng
land and France should interfere. 4 blow
dealt towards the whole of the West Indies,
and the acquisition of Cuba might be followed
by that of Jamaica and Martinique. The same
paper quotes the recent acquisitions of ter
ritory by the United States as proof that it
wants to acquire by pecemeal all the possess
sions held 10y European powers in that lat
itrde, aud would naturally begin with Cuba
because it belongs to the weakest of the pow>
ers having settlements in the West Indies
France and England will doubtless determine
whether these designs against Cuba will be
tolerated, or aid Spain in retaining her colony
The French press has agitated the question
much in the same tenor and special meetings
of the French cabinet were held on Tuesday
and Wednesday, which resulted in a special
envoy being sent last night to London with
dispatches referring to the present compica>
ton of events.