Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-06-06
THE ALABAMA CLAIMS.
The Presidents Policy Towards
Engiand-He Opposes the Views Ex-
pressed i'm Summers Speech.
&c., .-.o of a. NJ ", l. u...ll I

enc tresiucnhS EOncy IOhdrue
Engiand-He Opposes the Views Ex-
pressed i'm Summers Speech.
Correspondence of the New York Herald.
a. WASHINGTON, June People who
suppose that President Grant supports
the. views expressed by Senator Sumner
in his great speech on the Alabama
claims are very much mistaken. l have
the best authority for stating that the
President, so far from concurring with
the Massachusetts, Senator, thinks that q
great injury has been done the country
by that speech that, in point of fact, it
has placed US in false and untenable
position, and perhaps destroyed the only
chance we had Of settling the bothersome
Alabama claims satisfactorily. This may
seem rather unreliable; but the
truth is, it comes in such q way as to
admit of no doubt. Grant does not be~
heve in Summers plan, which, when an
alyzed and stripped of its yerbiage, he
considers could lead to only one logical
conclusion-war. Therefore the people
who have been so much alarmed in EGG
land as we'll as here at home about q
sanguiuary collision between the two
great Anglo Saxon nations, and the con-
ssquent damage to zone blood, one lans
guage, one destiny. ETC., may dismiss
their fears. Grant is understood to go
further and to believe that Sumner
himself is not sincere; that Summers
design was to get the start of Banks
and his followers, who were lab0rin g
zealously to accomplish the annexation
of Canada and British North America
as sort of compensation foI our Ala
bama claims. 1t is well known that
Sumner is one Of those who hold that
it is not good thing to &C
quire any more territory; that our
present territory is as large b as
we can we'll govern, and that
there is danger in making any more exs
tensions. The idea is that Sumner be<
lieyed, by making the speech he did, ne
would put the English people in such bad
humor that they would not consent to
exchange British North America or one
inch of territory in satisfaction Of claims
urged with threats and busters At all
events such seems to be the belief of
Grant, and it is feared by his cabinet that
the proposed negotiations looking to the
acquisition of British North America have
been nipped in . the rbud by Summers
speech 1t is said that Grant, on being
asked what he thought of Summers
speech, summed up his opinion in five
words, "Bad logic, but good rhetoric.''
Summers own declaration, inconsistent
with the bulk Of his speech, that he
did not wish war, it must be admitted
lends some plausrbility to this ex-
PLANTATION Of his real object in making
his remarks public Grant holds that
there are only two ways Of settling in
ternational difficulties, namely, by diplO-
matte negotiation or by war. If we de-
clare that we don't want to resort to the
warlike remedy, then We must adopt the
only other; and if we adopt diplomacy
we must conduct it in q manner best
calculated to effect our object. We must
manage it with dignity, temperance and
firmness, but not with threats and blust-
ering. We must address a powerful
nation in language that will convince heI
of the justice of our claims without Of
Tending needlessly her amour prOpre.
From this statement of Grants views on
this very important subject it is difficult
to perceive whereiR his policy will differ
from that Of his predecessor, unless it be
found in the proposed acquisition of ter.
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