, 1869-04-19
the ALABAMA TREATY.
Our Claims on England.

Our Claims on England.
Speech Of Hon. Charles Sumner,
The following is the speech OF Hon. Charles
Summer, Of Massachusetts, on the Johnson -Clar-
epdon treaty for the settlement Of claims delly-
cred IN the Senate Of the United States April Isth
Inst:
THE sTEEcI
MI SUMNER. MI President, report recon-,
mendtng that the Senate do not advise and con-
sent to trcaty with foreign power, duly signed
By the Penpotentary OF tho nAtaon, Ia OF nara O.
nmcnemcuts, aud sometimes without any recom.
mentation; but 90 not recall an instance since
came Into the Senate, Where Huch Q treaty has
been reported with the Recommendation which Is
! now under consideration. The character Of the
| treaty seemed tn justify the exceptional report
The committee did not hesitate In The conclusion
that the treaty ought 10 be re)ected anu they have
do not disguise the importance Of this act; but
believe that IN the interest OF peace which every
| one should have at heart, the treaty must be re-
,ected A treatJ which, Instead Of remoEtng IN
existing grievance, leaves It for heaSt-hurnils aud
raneor, cannot be considered settlement of pend
TO settle them, but does not It Is nothing hut a
snare. And such Y the character o. the neaty
Which our country suffered for Scars Is latt up-
touched; The painful sense of wrong planted In
the na1fona. heart Is allowed to remain For all
| this there La not one word OF regret or even OF
recognition; nor Is there any senblance OF com
pcnsauon. II cannot be for the Interest
q either party. that aaeh trsaty should
,erest Of the United &sta1es, for We
naturally seek justice as the foundation Of good
mote the interest Of Great nrtaln, which must al.
80 seek real settlement Of all pending questions.
Surely do not esr when say t6as q wise states
1 mansnjp whether on cur side or on the other Ude,
mu.t anf1y Iseii to fnE the real root Of evil and
then. WITH courage telnrerrd by candar and reod
interest of 10th nrtice aud anything short oi Ii IS
failure II su11ctent to say that rue present
trcaty does no such thing, and t1lAs whatever mag
real root Of er remains untouched ID Ill its origi-
! nal strength.
| make these remarks merely to characterize the
treaty nnA prepare the way for its consideration.
| TIE rEsDNa TREATY.
! II we !ook at the negotiation which Immediately
preceded the treaty, " nnd little 70 commend
taken when say that Il shoWs haste which dnd5
few precedelts In diplomacy, hut which Il e1'
| planned BY INC anxiety 70 reasA conclusion PC
seward ani At: hesefa{ sohns9n t,I oota unl.e ~ ~
nis aoa W. x LUZ Luz "
to TIE freest use Of tne cable, tae resu!t weir
such as could ~ be appfoseds hui considering consider n
| scc,ns as II thc honnrah1e nrro,iators WerS en- !,
| gagged tn hud4llng something out o. sight
nae nag fof e sSsh IS
model was strange !stake TSs eepyenio1
Anersan citizens q Great britain, and Of british
ae c1 eary Ghent u 1sis !. COZ
ep nna 10, hs na1on l. ws
| eense Of national wrong, To take such co1yrn
ton rs tho model for treaty which was to deter
1auec ,I1s IN tbe 1e1stions Of two coaaiss ma,ree
On the threshold An iusenslDity to the true 1Atuy
Of the differences to be settled. At once 1t helit.
An M insnecuon a Of Il the treaty. snoss how from be
ginning TO end 1t Is merely for the settlement O.
InAIy5iual claims On both sides, putting botf
patches on IN equaity-so that the sufferers By thu
misconduct OF England may he counterbalancet
by British b1ocEade-runners. 1t opens with pre-
anhle, which, instead Of announcing the uarrece
refers to Individual claims which have arisen sinct
lsSIWhich was the last timo of settlement
Mhisn % ale as pend1nng ana st seaSn unsettled
common place, wns concealed that unsettled dIf
icTenep which has nlrcaly 30 deeply stirred III
iustesl to occupy Tie attention Of tho ciytzet
| Worl,I1 Nothinr mere Ciyes notice OF the rel
question. i quote the preamble, Is it il the key
note T. nc Esa.y; .'; h., . ,,,o., ,,o, .,.. ~, :,
eA.nss = Tai5a sataa, oi 81 eoa7ea.sa bsSsti
urou the Government of her Britannia Majesty on t
part hi tic citizens Of the United 8tats and apon tn
Gortrt,'uut of hr Unitcl Stairs th part Of subject.
Of Hcr BEitaruic Mnetty and Whereas s2rs4 - sue!
ths QUEEN q ,he Gni,ed Kinsdom of srcst Brain ~
AeIe fni e II opno th.t q & sps I'd sss
settlement OF al such cats VIII contribute uuch 70 tt
nainten.nen Of The friendly esnEs Whish salssst he
een tne ~. M u 70
TSc ~ 81 " a y fnr ihc 1a
taese ~ eas.s = sotuu,ss.uu ~ tmsa.oseu' WHY.
ascnt t arr srr ~ tha w ~ ~ ~
EtEnt " iM!1se u asaet, tno asulLAtos snan pt
! uetelMineo y py ~ out ~ tHo pelsulls na1AeA ..
each sue Even tnls ] MSasoEy ptoceealnG Weit
proper nttiCe VI tne unp ~ ltltate clallns
II = st1AuseN luSonssteut villa me soemHlt!
WHICH De;onGs % @ t4e pIessns quesuon. 1ns mora
senSe as aiSlnsbed ~ saGn process AZ any Stag
o. tne ti1ats n0l - y saLsaeu ~ tae suoseausn
pIo'tsion aot @ sne ss!eceot .! eo'eielsu OF LEX
OF inenaiy saSe Us aintIaLos.
tae aete1nllna1loa o. tne sseas aoGSsion, nut
seens 70 IIosus .nak !. snau never netG
@ ssa " i niCsen.sa. tns petty Lut ts.ou tol ~, y!
sidaai caius q % England, 20 tnoi IN tn the M end M on
county may {ns.siny receive nolnlng, IS thc con
siasrltlon ioE Ia.s stlansS w sotIeaaes: potEoN
esim @ tI9n IN Enstsa siarGsmaa on auotner osSa
msnt Of lev in'iisdaai claims Te conlone a
ollRMa. iat-1eacAln8 II anu nestlacuSe WRONG. Aef
M 1he niasn ~o.as " mntcn tm1s T. ooae: o. -,
. nsn NJ M 70 @ III III n
slisinS o., u my TRANSACTION date rries % The cs
change of the Tnicatooa of The prcsent convention
and furhe1 cnsaEe that every sach claim, whether
M h .Ts sefn ,hs E s
II t ssd se oaa..ou be- eunsdcra ~ a tstea
GrsIIv ssttd ana bar1rd md thenrrfotti, tnadn.s
Gie"o:
All this nuntc directly from the treaty. 1t
/ article, IRE, The nntional cnusc Is handled D
nothing more than bundle OF Individual claim.
and Tie result oi inc proceedings under the pc
.