The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-05-07
General Butler a nd the Alabama Claims.

General Butler q nd the Alaba Claims
In discussing the Alabama claims, 1t
must always be borne in mind that if Eng
land was wrong in recognizing the South
ern Confederacy, We have the same cause
for complaint against France and Spain,
and that any of the three could set OH
against the claim of the United States the
action of the Federal government in 40
knowledging the South as belligsrent.
These views are sustained by so extreme
Radical as General Butler, who, in recent
conversation with New York oorrespon-
dent, said:
-ssThe thesis Of MIR. Summers speech, as
understand it, is that England committed an
s.almost unpardonable sin-Rt least one to be
"atoned for only by full payment OF all dam
'ages, immediate or consequential-in her too
s'early according to the insurgents belliserent
srights; in allowing the escape OF the Alabama,
sand in selling arms and munitions OF war
s'to the South. or course, the last legally re-
"sulted from the first; for after belligerency is
accorded by nation there is no objection to
"the sale OF arms by any neutral nation to the
"belligerent. We sold arms to Mexico as
sssgainst the French invasion; we supplied
'.mules to the French to transport their lug
"eaee trains from Vera Cruz 10 Mexico. SO
Eve bought arms Of all nations in Europe. So
"there is nothing in our neutrality laws against
s'our selling arms either to Peru or Chill, and
eve have been selling them arms in their war
against Spain.
Therefore the gravity Of Mr.. Summers &C
',cusstiou depends upon the propriety OF the
recognition by England Of the rights OF bel
'Gigerency in the rebels. But we must remen-
'ber that our complaint in that behalf ID as
"grave and commanding against France and
'Bpain as against England. am inclined to
"think Mr.. Sumner puts too much stress upon
s1he haste OF this recognition as to time, be-
'cause on the 18th Of July by formal declara-
sstion of war we acknowledged the Confederacy
s'as belligrent; and in war which lasted four
s.years, whether belligerency was acknowledged
"on the 18th OF May or the 18th Of July OF the
s:irst year, certainly could not be matter OF
$50 grave consequence, If it might be acknowl-
'edged at all"
1t being conceded that England had the
law on her side, what, then, is to be done !
General Buffers theory is that she took
advantage of technical law to injure
friendly power, being determined to destroy
the United States at all hazards, and that
this is just as much an injury that requires
reparation IS though the actshad been done
without technical legal justification. But
how is the offender to be expected to con-
oesde that he had not the law on his side
when in point Of fact he had' England
may have been unfriendly to the North, but
she was no. less unfriendly to tae south.
In refusing to join the Emperor Napoleon
in recognizing the Southern Confederacy,
her statesmen committed d blunder Of which
they already repent This country, North
and South, is dissatisfied with England, and
England is Jealous of the American Union.
Neither the dissatisfaction of the one nor
the jealousy Of the other, however, will fa-
cilitate the settlement of the Alabama
claims. Butler himself is not in favor Of
going to war, though he would have US
await an opportunity when England is at
Negotiations are futile as long as the de-
mand is that Great Britain shall aoknowl-
edge that she was wrong in recognizing the
South. The door Of diplomacy is closed.
War would be the total destruction Of the
commerce and trade of the country. What
have We, then, to do but to wait and reopen
the question at later day upon basis
which shall give this country all to which
it is entitled, without attempting to impose
upon England conditions which national
pride will not allow her for q moment to
- f---i-i.. :.
entertain? 49, ..,,.,.
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