The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-05-06


course, not as it stood on the calendar, and
| that without dissenting voice. The mo" oi
| MIR. McCreery VIZ not even heard on this ques-
| ton. MIR. Motley was unanimously confirmed.
| Now this was all done in one day, and 1t wae
all of piece. 1t was all one thing-one act, as
it were. The English ministry does not seem
| to understand this.
Correspondent to the cable tele-
gram, MIR. Gladstone seems to think that the
treaty was rejected on political grounds alone.
MIR. Sumner-Yes; he says he has assurance
from reliable quarters that such was the fact.
Now where could he get such assurance? Ger
tainly not from any person in this country
whose opinion would amount to anything. BE
must have got it from Mr.. Reyerdy Johnson.
MIR. Thornton is too we'll posted to have com.
municated any such information.
respondent-Probably Mr.. Johnson has
represented to Mr.. Gladstone that the treaty
was rejected because the majority in the Sem
ate was against both him and President john
son merely as matter Of spite or revenge.
Mr.. Sumner-Very likely; but such is not the
fact. The very next day after the Alabama
treaty was rejected moved in executive ses-
sion to take up the British naturalization
treaty, which was also negotiated by MIR. Rev.
erdy Johnson, and it was ratified. Now five
had been disposed to act in spirit OF revenge
We might have rejected that treaty also. MIR.
johnson have no doubt, feels mortified; but
British Ministry, composed as It'll OF politicians,
that it should 20 on negotiating this treaty
with Reverdy Johnson under the circumstances.
You will notice that the negotiations were all
carried on after General Grant had been elect
ed President. 1he treaty was signed in Janu-
airy. It was in that peculiar time in our sys :
ssm st %Ssn Dssss'n the acting the pes
dent may be said to have nothing in the
shape Of q party behind him. Reverdy
johnson really did not represent anybody then,
at least he did not represent the majority OF
the American people. The British Ministry
should haze been sharp enough to have seen
this, and postponed negotiations until the new
administration ca ne into power, l thought
ton to this, but upon reflection 1 did not see
that I had any right to do it. There is Curl
ous circumstance connected with the rejection
of the Alabama treaty for which I am at loss
to account. I notice that the London Times
(here Mr.. Sumner produced copies OF the
tion the rejection Of the treaty nor refer to my
speech. The Times Of the 10Th contains ca
bic telegram announcing the confirmation OF
AIR. Motley and Mr.. Jay. The Alabama treaty
was rejected the same day, and yet there is no
reference to it.
Correspondent do you account for
that, MIR. Senator? There can be little doubt,
think, that the announcement was sent from
this side by the Associated Preas.
MIR. Sumner-There can be but one theory
about 1.-THE fact must have been suppressed
in England either by Reuter- or by the govern
ment, most probably the latter, through Reu-
ter. The British Government was apprised OF
1t, however. at au early period. for under
stand MIR. Thornton sent dispatch by cable
announcing the acfiol Of the Senate.
Correspondent-How do you account for the
IT, ,I;oh ~. aeo pot prhIiohinO rnnr anppnh in
connection with their comm ants omit?
MIR. Sumner That look q little suspicious too.
It would seem as If they were afraid to let the
people read it before the papers had q chance
to prejudice public sentiment against 1t.
think, however. they will be compelled to
print it.
Correspondent -How does Mr.. Thornton,
the British Minister, take thespeech2
Mr.. Sumnor-Mr. Thornton is now absent
from the CITY. l have NOT seen him but once
since delivered my speech, and that vast
day after, when l met him at dinner. he
seemed to be very calm then. He ls not the
kind of man to make war. ,-
Correspondeut-Mr Senator, do you tnlnR
the Alabama business can be amlcably ar
ranged2 -. n.....,
Government and people understand our poor.
tion better, think much OF the difficulty will
yanlsh. You see, they sa', "What le the use
OF 6ucn an luttuse IeeiluB vi VIC ph VI 'no
Americans about few ships John Bull could
put his hand in one of his pockets and pay the
damages in an hour" But that is not exactly
tho poiot. They don't look at 1t as we do.
They don't take into consideration the injury
they have done Us. AS Richard Cobden'sald,
they might as we'll have battered down all our
cities on the seaboard. The injury Great
Britain has inflicted on us is greater than 1t
was in the war Of 1872, much greater. We
have defined our position now, and have
reason to know there will be no yielding.
We ask nothing but what ls fair, and our peo-
pie mean to have justice at least.