Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1869-04-28
Watertown Repnblifa,t.
WeaneSaQy, aq21z 20, 1869.
OUR RELATIONS WITH ENGLA

upon the Alabama claims, covers the
whole ground SO completely that it is de-
sirable that every one interested in our
national affairs, should have an opportun-
ity to examine it. It is much too lengthy
for our columns, however, and we will
therefore endeayor to give short synop.
sis of some of its principal points, showing
the nature and grounds of our claims
against Great Britain.
Senator Sumner objects to the treaty,
agreed upon between minister johnson
and Lord Clarendon, for the reason that
it proposes to consider indi vidual damages
only, and wholly ignores over national
injuries, which the American people in
general regard as of far the greatest con
sequence. He considers that settle
ment upon the proposed basis would
prove to be no real, permanent settle
ment of the difficulty, as the principal
grievance would be left untouched.
tie regards the ground of comp amt
against England to be three fold. In
the first place the rebels we're recognized
as belllgerents upon the ocean, as we'll as
on the land, when, they did not possess a
ship OF war, port or prize court, all
OF which were essential prequisites to the
character of ocean belligerents. The pro-
clamation, acknowledging the rebels as
belligerents, was issued with unseen "
haste and under peculiarly aggravating
circumstances, as our Minister had been
announced, and was daily expected to
arrive at London. In the second place
the rebel privateers were built, fitted out
armed and manned in British ports, and,
IN spite of the protest Of our Minister.
they were allowed, through the evident
conniyauce of the British Gov eminent
the most charitable could scarcely call
it negiigence-to depart and destroy
our commerce. In the third place they
were welcomed at British ports in all
parts of the world, and allowed to repair,
take supplies and depart hen they
chose instead of being detained as would
have been the case, had the British Gov
eminent been sincere in its pretensions of
friendship and truly DESTROYS to observe
strict neutrality.
Having thus fixed the liability of
the damages under considerations Sen
ator Sumner proceeds to discuss
their extent. To say nothing of the
injury to the dignity and sovereignty of
the nation, which is, by general usage an
allowable claim, it is not difficult to ar
rive at the extent Of our losses oceasione d
by the British pirates. First, we are to
consider the ships and goods actually
destroyed secondly, the amount of ship
ping lost to us by being placed under the
protection of other flags thirdly, the
greatly increased rates of insurance :;
fourthly, the interest on capital invested
IN shipping rendered useless, because Of
these pirates; and..ffthly, the arrest of the
natural increase of our shipping, which
amounted to 5 per cent. annually, and
alone was valued, at moderate estimate,
at l10,000,000. The damages to our
maritime interests, as enumerated above,
were enormous In amount, and are the
direct and unmistakable result of the
action of the British Government in al
lowing the anglo-rebel pirates to be plac-
ed upon the high seas.
Besides all this we are to consider the
increased duration Of the war caused by
British assistance unlawfully rendered to
the rebels. No one can reasonably deny
that the conduct Of England was in direct
violation of the laws Of nations, and that
the assistance thus illegally rendered,
directly or by her connivance, enabled
the rebels to carry on the war for years
after they would inevitably have been OBJ
hged to yield if they had had only their
own resources to rely upon.
The object of Mr.. Sumner speech was
SIMPLY to show the nature and extent of
these claims, and the reason why they
are made. He states the case clearly and
forcibly, and fortiGes every position with
urnlaains"erable argument. What ever NAV
be tie course of our Government in re-.
gard 70 enforcing these claims, it is quite
certain That truly friendly relations be-
tween the two nations cannot exist while
they remain unsettled.