Urbana union. [volume] (Urbana, Ohio) 1862-1872, 1869-09-22
AMERICAX DEGRADATION.

DEGRADATION let ii be called for it is
our own voluntary act, and without our
own act America cannot be degraded
The prompting to this utterance comes
from the following article in the Cincin-
natl Commercial of 18th of Sept. 1869.
Minister Motley writes to the State
Department that the British Govern
ment is disposed to open up the Alabama
question with a view to negotiation and
settlement, and he is ambitious to under
take the business. We can afford to
wait however, and need be in 10 hurry
TO settle accounts. The dlaJGmG pre-
cedent is one lCc may irish to UrGH our
sclUcs Of, H1 case Great Britain should be-
come inUoyrcd IN q Jro,r 'rfh some .fOrH'j-
daBlc pOJccr."
This declaration by the Cincinnati
Commercial would be Of little moment
if it were the single chance utterance Of
that paper. But it is unfortunate that it
will find a response from many others,
and very likely from our own vacillating
government.
First, we made formal demand on
the British Government for indem-
uity to our Merchants for the depre-
dations committed on our Commerce by
the Alabama. Of course we must be held
as having faith in the validity and le-
gsIitv of our claim. We attempted to
Law it down as principel Of Internation-
al Law, thata nation in such case would
be liable; and we even rejected treaty
for the settlement of the claims by a re-
ference; with what face can we now say
that we will urge tie claims no further,
and thatwe will be in waiting for a chance
Of retaliation, and do the very thing
which Mr.. Summer as chairman Of the
Committee on Foreign Relations pro-
nOunced piraical?
In truth we had no claim on Great
Britain for money damages, for depre-
dation committed by the Alabama
That rebel wss a cruiser Of the COnfeder-
ate States, and we had recognised those
States as Belligerent power, and OF
course all other nations were at liberty
10 10 TIE 5bllLC W lllANAN hAANAA7N ~ N--'
We had treated captured persons as pris-
Ouers Of War, and not as criminal insur-
Fents. We blockaded their ports, and
fhe law of blockade is such that all ma
tious may evade it and break it if they
can. But at the same time Great
Britsin could do no further. than recOg'
uize the Confederate States as Eellig
Grants, without violating her duty as
nation: and if she gave them aid anC
support it was cause Of war, IT W.
chose TO make it so. But we did not 81
choose then or afterwards, but we wav
ed the national injury and consented t
uresent a money claim on behalf Of ou
spoliated merchants.
It is to be regretted that our Govern
ment has never pursued one uniform
course OF adhering to the same line o
poIicy. When the Continental power
made the Treaty of Parisand in it provi
ded that Privateering should be abolish
ed. they also provided that other nations
not represented might become parties t
that agreement by giving their assen
within six months. The United State
obiected to it unless the law Of marin
cantures were made the same as caI
turns on land and should not apply
rrivate property. The proposal of tn
limited states was not agreed to and the
did not become parties to the Treaty.
But when the InsUrgent States secede
and War ensued our government the
proposed to give their adhesion to til
Paris treaty, but were told that it wa
too late.
We have no complaint to make th'
o1r Government did not surrender I'll
right Of permitting privateers, for TIA
RIGHT will be an useful cOunterpower
we have war with other powers. B'
we would have the Government pursu
one steady course Of maintaining april
cipIe and a right and not follow a shift
ing line of expediency. Let the worl
know where we stand and where "
mean to stand and that we maintai
nothing and demand nothing but VIII
we are ready to concede at all times
others.