New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-02-22

our feelings as O nation, sufficed to secure
resnectful attention to our circumstances or an
osiot;vo remedv against the threatened out
rage. r,o,;sh
man knows, that had England been thus treaeea
no amiable oratory, no diplomatic salves' couio
have availed to make by-gones by cones Win,
out an honorable reparation, full, complete anu
satisfactory.
Without such reparation, time, instead Oh neal
ing and forgetfulness, brings increased strengVn
and yiyidness to the popular conviction lhat
England owes us national reparatlon, ana
that sooner or later that debt is to be PAID;
not by a declaration of war on our part, but
Inv her own folly or her own justice.
Strong in her continental mght-rsen like a
giant refreshed from her struggle with Slavery,
which she crushed by what The London Times
denounced as the cruel policy of emancipation
occupied for the moment in linking by rail the
Atlantic and the Pacific, and making her me-
tropolis the financial center of the world
America can afford to wait but can England
Let England become entaDgled in war with
any power on earth, or with any insurgents on
its own wide territory, who may claim recogni-
ton az belligerents, and find new Lairds IN
foreign Birkenheads to furnish them with other
Alabamas and Floridas and Georgias and Shen-
andoahs, and transatlantic judges whose deyo-
tion TO English law shall lead them to follow the
rulings of the Lord Chief Baron in the case of
the Alexandra, and where would then be the
British Commerce that so gleetully ABSORBED
that of the RcpublcR
Or let England become involved In war Win
the United States, and the thing may happen
suddenly, especially since Mr.. Reverdy Johnsons
too amiable and indiscriminate afiabillty, de-
ludiug the English and irritating the Amen-
can people. has created the idea Of peace while
reopening wounds which, till they are healed,
make peace impossible; let war ensue despite
the earnest efforts of the Government ana OF
good citizens to prevent such calamity which
would embitter the two nations for at least
another generation, and where then would De
Englands Commerce And where her posses
sions in British America
Mr.. Bright SAID of snch a war: ut VIII DC
"war upon the ocean. Every ship thaV De-
"longs to the nation will, as far as posslDie'
abe swept from the sea-"
And in regard to Canada, The London Times,
during the closing campaign of the Rapldan'
warned that Colony that she must prepare TO
protect herself, declaring that England coulu
send no army to her assistance which could
stand, not single campaign, but single
battle conducted upon Gen. Grants principles
In debate in the House of Commons, March
IS. 1866, Mr. Bright said the House admitted
that. in case of war with the United States,
" Canada could not be defended by any power
"on land or at sea which the country could
"raise or spare for that purpose" England
cannot defend Canada, and Canada VIII not
attempt to defend herself, but will submit
without an effort TO save her cities and VII
lagos from the ravages of war, and to JOIN,
not perforce, but willingly, the Great Republic,
with which she is rapidly learning that her In
terests, her sympathies, and her safety are
identified.
The London Times of Feb. 10, in an article on
the Alabama Treaty, says: 1--WE have done our
"best; we have gone to the verge OF national
Humiliation to secure a settlement OF the
"question at issue. We shall now await propo-
"sitions from the new Administration of Gen.
Grant Is this quite Correct2 Is there any
national humiliation involved in Englands
proflering us Of her own accord the amplest
reparation for all that we have suffered from
the indefensible conduct of her subjects, and
the grave error committed by her Government
in measuring their national duty 10y their mu-
nicpal law7 Does not the same rule apply In
such cases to Governments which applies to
gentlemcn-whose honor never appears more
bright and pure than when repairing wrong.
and doing, at whatever personal inconvenience,
an act of justicel
Under these circumstances should England
promptly and frankly tender TO the United
States in full satisfaction of the debt she owes
u.s. first the amount of the Alabama claims due
to individuals and then the REIMBURSEMENT OF
her sovereignty on this continent, with the
consent. of course, Of her Canadian subjects,
might we not, consistently with our national
self-respect accept the tender as cordially as 1t
was offered, with the understanding that by
cones should be by gones, and that we would
revise together the international Code, and re-
model it on that of Washington
That such an offer will be made to us by En-
gland seems the moro probable when we re-
member the length of time through which En-
gland and the Canadas have been looking for
ward to their separation; that such an arrange
M ent now would but slightly anticipate the
early and inevitable future, that it would more
comport with England's truest interest to make
the transfer of her own free will and with the
free consent of the Colonies, and that such an
Offer discreetly made, although it would not
restore our lost Commerce, might be regarded as
a proper reparation for our wounded pride, our
violated rights and shattered interests. Our
people have been dispeased, and justly, at the
childish unwisdom which has been ready to
swell our indebtedness, at a most inconvenient
mnment hv inhiscriminntA and needless mr.