The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-09-17
ALABAMA CLAIMS AND MIR. MOTLEY.
From the NJ Y. Times.

HFO" ute N' Il LCWeS'
The following telegram appeared in the
Egening Post on Tuesday,
t'WAsHINGToN, Sept. 14.-A recent letter from Min
lister Motley exp resses dissatisfaction at the policy
which he is instructed TO pursue in regard to the
Alabama claims. He writes that the temper of the
British Ministry is decidedly favorable towards re-
opening the negotiations for the settlement OF the
question, and that if he was permitted to open up
the subject again. the chances that treaty could
be agreed upon alike satisfactory to BOTH"
In view of the intimate relations subsist-
ing between the Minister at London and Sena-
tor Sumner, and the announcement current
in the press that Mr.. Sumner was to preside
at the approaching Republican Convention
in Massachusetts, and then and there pro-
posed to criticize Secretary Fish's mode of
treating the Alabama claims, this despatch
has naturally attracted some attention.
Before assuming that Mr.. Motley has writ
ten such letter, it may be wise to analyze
the statement of the Posts correspondent,
and see what it amounts to-
l. The British Ministry would like to renew
negotiations if Mr.. Motley would take the
initiative. That we knew before.
.. That Mr.. Motley would like to renew
negotiations. That we knew before he left
Washington
3. That Mr.. Motley is dissatisfied with the
restrictions Of the State Department on this
subject That might fairly be presumed.
4. That if he ''were permitted to open up
the subject again, the chances are that treaty
could be agreed upon"
To make such q declaration privately or
publicly presumes the existence of some un-
derstanding with the English Cabinet as to
terms which, if Mr.. Motley would propose,
Mr.. Gladstone would accept. 1t also pre-
sumes that terms which Mr.. Motley thinks
satisfactory the President does not think sat
isfactory, for he is represented as differing
with the administration on that subject.
Now we can understand that Mr.. Motley
may feel impatient to try his hand at nego-
tiating a settlement of our differences with
England, but we are not prepared to believe
that he is any less tenacious about the terms
OF settlement than the Government he re-
| presents, and if he is not he could not be
now complaining of their policy. This is the
improbability number one.
Again, we believe it is no longer a State
secret that Mr.. Motley has been instructed to
notify Lord Clarendon that whenever it is
thought best to renew negotiations for a set.
tlement OF the Alabama claims, it will be done
at Washington. 1t is not likely that in face OF
such instructions MIR. Motley would enter into
p0ufpdFteIS with the British Government. gel
terms of settlement which he THOUGHT wei
enough of to recommend to his Government
and then take an appeal from its decision &c
the country, because it would not authorize
him to accept them, all of which must be pre
sumed, If the statements of this telegram ar,
accepted. This is improbability number two
Again, 1t is, we believe, no indiscretion fo
us to say that the subject of the Alabama
claims has been very recently the theme o.
an important correspondence between repre-
sentative parties in England and this country
and the most favorable proposals which tn