New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-11-27


that that correspondence is altogether silent upon
the great poiut OF tho wrong Inflicted mp"a p smo
sIsience the recognition OF abegerrnt sdinS W v
Rebel Conedcr3Gy when tadt n"n " Which
alone Lord Russell declared, on the 9th Of May. no.
was granted. viz that the newlyacknoweaesu Wt,S ,
cnts should have prize ports aud prize courisI was @
Mr. johnson aware further. that TINS same otnGh GOT
Sv@roo the pcnency Of tho repeated ad
mission by tho British Government. duing the war; OF
before the Aiabama-certaiuy long before tho sheu
andoah-was coaled, proviSioned: and manned In q
british outport under the guisc Of Legitimate ship-o
war of a duly recognized bellgerent powerf
The text OF Mr. Johnsons convention non or nov 10
fortnight Shortly after lis arrival aud while u was n
Ger by the H or r 10 70
on and complete further negotiations on the San Juan
Johnso's telegram. showing the first Impression Of the
Secretary Of State Of Mr. JohnsCns Alnbans labors
REvERpr JOHNSON esq Let San Juan Cams COHveGos
,ba tl1qna cla@' CSaysn,ou) uns' amended T. useless
. Passing now to the second-whieh. It should be
renee Of the Secretary Of State and for which Mr.
Seward took pains IN letter dated Jan ~ 10 EXPRESS 70
m which YOU have conducted these Important negotia
tions lit will be found that Mr.. johnson hardly supu-
lates for respectful cognzance OF the same claims
by the Commissioners In the later than IN iho carrier
treaty. The term Alabama occurs bus once IN inc
whole document. aud then IN parentheIicai kinu Oh MY
as II the American negOtiaOr had been afraid to bring
his bantlng upon the carpet all While othsr-the most
irlug or tile most observation-disclosures, running back TO
boldly raise their heads and challenge hearing
is only in secondary and subordinate capaoiiy iho
duced by the phrase. winch most writers would have
been likely to inclose IN brackets including tne So
called Alabama caims"l that the American grievance
rs permitted present itself at all for arbitration
ARrIcLE The high contracting parties sgee th az ems o" ,s
Gsis AID AZ claims the Of citizen. Of The United so;
2aSGna cias may have been to either Govern
%sa for IT, n,sTo''S W sS S ce @ @ t eS:ud sc
Brian and the unted States Of A@.rcs a. LS"do' 90 IL.
a. other snch within the .Ptefd
ia Article III cOuseao hs, is two FROM the m si'nE
ofibe Comuper) uhtbsr or not arising out d tue late civil war
the UNITED States shall be referred to four Cs@~'H'" to be P
This is ali tie introduction to the Commissioners
throughout the cumen Mt Mcssrs johnson and Sow.
ards hands, and leave TO the candid readers Judgment
THESIS IL we're of rcclnmaons so nportant the in
divdua sufferers and TO the American people az large
looks either manly or statesmanly.
So FAR Mr. Reverdy Johnson had any agency IN pro
yIdIng for this lame and mp0tent statement OF tho
American grievance think the spirit which inspired hts
diplomacy is well illustrated by short extract from one
Mr. Jolnson had entered upon tho negotiation Of tho
second convention with Lord Clarendon Tho dispatch
The Minister had dcested his Irritation at Mr. Stewards
telegrapc repudaton OF his frat treaty. and when ne
| negotiating second. quote only short extract,
Which, however, will fairly bear separation from tho
johnson to Seward, Dee. 2ll
Bring bs eu,roIe III regard to ,5e A.ha= ma r.@s TO :.
ss % SS propositions which viii be made The dispatch
b S. m. Alabama claims specifically mentioned among
claims the COmmiOusr and this hnt most In
Wonderful The representative of his conntry's rights
can even get tho Alabama claims mentioned" In that
closure Of tier further prosecution And i6s thinks
most important He does not purpose on this occasion
To altogether omit any specification OF the question TO
be deeided" but he so fortunate as 10 hope for meu-
ton Of ms ease IN inc dare
Could diplomatic tnesse achieve greater Triumph
n, he second pldee-to continue my comments Mr..
Johnsons second conventional the critic OF this Con
venon looks for any Ieccgnon IN IT, much more no1
Wrong and injury to the United States" resulting from
the violation OF neutrality by the Queens proclamation
Which we have seen was insisted upon by Mr. Seward
afe as January 49, 1865 he will d himself equally dis
appointed as III regard to tho earlier convention OF NO
Bnt since Mr. Johnson is confident that the Govern
E and as he says else where in his letter
Of February i7tR depredations Of the Alabama
interest should like to lie Informed no heard
that one the ships sunk by the Alabama wasthe United
States shpowar the Hatteras-a guh5oat OF eonsdrra,
Bile size seventeen OF whose officers ard crew were Killed
and drowned and hundred anh np%sra o wa were
pecunary national In that act OF war or plracy DID
md the woundng Of several OF seanen, finally
give the teis to the Alabamns depredationsf And. N
aid not lie chase OF that arauding and her
kindred cost the United States million. OF dollars
of expense without reckoning the more remote destruc
tOn Of private commerce whose value Mr ReVerdy
But pass from Mr.. Reverdy Johnsons indl
ydual sayings and doings. and from the topic OF Beg
erept Recognition iDexcusably omitted by hun Tor by
him and Mr. Be ward jointly from the Convention OF Jan
iWh@inexcusabiy at least on their own showlng-to
briefly notice. tn The third place tho equally important
OMISSION from the same Statepaper OF all statement OF
principle or recognition Of national ground OF indemnity
oDers or Arbitrator might drerward under Il In
favor Of the american private , 9ran Mr. seward din
OF Jan 49, 1868, already quoted believe the matter
will well bear moments further attention. Says Mr.
Seward TO Mr.. Adams Just before the signing Of
the Clarendon Convention the t0lceSt yoT7n ~
stateS could accept would be found ia an indemnity by
the British Government, to those citizens OF the United
Now. what satisfaction could it &c Of the "nationa
wrong and injury" felt by the people OF the United
war; that any sum Of money. however large should have
accrued BY fortunate east OF me dice TO
Commissioners did not attempt and In fact were not
inc ts the fortunate recipients Of tho Indemnity would
be willing TO accept their money without asking whence
initiate Bir George B. Upton IN being willing to post
pone their private remedy to tho paramount
would have been accomplished by tho pro-
cess toward concilstng international good WILL or, st
amended code Of maritime law which the experience OF
the late war has shown to DO 80 necessary to the future
but especially latter shall have tho concurrence
% the. ,AS q s o.
when paid II an Alabama indemnity Is ever 10 be rem
advanced civilization one shortly .Sl Ss that It shall
be paid and accepted pledge OF international saS-
Thus II million Of dollars Is 10 be paid because OF
defective observance Of neutral precauton IN not
ffords from Liverpool, or Of the Florida from Nassau
another million because Of the burning OF American shps
by Brtshbuilt Confederate cruisers, without adudica
ton contrary TO that code OF maritime warfare which
Lord Russell announced behalf OF the British Govern
men the outbreak OF the Rebellion, would be- insisted
from the newly created belgerents another million
because the admission OF prva
eers sOcalled public ships OF war; Into the ports
of that neutral power which had neggently tolerated
their original outfit within It's own territory; aud
other millions thousands because Of the viola
On Of this that Just doctrine Of international law H.
say these OF money awarded on their rcspee-
tive specific grounds and the United States as Govern.
ment accepts the money behalf Of Its citizens thereby
In. unAu ~