Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1869-06-11
From the London Times, May 18th, 0
senator @rimc,' Letter.

To The Editor o. tte L0HI0n Times g.
Sin.-WIll You permit an American, WHO has
read Al the articles published in your columns
within the last two weeks on American afi-rs,
and who thinks he has tolerahly correct iuig-
ment Of the public sentiment Of his country, 20
assure You
l. That there never has been time within the
last nifty years when there was in the United
States les Of a disposition to 60 to war with any
country, least Of all with Great Britain, than
there is at the present moment.
> That the senate If the United States by
their vote on what is called The Alabaml
Tr,aiv," SIMPLY agreed TO the conclusion az
which Mr. umner arrived in his speech in the
executive son OF that body, and not To the
processes by which he reached that conclusion,
or the arguments by which he supported II.
8. That Mr. Sumner delivered an elaborate
speech On this subject, which he had been for
weeks preparing, and from which he desired the
iuiurtiou Of secrecy to be removed, a request
that is always granted by the Senate. All other
remai Ks made on the occasion were informal
ami conversational, and the speakers neither
felt nor expressed any similar desire for pub
licity.
That there were various causes not gener-
ally known, and which It Is needless 10 allude
o.. that conspirei TO secure the rejection Of the
eaty, not the least Of which were the unwise
dechratirns Of members Of the British legation
in Washington, which, coupled with the manner
Of constituting the commission, as agreed upon
IN the treaty. gave an appearance at least Of prob
able uufairue>s in the arbitration.
>. That England offence IN the eyes Of Ameri-
cans Is not - that she couceiei belligerent rgh
to the cuuiederacy at tine when the Southern
States had apparently established themselves as
eF..sF afsa ..rrrrsF IL
their bellirerent rights at any time. nor that we
did not enjoy the full sympathy OF her citizens
during the rebellion. Their real grievance Is
that the Alabamt, built and fitted out in an
English port, never ran into confederate port 50
as to acquire the legal character OF acon'eierate
bellgerent, technically or otherwise that She
WIS in truth an English vessel, sailing from
British port under the British flag, manned by
British sailors, vas everywhere cordially re-
cei,ed, supplied, and cualed at British stations,
while such hospitality was denied to American
cruisers that she never had any other home
than the port f Liverpool, from which she
originally departed, and remained in law and
conscience British vessel until she sunk be-
meath the waves This is our grievance. All
else is the establishment Of the advocate and
orator
g. That while it is not to be denied that there
is a desire in the northwestern States Of the
Union to she the British Provinces added TO their
government for the purpose Of securing control
Of the navigation of the 81 Lawrence River,
which drains a large portion Of their territory,
it is also true that many Of the Atlantic States
are opposed to their acquisition, because they
fear that if acquired the Nest will have uninIer-
rupted water communication with Europe, With
out passing through and being tributary to
~. into r1aorfa Of the N
patiently biding their time in the full faith that
when the British government conclude, as It
sooner or later will conclude, that the provinces
are an element Of expensive weakness to it, and
thai il will no longer support them, they will be
quite as anxious to join the United States as
their public men, who almost exclusively enjoy
the bounty bestowed by the home government,
now profess to be unwilling TO do so There is
not a respectable minority OF any party in any
State in the Union that would for moment
Justify an attempt to wrest the Canadas by force
from the British crown.
: | am not prepared to say what may be the
specifc instructions with which Mr.. Motley may
come TO England; but am prepared to say that
th.v will not be other th,n Of the most pacific
character. 1t should be borne in mind that IN
der our government the Senate is part of the
treaty-making power, that the rejection or
amendment OF treaty by that body Is Of fire.
quent occurrence and that such rejection fur
nisbes no reason 10 the American mind why
efforts at negotiation should not be renewed
again and again. Possibly Mr. Motley may not
be instructed 10 take the initiative in a new
treaty. but that should not be the cause Of un-
easiness on the part of any one, and certainly
cannot be the cause Of war.
Az AMERICAN CITIZEN