The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1869-05-03
BRTTIsH RELATIONS.
The Alabanaa Question-EnElish Of
Summers sPeech-OpiniOns Of the
PrGss-Discussien in the Cabinet
Sentiment Of the People.

The Alabama Question-EnElish Of
Summers speech-Opinions Of III,
Press-Discussioa in the Cabinet
Sentiment of she People.
| New YORK, May 1.-The Herald ha,
the following Gable special
LONDON, April 30.-The London pa
pers open their editorial pages with
comments on the speech lately deliver
ed by Mr.. Sumner en- the subject of the
Alabama claims and the relations gen
orally existing between Great Britain
and America. The writer suppresses
the text of the speech however. zoe
The Star, John Bright's organ, says
that the claims of Mr.. Sumner are so
new, startling and vaguely put, that
they must be regarded simply as enofr
nous and withal unexpected; thaG II
they convey merely the SHADOW Oh MS
instructions, Minister Motley Will come
to the English metropolis In VS[y
different official guise from that unueI
which Minister johnson, now ABOUT w
bid adieu to the Court aud people, az
rived. The Star deplores the reJecVion
nv ENGLAND of the early oyertures maae
b1 ayeNinister Adams for the settle
ment of this question.
President Grant is said to DO who're,
soul lover of peace, as was Llncolh, anu
has intense determination, put Is
Western man, without that national
penius which re7ered Lincoln, who, ln-
Stead of reading, had actual experience
of the world. President Grant has no
training, either as lawyer or politl-
clan, but he is intensely American, and
the entire world is acquainted with his
resoluteness of purpose.
After defending England from the
charge of general sympathy with the
confederates the writer confesses that
the escape of the Alabama from Eng
land was both deplorable and disgrace
ful, forming the worst precedent Great
Britain could establish for the future In
a like contingency. The Star expresses,
however, its amaZement at the character
of Summers demands in reparation, and
SAYS if Motley's instructions are cOuched
in a similar spirit his mission will be
fruitless. Every one knows how anx-
ious the British people are to.deal fairly
on the subject, but justly consider that
if her concessions are to be merely used
as standpOints for further and at present
unreasonable demands, England must
carefully consider her position lest by
yielding unadvisedly she should estab-
lish worse precedent than that of
burning ships on the high seas, by ad-
hitting discussions of demands as utter
ly untenable and which ought to be re-
sisted.
The Times designates the estimates of
American damages put forth by Sumner
as portentOus, as it has already reached
E422, 0O0, 900, and may in future embrace
the possible earnings Ofall soldiers drawn
from the field fpfo2uctive labor By war.
The speech, it adds is frOthy. Sumner
deserves au impartial consideration. He
wants, however, something more than
national reparation from England, ask
ing for contrition and public humilia-
tiOn. The Times asserts that in this
England has been cruelty wronged and
America has had no useful object served.
Expressions Of regrets and penitence
are required by the treaty. Treaties of
peace, however, dictated by conquerors,
at the heads of armies, are found to be
unincuH bered by such expressions. An
acknowledgment of moral liability tor
these claims made beforehand would
PREJUDICE the controversy and sUultify
the proposed settlement. In the event
of the arbitration court declaring Eng.
land not liable to ray damages would
her apology be taken back The views
taken by Summers argument on these
points are puerlle, unreasonable and un-
The Times argues that the concession
of belligerent rights TO the South was
simple act, and in fact, not dependent
on the Union blockade; for had there
not been u blockade it would not have
altered the case to any appreciable de-
gree The prevailing tone of Mr.. Sum
ner's speech is characterised as passion
ate and remOnstratl e, and his menace
betrays a oue-slded part, which Is deeply
laMentable IS coming from the repre-
sentative of great country Mr.. Sum
ner makes, it is said, no complaint
against France, although Napoleon was
DESTROYS of recognizing the independ-
ence of the Southern Confederation. 1t
is alleged that, though England is
held forth as the only foreign power
implicitly hostile To America, it is rot
too much to say that at one moment
during the war the fate OIL
the American Union depended on
the voice of England, whose sword
thrown in to the scales would have
altered the result. She declined the
contest, and it cvincos a degree of un
fairness bordering on infatuation to
leave this consideration out of the &C
count. Ii is the common practice with
a iN.rnnliCtg an1 Y,nlitIpfanl n
villify. The protective tariff plan is
popular with them merely as likely to
inhict Injury on Great Britain. Let
be made fer the use of insult
ing language by individuals and 1t will
be seen whether England and America,
by a retrospective verdict OF public
opinion, will continue tho cultivation of
mutual respect, which is as necessary as
in the private relations of life. Nations
az such only deal in overt acts, and
these constitute merely possible subjects
for pecuniary compensation.
The Standard, the Tory organ, says
The American Senate done more than
reject the treaty, as it has given the
world reason to helieve,lb Mr. Summers
speech, which is endorsed by that SUI
preBe body as covering all questions of
foreign diplomacy in that country.
The English people now know what
Minister Motley will have to aim at in
his efforts TO arrange the Alabama claims
on the basis now wasted way. In some
respects good will ensue from the can.
dor in which the American Senate dis
plays. Formerly the danger was that
England would step beyond the due re-
gard for national honor and dignity and
allow the slams, but now, when the de