The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1869-04-19

3S
clearly shown that such injury has been
actually sustained, and that such re-
marathon ia really due" Here was a
GOOD beginning. There was to be re.
paration for an injury to the national
Sovereignty. After years of painful ne
potiation, the British Minister at Wash
inpton, under date OF November l,
ISL. offered to the United States three
nrOEositions; first, the disaVowal of the
Unauthorized act; secondly, the imme-
diate restoration, so far as circum-
stances would permit, of the men for
chilly taken from the Chesapeake; and
thirdly, a suitable pecuniary provision
attack on the Chesapeake; concluding
with these words:
"These honorable propositions are
made with the sincere desire that they
may prove satisfactory to the Govern
ment of the United States, and trust
they will meet with that amicable re-
ception which their conctliatory ma
ture entities them to. need scarcely
add how cordially I join you in the
wish that they may prove introductory
to a removal of all the differences de-
pending between our two countries."-
State Papers, Foreign Affairs, Vol.
i'll, P. 500.l
/ adduce this historic instance to IL
lustrate partly the different forms of
reparation. Here, of course was re-
paration to the nation, whose sover-
eighty had been outraged.
There Is another instance, which is
not without authority. In 1887, an arm.
ed force from Upper Canada crossed the
river lust above the Falls OF Niagra, and
burnt an American vessel, the Caroline,
when moored to the shores OF the Uni
led States. Mr.. Webster, in his nego-
tiation with Lord Ashburton, charac-
terized this act as "of itselfa wrong and
offense to the sovereignty and the dig
uity of the United States, for which to
this day no atonement, or even apollo
CIV, has been made by Her Majesty's
Government" all these words being
strictly applicable to the present case.
Lord Ashburton, in reply, after recRpt-
tulating some mitig ating circumstances
and expressing regret that some eX-
PLANTATION and apology for this occur
renee was not Immediately made, pro-
ceeds to say:
"Her Majesty's Government earnest
~ desire that reciprocal respect for
the Independent jurisdiction aud au-
thority OF neighboring States may be
considered among the first duties OF all
Governments; and have to repeat that
the assurance of regret they feel that
the event of which I am treating should
have disturbed the harmony they so
anxiously wish to maintain with the
American people and Governments
[Webster's Works, Vol. vi, P. 3O0l
Here, again, was reparatton for a
wrong done to the nation. Looking at
what is due to us on the present occa-
sion, we are brought again TO the con-
clusion that the satisfaction of individ-
uals whose ships have been burned or
sunk is only a small part of what we
may justly expect. AS in the carrier
cases where the national sovereignty
was insulted, there should be acknowl-
1n1 ~f NJ a
ability, leaving 10 Che Commissioners
the assessment of damages only. The
blow inflicted by thatfatal proclama'
ton, which insulted our national SOW
ereigntY, and struck at our unity as
nation, followed by broadside upon
broadside, driving our commerce from
the ocean, was kindred in character to
those earlier blows, and when we con-
slider that it was in aid of slavery. 1t
was a blow at civilization itself. Be-
sides degrading US and running our
commerce, its direct and constant inhu-
ence was to encourage the rebellion ana
to prolong the war waged by slave mas
ters at such cost of treasure and blood.
1t was terrible mistake, which can
not doubt that good En9lishmen must
regret. And now in the interest peace,
it is the duty of both sides to lind REM
edy, complete, just, and conciIlatOry,so
that the deep sense of wrong and the
gotten in that proper satisfaction when
nation loving justice can not hesitate
to offer.
THE EXTENT OF OUR LOSSES.
Individual losses may be estimated
with reasonable accuracy. Ships burn
ed or sunk with their cargoes may be
counted and their value determined;
but this leaves without recognition the
larger damage to commerce driven
from the ocean. and that other damage,
immense and infinite, caused by the
prolongatiOn of the war, all OF which
may be called national in conLradts-
tinction to individual. Our national
losses have been frankly conceded by
eminent Englishmen. l have already
quoted Mr.. Golden, who did not hesi-
tate to call them "cruel losses" During
the same debate in which he let drop
this testimony, he used other words.
which show how justly he comprehend
ed the case. "You have been," said he,
"carrying,on war from these shores with
the United States, and have been ins
flicting an amount of damage on that
country greater than would be pro-
duced by many ordinary wars. 1t is
estimated that the loss sustained by the
capture and burning of the American
vessels has been about $4,000. 900, or
nearly G3, 600, 900 sterling. But this is
small part of the injury which has been
inflicted on the American marine. We
have rendered the rest of her vast mer-
camille property useless" Thus, by
the testimony of Mr.. Golden, we're those
individual losses, which are alone re-
cognized by the pending treaty, only "a
small part of the injury inflicted" After
confessing his fears with regard to "the
heaping up of a gigantic material griev-
ance such as was then rearing," he
adds, in memorable words:
you have already done your worst
toward the American mercantile ma
rine. What with the high rate of insu-
rance, what with these captures, and
what with the amount of damages you
have done to that which is left, you
have virtually made valueless that
property. Why, it you had gone and
helped the Contederates by bonn harding
all the accessible seaport towns of
America, Il few lives might have been
lost, which, as 1t is, have not been sacri-
feed, but you could hardly have done
more injury in the way of destroying
property than you have done by these
few cruises. [Hear, hear!l"
With that clearness OF vision, which
he possessed in such rare degree, this
statesman saw that England had
'yirtually made valueless a vast pro-
perty," as much as if this Power had
bombarded "all the accessible seaport
towns of America" So strong and
complete in this statement that any
further citation seems supertluous; but
1 can not forebear adduc cling a pointed
remark in the same debate, by that
able gentleman, Mr.. VIM. E. Forster:
"There could not" said he, be
stronger illustration of tho damage
which had been done to the American
trade by these cruisers, than the fact
that so completely was the American
n tho nopRn that the