The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-08-04
THE ALABAMA CLAIMS.


occasion OF the anniversary OF West India emanct-
pa,ion was delivered ut Case Hail. Cleveland, on
Saturday evening. His remarks on Englapd's recog-
milton OF belngerency and the Alabama question
were as fohows:-
Bid truce to your prejudtces against England
words on the subject OF England with regard TO your
late war; She Is charged with having IN tnis. tae
slavery petrayed her anti.sIayery principles and
cast her moral influence, and not only ner Moral III
uence but in iartye ana 10 favor OF ms
slave power. Allow me. In answering tnls
charge to speak freely, though my sentiments as an
Liberty OF opinion is tnat great liberty without
which all other liberties are at once yalueess and
frall Let the opinion OF the smallest minority,
cease to be ree and the threshold OF the repub-
"details the shadow OF an empire. There are many
Englisnmen who could state the case better than
can There is not one, will venture to say, who
could state 1t with more hearty desire to do justice
10 the American people. Whatever bitter things
NAV have been said against me here for opposing
what believe TO be the extreme statements and de-
81 soar e y I Of the ery a
tocracy of England for pleading the American cause
Had the abolition OF slavery been the proclaimed
SOe right o. to expect Sat England 'V as @
great antislayery nation, should be unit
on your side. You would have mad right TO say to
all Engshmen, This Is your Standard the standard
which you have unfurled and which you have fol.
lowed so long. We call upon you to come TO Is, and
to give Inc supper; of your sympathy to those who
are lighting for it, under pam Of being pronounced
honor" And it is my firm belief that England would
have responded to the appeal Whatever thoughts
may have urked III the breasts OF some OF the reac.
tlOnary party the allegiance OF the whole nation to
the antslavery cause was so rooted and so liked by
the memories of past efforts and sacrifices that no
one would have ventured TO declare himself on the
side OF slavery. AS 1t was, whenever any one spoke
IN favor OF the South, any one at least who spoke
s0berly and seriouslyfor take no account OF such
wandering star as Mr.. Carlye-he thought
1t necessary to render homage to English opinion by
preiucng his speech with disclaimer OF any SYM
Thy with slavery. Once the London Times published,
by way Of feeer, an arucie half defending the In
met d,d not encourage the editor to repeat the ex
pertinent Unhapply. however, not only was the
abolition Of slavery not proclaimed object OF the
Seward expressly instructed Mr. Adams In his inter.
course with the British government not TO accept its
sympathy on the antlslavery ground. On the con-
trary he has to declare that the apprehensons OF
the saveowners respecting the safety Of their instl
tuition OF society on this Continent placed the aboli
ton OF slavery, as an object or the action Of your
not mean aS u too as sres on
this despatch, but 1 believe 1t may be
stated as broad fact which cannot be erased from
history that, though there was an abolition party
from the outset, the war was not at the commence.
ment, nor for some time after It's commencement an
antislavery war. AS events unfolded themselves,
moral sentiment was developed ana strengthened,
and as legal scruples were overrddeu by tine stern
law of necessity the determination to abolish slavery
gained ground, and at last the emancipation pr0cla-
nation went forth. Such at least was the course Of
events as 1t appeared to us; and such Is human
ture that supposing this to be the true account Of
the matter history can still point to few revolutions
In when The motives Of the actors have been higher
or more unalloyed Those who have followed the
shifting phases OF the struggle with close attention
marked at far earlier date the gradual prevalence
the antisavery sentiment, and reoiced and sympa
thized accordingly But the opinion OF the masses had
been formed at the outset and once formed 1t could
not easily be changed. In the absence OF any moral
cause demanding our allegiance as nation 1t was
natural that we should be divided according to our
political synpathics; that the people should be on
the side OF the government OF The people, and that
the aristocracy and the class which 1t Influences
South it was natural, also, that our high church
clergy should be- as they were on the side OF those
whom they took for representatives of the cavaliers,
anu wno they hoped, would set up, with a priv
legged nobility, privileged church. Could you rea-
sonaby expect that we should be unit when you
were so much divided among yourselvess
iisS af s and hiersrshs would sSH s
be. and which proclaimed that It was the embodi-
ment and the missio nary OF principles the progress
OF which would cause arlstocracy ana hierarchy to
perish from the earshs The division OF English sen-
tlnent was, submit, natural and inevitable; and
there were q number OF secondary Influences quite
independent of an apostacy from principle wncn
inclined the balance rather more than would have
been otherwise inclined to the side Of the South.
The SOuherners had taken their measures very skill
fully TO bias English opinion beforehand IN their ia
vor. and the work OF Mr.. Spence, presenting con-
the critical moment when opinion was being
formed produced greater effect than from the
pose. the constitutional question as to the
right Of secession was not clear to those
your constitution, ana President Buchanan whose
Saaression was unc0nstit,ltionaI the CONSTITUTION
mede no provsion for cOercion There were other
rnatters witch il "a not agreeabIe to recall bnt
which IL we wish to probe the matter thorouphly
A. ia necessary 10 remrmber In the days OF the
Osteud manifesto, the American government had
assumed an attitude eff aggression very Irritating to
other nofions. ana people who were remote from
American politics failed to perceive that the Offend
IVA shinpton hut the one which having before mad
ira seat nj washington had then its seat at Rich
mona Threats of 1nneyIng Canada mad heen Mt.
tnpad w organs which from ther great circnot,on
.thongl / Gelieve they ind no other real title to
attentiont we've taken 70 represent fbe fenIenries
Of this ronntrv Rnr besides those whose feelings
wara other adverse In Won or undecided
fonh tbe latter wna tho caae win greot mass or
"nr nenn,e1 there were many whose hearts were
xy,,h Cox, hut VINO xcre s,nrsreIv onnosnd In what
thev hei,cveJ tn no vonr interest M MANY of vomr