The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-04-23

New Watchword.
In the United States Senate, on Monday, Sen
ator Chandler, of Michigan, offered resolu
ton that President Grant swap off the Alaba-
ma claims for the whole Of the British North
American Provinces, and that he be directed to
open negotiations on that basis. In support of
this patent plan the senator made wild, louo
harangue, of which the keynote was Canada
or fight. Incidentally he had read all his for
mer mouthings on the bloody British ques
ton, with which he has emptied the Senate
and filled the Globe during all the years since
1861. His resolution reads as follows
Resoiued, That in the judgment Of the Sen
| ate, the trde solution OF all controversies be.
tweer Great Britain and the United States will
be found in 3 surrender of all the British Pos
sessions in North America to the people or the
United States, and that the President be and is
hereby requested to open negotiations as soon
as practicable for settlement of al matters in
dispute upon that basis.
SPEECH OF SENATOR CHANDLER.
Mr. Chandler, in his speech in support OF the
resolution, said that he thought it was time we
should say precisely what We mean. There wa was
| senator from Massachusetts Mr.. Sumner) the
other day made speech, from which the In.
| junction of secrecy had been removed, and
which had now become pubic, showing our re.
lations with Great Britain. He congratulated
the Senate aplahe country upon the advance
which the senator from Massachusetts, had
made upon this question. Seven years ago, IN
the year 1862, he MIR. Chandler) lad had occa-
sion many times to allude to this very subject
before the people of his own State and out
of it, andsto assert that every depreciation on
| American citizens ought and should be paid tor
by the government Of Great Britain. In 1864.
| before General Sherman had reached the sea,
and before the capture of Savannah, no tfered
| q certain resolution in this chamber, which was
lost He had read at the time a dispatch from
| the newspapers, dated Toronto, December 13.
| 1864, that the st. Adams raiders had been dis
charged for want OF o jurisdiction. The Cana
dian authorities made up their minds to pro-
tect these raiders, who, under the patronage
to murder and destroy, and then return to the
British provinces. Alarm prevailed along the
frontier, and in his own city (Detroit) mary OF
the citizens for long time slept ON their arms.
In view of all the facts then elaborately stated,
and which Mr.. Chandler now read from the
Congressional Globe, he offered preamble
setting forth that raids had been organized in
Canada and Nova Scotia, newly enlisted 10 the
British provinces by persons claiming to bold
commissions from the rebel government OF the
south, for the purpose of robbing and numbering
peaceable citizens, burning cities and villages,
practically capturing and burning rerchants
vessels, and plundering unarmed citizens OF
the United States; and further, that the people
of the British provinces Seem disposed to pro
lect those British thieves; and this preamble
was followed by q resolution that the Commit
tee on Military Affairs inquire into the expe-
diency OF Immediately enlisting an army corps
to watch and defend our shores from all hos
tile demonstrations. He at that tin1o asked
the consideration of the resolution, but MIR.
Reverdy johnson objected. In o subsequent
speech no explained what he meant, namely,
that tha.base Of the rebellion was in the Cana
das. steamboat was seized ut tho mouth Of
the Detroit River, within twelve miles OF the
city, and even piano taken out OF 1t. These
pirates we're from and protected by tho Cana
das. Tho poop.o Of Detroit lay on their arms
day and night to protect the citizens from mp.
murderers and incendiaries. No punishment
was even Inflicted upon any of those criminals
by tho Canadian Government. That govern
ment, however, did pav for tho robbery OF the
Bank of st. Albans. but there was no apology, no
compromise; no friendly act to wipe out he
greatest outrages ever perpetrated. he tnch
offered another preamble, setting torth tne
agency of the British Government and or prom
inent subjects of that country in aiding the re-
belion, and concluding with resolution that
the Secretary Of State be instructed Immediate
ly to make out n list Of every ship and cargo
destroyed by rebel pirates at q fair valuation,
with rat Of interest OF six per cent. from the
time of capture to the date OF the presentation
Of the claim, and demand payment from the
British Government in full for all ships and
cargoss thus destroyed. He moved that the
proposition be referred to the Committee on
Commerce The president pro tom. said that
it required unanimous consent, and having
seked whether there was any objection, NJ.
Reverdy johnson said he objected. MIR.
Chandler said that before Offering this resolu-
ton he had IN interview with General Grant,
who was at that time at the front. and said to
him "We have six hundred ships OF war in
commission, armed and provisioned, and
resdy for action, with 81 600 sailors, and
never before now 80 well prepared to
demand compensation or reparation from
England at the cannon's mouth" He
asked General Grant if the aspect Of war
should rise in the East, how long 1t would take
him to capture Savannah, Charleston and Will
mngton General Grant replied that 1t was
| better at that time the rebels should furnish
the garrisons because there was no further
use for the nsvy. BE said he could capture
six hundred armed ships could be concentra-
ted at any given point on the Atlantic coast.
! MIR, Chandler could not make this statement
| when he offered the resolution. He meant bu'
siness when he did so. He meant that the
claims against Great Britain should be prompt
| ly paid in full, and IT not paid, the worst for
| Great Britain. The resolution was afterwards
referred to the Committee on Foreign Rela-
tions, and sept the sleep that knows no wa
king. He supposed that the chairman OF that
committee had the resolution III his pocket.
He thought the Committee on Foreign Rela.
tlons, as we'll as the country, had made pro-
eress up to his time. That was IN the summer
of 1854. All remembered that General
Grant, in the spring OF 1865, had advanced
with his armv into Virginia, when tho rebel
lion collapsed, and this left our army and
navy free 10 act, but the time to demand
compensation at the cannon's mouth had
passed. On the 18th of January, 1866, he
| followed up this subject with another resou-
| ton. He offered it as peace measure. He de-
sired Great Britain to repudiate the acts Of her
pjratical subjects If Great Britain should decide
that the torch should settle the questions at
issue, he was willing 10 accept that mode OF
settlement. The resolution was referred to
the Committee on Foreign Relations. which
made DO report; but as the Secretary Of State
did press the BUSINESS contemplated by the
resolution, and formally made demand on
Great Britain, he (Mr. Chandler) inferred that
| the Committee on Foreign Relations mad re-
ceived assurances from the Secretary OF State
| that no further legislative action was required
at that time, and the chairman OF the commit
| tee assured hlm that such was the case. The
| bill had been offered and refused, and further
negotiations declined. Great Britain had even
| repudiated our claims, aud insolcntly informed
! our government that fl rtber negotiation was
| offensive 10 her. He read from Official
documents to show this fact, and that