The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-06-09
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 9, 1869.
TILE ALABAMA CLAIMS.

rejection of the Alabama treaty, ana the re-
publication in this country of the elaborate
comments of the British press, have greatly
increased the American interest in the topic,
and awakened feeling of curiosity in regard
to the probable course of the National Ad-
nninistration. Various theories and conjec-
lures have been set afloat. One suggestion is
that the leaders of the Republican party will
aggravate war feeling against Great Britain
for the purpose of gaining and consolidating
partisan strength; but we trust this allegation
is unfounded, and we are glad to learn from
our correspondent at Washington that the
Secretary of State ridicules this idea, and that
he thinks 'it would be folly to drag purely
diplomatic questions into political canvass 4"
The American people do not intend to submit
to any new humiliation from Great Britain,
and they have neither forgotten nor forgiven
the conduct of her ruling classes in the hour
of our peril, but they instinctively recognize
the importance Of peace after the close of the
recent terrific contest, and they were never
less disposed to provoke q needless war than
at the present moment. They have not yet
forgotten what bloody and protracted con-
fict means, the horrors it entails, the mise
ries it causes, the social and financial disrup-
tions it creates; and while these recollections
are still fresh, the Republicans after having
been war party in time of war, will have
little disposition to play the silly part of a
war party in time of peace. While there is a
reasonable prospect left of reconciling peace
with the maintenance of the national honor
and safety, it is wiser and better to negotiate
than to follow the brutal old rule eff giving a
blow first and resorting to diplomacy after
wards
One of the most important elements of sue
cessful diplomacy is secrecy, and the admins
tration has acted wisely in concealing from
the public the character of the instructions
given to Mr.. Motley. 1t is universally con-
Ceded, however, thst the Alabama question is
still considered legitimate subject for peace
full discussion, and that he has been directed to
reopen negotiations; and it has recently been
stated that his first step will be to ask that the
discussions may in future be transferred from
London to Washington. This is a wise and
reasonable request American Ministers &C
credited to the British capital have sought in
vain, during series of years, for a peaceful
solution of this intricate subject, and
it would be but courteous for a
British Secretary of Foreign Affairs to
permit an American Secretary of State to con-
fer with British Ambassador. This transfer
of the scene of negotiations would also tend
to increase the chances of the ratification of
any treaty that might be framed, by the Ameri-
can Senate. The London journals complain
that the rejection of the last treaty indicates
that American Ministers are not reliable ex-
ponents of American feelings but the present
Secretary of State, acting under the supervi-
sion of the President, and in accord with the
dominant majority in the Senate, would not
be subject to this imputation, and there is
little danger that he would consent to any
stipulations that would not be subsequently
ratified in this country. If Great Britain
wishes to feel well assured that the proposed
new treaty will not be nullifed on this side of
the Atlantic she can easily gain this assur-
ance by consenting to the adjustment of the
preliminaries at the capital of the Republic
instead of the Court of st. James.
Whether this proposition is acceded to or
not, it is alleged that our Government will in
future discussions lay stress upon the princi
pies involved in the dispute rather than upon
the pecuniary claim for damages. 1t is idle
to expect that England will ever repay us, in
dollars or pounds sterling, any sum approach
ing the real measure of the financial injuries
she inflicted. If the damage to American
commerce, not merely in vessels cap
tured, but in ships driven from the ocean
or forced to seek shelter under foreign
flags, is added to the enormous increase
of our war debt, which was necessitated
by various forms of British aid to
the Rebellion, the total would run up to
thousands of millions of dollars, and Great
Britain has neither the disposition nor the
ability to hquidate claim of such fearful
dimensions. The proposed demand, it is
said, will be only for the payment of claims
for direct and unquestionable losses, but this
TO be accompanied by an unequivocal apology
for the hasty extension of belligerent rights
to the Confederacy, and the acknowledgment
that the British Government acted on false
when it displayed such readiness to
recognize rebellion. An6gotiation conducted
on this basis would probably gain for us all
that can be gained by peaceful measures; and
if Great Britain refuses to confess her error,
she will permit precedent fraught with peril
to her interests, in future, to remain uncan-
celled.