New-York tribune., 1869-03-16
THE ALABAMA TREATY.
lrrnn rh. London SATURDAY Review. FEB. a1.I

all former occasions asserted that the dispute set
tied admitted Manchester that the ratification OF the
Senate would probably be withheld; The Democrats VIII
agree with the Republicans IN the determination to keep
the quarrel Open for the dominant party has plagaTlLe1
from its opponents the tradition Of hostility To England
When the Senate q few months ago unanimously
ratified the appointment VI Mr. Reyerdy john
I,,Dc SG uSssIsSca MalstST fHSs hSse and
rally assumed both England and IN the United Staes
Arrangement OF existing differences. No serious poi
clan can have expected that no wohlu OBTAIN DeItcr
the draft Of the Convention but the anxiety Of the En
glish Government and nation Tor Just SeemehI mas HS
are wholly inadmissible. hr Reyerdy Johnsons unac
cOuntable OF tact IN proclaiming the Imaginary
good will OF mis- cOuntrymen TO England has largely cOn
trbuted the result II was undoubtedly irritating
IN tbe sneakers and writer's who had with unanimous
consistency expressed tho deepest resentment to be
assured that their anmOsity was Fictitious or nsncere
It was in vain that Mr.. Reverdy johnson combined
with his amiable professions an almost hugiOus te-
nacity in negotiation His treaty was cordemned before
1t was seen, grounds which woud have been equally
fatal TO a still more advantageous compact The vague
statement that the measure OF damage suffered by the
United the cost OF one or two wears or he
civil war may perhaps have been enormously attributed
Gen Grant but it has been adopted by large part OF
the American press. As 1t would obviously be lmpoSsOe
10 frame treaty any such assumption the thorough
going opponents Of ratification must he understood To
ali the discussions which Lord Stanley and Lord Car
endon devoted so much labor were from tne ifft Sc fy
purposeess Ihere ls certain nconNenlenVe ~ ~ , %
stituuOnal provision that every treaty 10 which Inc
United States Is party must be ratified by twothtds OF
the Senate. In dealing Win other powers upoustisla
know that the agents with whom they zeal VIII nc elitr
ments but 1t Is Impossible TO ascertln whether a
can Minister has authority 10 enter on negotiation
Although the popular attacks on the treaty nave 'iie
relation contents, 1t Is probable that some oil lhe
members Of the Senate may dlsappfove OF ls terms on
gcncy the claims OF English subjects might he allowed by
the Commission while the LIABILITY of the EngSl Gov
erpmeut for the captures OF the Aabaua would be sue
cessfuly disputed Such result would undouDtrdy pe
annoying TO the losing party as indeed ilure l Que 1
the most dsagrecabe possibilities OF all pulc or Nate
litigation; but IL was scarcely to be expected that the
English Government would enter upon oneshcd Ieir
4laa a1a nj
peremptorly excluded. All Mr.. sewaTds, projects oi
arbitration included the Az ,, On Do b b h
too liberal AS able writer In THE NEW ORR IEiHJNE
1sv Temarks there is nothing IN the protocol which i'm
yoses any condition on English claimants In relation 10
their attitude toward the United States during te con-
tinuance OF the nor indeed Is t probable that o
owners Of vessels seized by American cruisers are or
were enthusiastic partisans OF the Federal Government
Few citizens Of the United states could prefer ca
against England II they were subject to the preliminary
condition Of proving that they had not roesscG TO snare
In the national aplnosity NO court can tahe ceAh'.e
OF the private feelings OF hgants even ot their acts
il they have no bearing on @ tho iml4saIaC , ls,uo,
that the Commission might deal with subject matters
which properly belong 10 American JnrlsulcOn ciaim
founded on capture would bo c0hclusYey DaIfed ny
the proof that the captured vessel had been condemned
claims either well or founded or preferred by class
Of Engshmen whose syinpaties were an on the sde of
Slavery and the Rebellion" The counter claims would
nTohaly have been advanced by Americans lose SYM
pathics were on the side Of RUssia during tie Crmcau
war Of Mana Sahib during the Indian muiiny ard ~ tue
Feniau copspiratOrs. Unless indeed Mr.. RCycrdy John
son should himself Unexpectedly have appeared before
avowed himself on all possible occasions inc iccohco-
nb!e enemy OF England.
Some genuine surprise seems to be caused by The dis
cOyery that the AlauAha ciils ui ot S"Hceu,.. rue
rash or sycOphantc concessions Of English politicians
admissions OF liability. Lord Stanley, IN the course Ot
the last session. unnecessarily aud nprndenty expressed
recover damages. Mr.. Mil, IN strict consistency with
bis own predictions, declared that Engand owed com
peusation 10 the United states. Lord Russell Is quoted
as another witness because at meeting in honor OF Mr.
Garrison lie made aject confession Of and OF
kfr
for his presumption In mlsc9lcnlaing tho repectye
gotten. 1t might have been added that Mr..
Bright, with that patriotic feeling which prelndccs
him against his country wherever American inter
ests are concerned took public opportunity OF stating
that Government Of the United States represented
by Mr.. Reverdy Johns0n had been 100 IorDeailng IL
may he natural that ordinary Americans should believe
that the English Government Is bound by the nnauthor
iZed language OF Conspicuous Ooians Dnt Omclai per
and statesmen ought 10 know that state can only
be represented by It's Government. Lord Stauley's
speech assumed that there would be an arbitration,
though he judciOusly anticipated its results. Alr Mil
states; aud Lord Russell ana Mr. Gladstone, though by
their ostentatiOus repentance they gravely com
stained from prcjudging the question Of labil
ity 10 would have been especially difficult for
his controversy with Mr. Adams inasmuch as he would
have been wholly unable TO refute his own maXims and
deductions IL Is one Of the disadvantages Of sound
sOnng that 10 cannot DO dsayOwed or recalled aud ac
cordingly dipomatists more astute than Lord Russell
frequently rely by preference vague rhetoric ana
desihed 10 become Confederate cruiser from an En-
instify claim for compensation. II the American
ten6n s valid the demand would have been allowed by
an arbitrator; but without the intervention Of some
partial tribunal the English Government could not honor
ay admit liability which had been rcpudiated by the
United states In the analogous Spanish and Portuguese
cases.
taton OF tho English recognition Of Confederate bcllg
erency not expressly excluded by the terms OF INC
Convention and t H. therefore perhaps fortunate that
the Senate should terminate the negotiations before
question b raised which would h9ye brought inc proceed
the Manchester Chamber OF Commerce. MT Reyerdy
johnson usinuated that Lord Stanley or Lord Clarendon
had finally conceded the mOhslrOus caln III dlsphte
When H. Bulwer calls the attention OF the House Of
Commons TO the negotiation, the members OF the late
and Of the present Government VIII perhaps be able 10
correct explain his statement Having, In us anxious
desire peace yielded everything and perhaps more than
everything, which was consistent WIN hailo.% teil'
respect the EuRsh Government can only wait 10 some
the rejection of the treaty urge substance that arbra
ZION ought 70 have been preceded rendered unneces
matter An dispute Tie pacific language aud feeling Of
the English nation aud the anxiety OF Lord STANLEY ana
lord Clarendon effect settlement are used as arg
nents for insisting absolute and Illuminating sub
mission. AS the object has not yet been attained me
dspute "a Ia be- kent open until some opportunity occurs
of cxacting vengeance AS The NeC, York Times ac-
curatey remarked, the doctrine "nlch zen Sfahi Is
70 an Immediate declaration OF VAR put az naons arc
happily not bound TO Dc i3gea M - ~ m aT nyCt ~
Cabada or "a fleet 10 the west indies. lii thbtNb
INC 70 e6nin piratical cruisers against English
commerce whenever England ~ engaged lh q
foreign war: ana Mr.. Reverdy Johnson hints similar
fctao 6e nufoward escape OF Nc Alabama IS repro
sened as an inolcrablc violation Of law, but tlc Amell
can Government II deliberately 10 permit nnnmelaOIe
Alabainas 10 issue from its ports No EDgbs Minister
Jnrist or politician has at any TIME halntahe % ois
OF equpping vessels OF war aginst neutral Jhe Whole
coHtreYersy has always turned on tho special ercnm
stances of the oscape ~ the Alabama ana Inc hc1auI9
was afterwards sf,zed p excess OF the strictly leRa
powers OF the Government Against deliberate N9auOh
VI Inc International code there j. ony one oIT W. o. 20
resting which may be- highly incunyehlenl IT. u, Nv
tunHoy not Indispensable 20 enter IoIht. r piots'
against meuaCC9 Of future lawlesshess me Iec
tun of the teuty IL stood B not 10 be mheneu au
the regret Which S caused iu England Dy he hhWiihg
ID