The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-02-25

tions were IN process of settlement. Mr.. john
son met Lord Stanley first on the 10th OF
September last. He found him specially
anxious to fix up the citizenship question, and
the protocol was signed on the 9th of October;
and approved by the President or the 25th OF
that month. The San Juan treaty WAS put into
shape about the middle Of October. Early
in November Mr.. Seward wrote letter
asking that it be amended SO as to
leave the whole subject explicitly to the
President of Switzerland. He was at hrst
very ANXIOUS to have this treaty slgned,
but in the latter part of this month he direct,
ed that Mr.. Johnsoo's signature be withheld
until the cues ion about the CLAIMS treaty was
settled. The first Graft Of the CLAIMS coAven-
ton was signed by Lord Stanley and hlr. john.
son on the 10th OF November. L! conslstea OF
twelve articles, and provided among olnet
things, that the commission Tor the settemeht
of the CLAIMS should meet at London. Mr.
Seward on the 9th Of November wrote a long
letter taking decided ground against The terms
of the document He said that the commission
must meet IN Washinoton; that our comms-
sioners must be confirmed by the Senate, and
that all s3aims should be treated Oh the same
basis. Mr.. Johnson had consented that the
Alabama claims must be settled by uuanl-
nous vote Of the commission, while the
others were to be settled by majority
vote, and that the arbitrator on the Alabama
CLAIMS must be agreed upon by both govern
mcnts. while in the other cases he could be
chosen by lot. Mr.. Seward objected to all this,
said that Mr.. Johnson had allowed 1lscrimina-
tion against the Alabama claims, aud pretty
strongly intimated that Lord Stanley had been
good deal too sharp for our minister. MIR.
Johnson replied rather petulently to MIR. Sew
ards criticism and said that he thought Lon
don much the best place for the meeting or the
commission, to which the Secretary answered:
In view of the highly disturbed national SEN
sibilties. meeting at Washington is indls-
pensable." -,
Mr.. johnson had his first interview with
Lord Clarendon on the 18th OF December, and
at that time showed him what Nlr. Seward had
sald about the Stanley treaty. Lord Clarendon
COX the matter into consideration, and on the
22d of December sent to Mr.. Thornton, his
minister here an entirely new draft. Mr. |
Seward found this quite to his liking, suggest
cd two or three minor changes by telegraph,
and had that and the San Juan treaty signed |
on the 14th Of last month. A great. deal of
corresponding was done by cable, and some OF
Mr.. Stewards dispatches contained seven OF
eight hundred words each. In his letter OF
the 18th of January, enclosing the two treaties,
Air. Reverdy johnson alludes to the positions
taken two years ago by England, and says that |
he has reason to believe that the abandonment
of these positions is due to the growing friend
ly feeling for the United States which has been |
so strongly eXoressed since his arrival, and
then conveys the pleasant information that,
such an effect. he determined to
lose no time in "ultvating the feeling, and
this was the sole motive of the speeches he
made last fall in various parts of England.