The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1869-04-30
THB ALABAMA CLAIMS.
Speech Of Senator Sumner.
EngIand'S Policy Toward the
Rebels.
Loss to Our National Ton
mage $110,o00,000.
Speech of the Hon. Charles Sumner, IN Eg-
ecltiVe Session Of he Senate, ApTa
l3, 1850 the johnson Cldre1-
don Treaty for the Settle
meRt Of the Alabama
Claims.

l3, 1869 on the Johnson GldreH-
don Treaty for the Settle
meRt Of the Alabama
Claims.
Nh. President: A report recommending
that the Senate do not advise and consent t
a treaty with foreign power, duly s;gne
| by the PlenipOtentiary Of the nation, is o
rare occurrence. Treaties are often TepOrte
with amendments, and sometimes withou
any recommendation; but do not recall al
instance, since came into the Senate
where such treaty has beer reported wit
the recommendation which is now unde
consideration. The character of the treaty
seemed to justify the exceptional report
The committee did not hesitate in the con
clusion that the treaty aught to be rejected
and they have said so. l do not disguisl
the importance of this act, but / believe
that in the interest of peace, which every
one should have at heart, the treaty mus
be rejected. A treaty which, instead o.
removing an existing grievance, leaves it fo
heartburniDg and rsncOr, cannot be c0nsid
cred a settlement Of pending questions
between two nations. 1t may seem to settlt
them, but does not. 1t is nothing but &
snare. And such is the character of The
treaty now before US. The massive griev.
ance under which our country suffered fol
years is left untouched, the painful sense o.
wrong planted in the national heart is al
lowed to remain. For all this there is not
one word of regret or even of recognition;
nor is there any semblance Of compensation
1t cannot be for the interest of either party
that such a treaty should be ratified. 1t can.
not promote the interest of the United States
for we naturally seek Justice as the foun-
datiOn Of q good understanding with Great
Britain, nor can it promote the interest O.
Great Britain, which must also seek q real
settlement of all pending questions. Surely
I do not err when l say that a wise states
manship, whether on our side or on the
other side, must apply itself to find the real
root of evil, and then, with courage, tenn
pered by csndnr and moderation, see that
It is e1tirpated This is for the interest
of both parties, and anything short of it is a
failure. 1t is sufficient to say tina the pres
ent treaty does no such thing, aud that what
ever may have been thh disposition of the
negotiatOrs, the real root Of evil remains
untouched in all its original strength. l
make these remarks merely to characterize
the treaty snd prepare the way for its con-
sideratiOD.
The treaty has for its model the claims
convention Of 1853. To take such a conven-
ton as a model was strange mistake. This
convention was for the settlement of outs,an-
ding claims of American citizens on Great
Britain and of British subjects on the United
States which had arisen since the treaty of
Ghe1t in 1915. 1t concerned individuals
only and not the nation. 1t was not in any
l. 10
sense of national wrong. To take such
convention as a model for a treaty which
was 10 determine a national grievance of
importance in the relations of
two countries, marked on the threshold an
insensibility to the true nature ofthe differ
ence 10 be settled. At once it belittled the
work to be done.
An inspection of the treaty shows how
from beginning to end it is for the settlement
of individual claims on both sides, putting
both patches on an equslity-so that the
sufferers by the misconduct Of England may
be counterbalauced by English blockade
runners. 1t opens with preamble, which in
stead of announcing the Unprecedented ques-
ton between the two countries, simply refers
to individual claims which have arisen since
l653-which was the last time of settlement
some of which are still pending and re-
main unsettled. Who would believe that
under those words of commonplace was con-
,esled that unsettled difference which has
already SO deeply stirred the American peo-
pie, and is destined until finally ad-
usted to occupy the attention of the civil
lied world? Nothing here gives notice of
he real question. IquOte the preamble, as
t is the Keynote to the treaty.
WHEREAS, claims have at various times
iince the exchange of the ratification OF the |
convention between Great Britain aud the |
United States Of America, signed st London, |
~ the 9Th of February, 1853, been made up
IN the government of her Britannia Majesty |
N the part of citizens of the United States,
nd upon the government of the United
states on the part of her Britannia Majesty; /
nd whereas, come such claims are still
endiDg and remain unsettled, her majesty
he Queen of the United Kingdom of Great
britain and Ireland, and the President of the
United States of America being of opinion /
hat speedy aud equitable settlement of all I
uch claims will contribute much to the /
of the friendly feelings which
xist between the two countries, have re-
olved TO make arrangements for the pur-
ose by means of a convention.
The provisions of the treaty are for the
rial of theses case. A commission is con-
iituted, which is empowered to choose an
but in the event Of failure to
gree, the arbitrator shall be determined
BY lot" out of two persons named by each :
de. Even if this aleatory proceeding were +
proper device in the umpirsge of the pri- /
ate claims, it is strangely inconsistent with 1
le soiemnity which belongs to the present !,
uestion. The moral sense is disturbed BY ,
lch a process at any stage of the trial, nor
it satisfied by the subsequent provision +,
r the selection of sovereign or head of a
iendly state as arbitrator. The treaty not
erely makes no provision for the determin.
ion of the great question, but it seems to .
ovide expressly that il shall never here
ter be presented. The petty provision for
diViduaI claims, subject TO a set.off from Q
70 individual claims of England, so that in !
9 end our country may possibly receive !
thing, is the consideration for this strange u
rreRder. borrow a term from an Eng
h statesman on another occasion if / call q
a 'capitulation.' For the settlement Of a !;
W individual claims we condone the Origi- .
j, far-reaching and destructive wrong. >,
ere are the plain words by which this is u
ne;
The high contracting parties engage to Q
nsider the result of the proceedings of this 81
mmission as a full and final settlement of a
cry claim upon either government, arising 81
{ Of any transaction of date prior TO the "
change Of the Publications of the present D
invention; and further engage that every ~
ch claim, whether or not the same may y
We been presented to the notice of, made, 81
lofl hot, fIae !
all, from and after the conclusion Of the i.
OceediDgs of the said commission, be con .
Tered and treated as finally settled and III
rred, and thencefOrth inadmissible a.
All this I quote directly from the treaty. " "
is article FIVE. The national cause is han a
I'd as nothing more than a bundle of indi- at
iual claims, and the result of the proceed ~
ysunder the proposed treaty is TO be full Il,
d final settlement so that hereafter all ~
inns shall be considered and treated as or
ally settled and barred, and thenceforth e.,
Here is no provision for the ~
il question, which, though thrust out of NJ
hit, or declared to be finally settled and +,
rred, according to the terms of the treaty, n
Ist return to plague the two countries.- ~
1atever the treaty may say in terms, there T.,
no settlement in fact, and until this is sn
de there viii be a constant menace of dis 90
d. Nor can it be forgotten that there is n,
recognition of the rule of international nj
y applicable to such cases. This, too, is cl'
unsettled. 70,
While doing so little for US the treaty to
kes ample provision for all known claims of
the British side. As these are exclusive So
individual they are completely covered es,
the text which has no limitations or ex- Tt
ltions. Already it is announced in Eng M
d that even those of confederate bond VI
deTs' are included. have before me an en-
glish journal which describes the latter thi
inns as founded on immense quantities of me
ton, worth at the time of their seizure tbs