Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1869-04-24


the decision OF the new President snd OF
/ the Senate, y hicb have not yet formally
decided on it,. SuppOsing it TO be set
I sside, snd negotiations to be renewed at
some future time, we may expect 70 find
I IN Mr.. Motley an earnest and uDCOmpra-
/ missing supporter OF the opinions which
] are said to he dominant among his cOun-
/ trymen. In the matter Of the Alsbama
/ claims his principles and conduct are
not likely to be sllsyed By any weakness
[ forJs
We have nothing to complain of in
this, and are, indeed, disposed to prefer
dealing with g nation through 2 minis
ter who represents its prevailing i'm
pulses. Such q man may be more harsh
and execting in s negotiation, but when
the business Is concluded there is st least
the satisfaction that it is likely TO prove
a real settlement. Il other respects Mr..
Motley will probably prove & minister Of
an order very unlike Mr.. Revsrdy John
son. We shall lose o genial and inde-
fstigabie speeeh-makeT, but snail gain,
in exchange, gentleman who viii be
understood on both sides Of the ocean to
say only what the great mass OF his
countrymen rsaily means. The chsnge
is not Of much importance to u, but, TO
Judge frem the feeling that has been
manifested ia America, the substitution
Of Mr.. Motley for the present Minister is
likely 20 sOCthe 8 large portion Of the
public which hss bsen irritatsC by Mr..
Rsvsrdy JOhnson's eXubsrant orstOry.
Strange to say, the speeches Of Mr.. Rev
erdy Johnson, snd the good understand
ing he has established with cur various
hOspitsble municlpali-ie=, have been re-
scented 10 some Americans, So if hey
q 50
ing can be more unreasonable. MI
RsTsTdy Johnson W&s appointed st
time when an important question was
pe2ding between the two nations, and he
gave Us TO understand that he was 6pe-
cially chosen to settle il. Lord Russell
and Mr.. Adams had been too much en-
gsged in tie nulual complaints ami re-
ordinations OF the wsC 70 approach the
subjsct fsvCgsbly. Lord RGsseI. went
out OF Office; Mr.. Adams returned home;
s new Foreign Secretary and a new
American MiDister had opportunities
their predecessors had not enjoyed. This
being tGe9tats Of things, Mr.. ReverGy
Johnson took occasion, even before leEv-
ing America, to express the good viii to-
ward England which animated himself
and. with which ne credited his Own
counrymen. On arriving IL England
he used ths same language, aud spoke in
the name OF the American people with a
warmth which was naturally rscipr0ca-
ted by his auGieDCe. OF course, We are
sorry To fnd that 10 so doing be mistOok
the feeling Of his cOunt-ymen toward
" but thSt we should listeH 10 what he
Nd, and be satisfied by It, is surely no
fault Of ours. The impressiouaDie Min
ister naturally had ia this country OF
public dinners numerous opportunities Cf
repeating his friendly sentiments, and
the ubiquitous reporter recorded them |
all, even the most impoverished and |
spontaneous. Where 7e were amused /
the Americans were angry, and the re- ]
suit has been certainly unfortunate. Mr.. /
johnson, however, nggwith- I
standing his complimentary speeches, /
appears to have been active /
enough in his diplomatic work,
and to AYE falhiled all the in
strUctons Of his government. He COR
cluded . convention, in which every
thing the United States could reasonably !
demand was conceded by us-s cOnVen-
iCn, indeed, that imposed on rs possible |
liabilities which many thought We ought |
not 10 have sccsptsd. Principally be-
cause of the Unpopulsrity OF the agent, |
this convention has been Il-TeceivsG iB I
the United States, and is nov said 10 1
have been virtually rejected. 1. is plain
that g United States Minister in this |
country may be too fair spoken, and that
for practical purposes it is bst5sr TO deal
with more faithful, though s less Sc
representative Of American
opiniOo.
1. i5 q great thing, h5We-ers TO feel
dsmOnstrabiy In the right, This
country has gone 60 the extreme Of con
cessi0n in the matter Of the Alabama
claims. IL has agreed % refer every
thing except it's own honor to SrbItra-
1Or, and 20 the judgment Of mixed
Il nas 8grs5d 10 givs
who profess to have bsen
every opportunity to assert their
claims by providing that the commission
shall held its sitting st Washington. EX
espt absolute suon 'ssiOn 10 every demand
the Americans msy choose 70 msKs,
here is nothing further tLa could hSve
been cOnceGeI. The convention in
which sil this is stipulated hss been the
work OF thgif own Minister and their
lwn Sssretary Of State, and has recsived
he assent OF their own President. i
hey now set l. aside, cur duty viii
simply be to abstain altogether from
urtber o7ertures, and let any proposal
OF q leIEHaL u ACfs safaAa-tAl45 pAOLCEN ]
rom the American Government. AS
7 that downright demand for payment
which cur Philadelphia sp)ndenJ
describes as being advoca ed in the
United States, this country would OF
,ourse know how to treat it; but we
nave not ire smallest belief that Presi-
tent Grants government Contemp: ates
a course Of sction 50 unfFieldiy AID o.
rensive. Il is more likely that, assuming
The present convention TO be set aside,
Mr.. Motley will be Instructed TO open the
negotiations for another, differing sOne-
what ia machinery, bat embodying
similar principles. ShOgld this be the
,sse, cur goverDm snt will be rea0y TO
give the proposals fair confederation.
Should Il, on the other hand, be the de-
sire OF the Americans 70 keep the ques-
ton still unsettled, the British nation,
having fully manifested its good diepo-
5ition, Will net feel bound, however, to
initiate fresh negotiations, La any case
we shall welcome Mr.. Motley, not only
as sn old friend, but as one VINO has the
Of really powerful EEecu
tive and Of the most powerful political
party ia the United Sales.