, 1870-11-12
TIE NEXT WAE,


p1ununciamcnto, in whfch he proposes to
attack tbs administration unless it pzacti-
ca1ly declares wa1 against Great Britain
TOR the non-payment of the Alabama
claims. This Mexican style of doing
business will never succeed IN this coun-
try, nor is General Butler the man to
make it popular There is not sane
man in the United States who thinks that
var on this subject is either advisable or
necessary. The country has had enough
of war for at least one genera
ton. There is not a village in
the land that has not its mou1ness
for the dead Of the late war; The orphans
and widows Of the brave men who persisted
are still with rs, strongly reminding us, as
General Sherman said, that, " War Ia cruel
ty, and you cannot retine il, " and thai, Of
ali human Affections, it is the most terrible
and appalling. The Alabama claims, ali
I told, do not exceed s1s, 900, co., not equal
! to the cost for si1 months Of keeping Gen.
eral Butler and a single division
\ in the field. Human ingenuity has
never devised more. costly or
barbarous mode of collecting a
| debt. It consumes both,the debtor and the
creditor alike and, rarely if ever, is the
end originally sought, obtained. The
country has experienced the cost Of war,
in protracted -period Of unprecedented
tsration, and, though Ere years OF, peace
hare interviewed, the annual taxation to pay
the cost OF that war and the resulting pen
/ =, r4s7 W. 1avn rr%x
pressed so far in the work Of paying of
Tint enormous debt that VIC can venture to
incur another for an end that may be more
speedily secured by peaceable means.
If We are to engage in war, what is the
prete1t? Great Britain has not paid the
Alabama claims, but is not the fault rs
much on our side rs on hers? Have We
not exhibited as much hesitation in asking
settlement aS sl1o has in granting it
! There is hardly faction, at the present
, time, in England, opposed to the pay1nen
D Of the claims Why, then, have they no
been paid: In 1867, the administration o
/ Andrew johnson proposed terms o
= settlement; these terms the Brit
. | ish Government accepted, aud readi1
d executed u protocol for that pu1
j. pose, conceding everything that HI. Sew
L: ard asked. Thst treaty WIS rejected b
il tho Senate BY an almost unanimous vote
Il 1 year later, the British Government, in
I | correspondence with Mr. Fish, intimate
O its willingness to receive any other props
sition frou, the United States, and e.
=, pressed strong desire to have the who
q matter settled, But 10 formal propositio
=. has since been made bY this gove1nmen
n except the singular one that Great Brita:
- herself should tell us what NC wan
a. Though she is the debtor, abe cannot
!, said to be in default. Great Britain
ha ready to appoint commission to exa.
air inc these Claims, ASCERTAIN their amour
th and 10 pay them, and every man in En-
rty land is in favor of paying what may
m. found honestly to be due.
Hi But, until this preliminary examinati
The can bc had, no action can be taken by Il
government. The Alabama claims, per
are simply claims by our citizens agai'
,le- the British Government. Any grievan'
bic wa may have against Great Britain arc o
The side of the claims themselves The ex
AR. amount due each il 4 question to be nse
.ore tained by evidence. It Is \ proper qr
n. tion for judicial examination That
,nts elnms are, in many instances, oxsggers
,nts pecunia1i5, is more than probable,
ock hence the strong desire, in .ce1t
d.v quarters, to have the United Sh
, OF pay The clains as they stand, aud dem
in Of Great Britain repayment, without
- :. scrufinv of The t7etaile f,f the claims RI