The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1870-11-10
ZIG Aiabanla CIaims.l

-tsy y p ~
1 The Aiabanla Claims.
DIRECT AreLleAIIos y e1..,. !;
ANT 70 ENGLAND FoRINDgMNrrY:
Why osr. GoyesBment Can not Consent
TO Such a PrseedureI
Tie Tieesef On american and q Pqsdel
From Ii. Wellington Daily brouiele
SsW YoRs. October Is. 1870
5l@ Hamilton FISH:
ay DEAE SIR: 4 few days $50 a letuir
from Nr pafss9. IL r,latien to the Ala.
baIna claim appedrcd u ths Besaii,ig PM,
10 which the writer proposes that de ma.
ridual claimants skaIlJ.e allowed 10 neso-
tia,c directly. and without the Intervention
Of our government, With the government
ofareat Britain. 10 rocoser ;beis money.
This letter was addressed to Mr.. Ffeling-
huysen. Last evening another letter is
given IN the Post, address to yourself,
after your official refusal 70 permitlbe ap.
-pliratioa abroad. Both these letters the
Past very earnestly endorses. TtS seems
that tic British Ministry bad bce5 ap:
prouehed even before you we're appealed %,
aud 1t was understood they we're very VII
lug 70, pay these claimants. The grounds
and illustrations on wbich the writer aud
the Post advocate this course are certainly
plausible, bus. upon reflection. must. I
.h:sk, appear fallacious and unsound to d
candid ruiaterested reslsr. and perhaps i
few words from one whb iis-neither q (poli!,
tician nora claimant. Showing how tbs
proposal strikes bis milld. may not be dis.
agreeable to you.
l-supposc at.the outset that the proper
operation, j: not the lester Of international
law, would stand in the way II there were
no positive statute Of the country to be. ID
fringed Suseiy this uustbe regara-a:as
settled in all ordinary eases. that Goce,4l-
aneats treasda ,atA Governments rlisw
csaials are to Be epfarcrd; and this is not
case where the British authorities en-
ployed the claimants to perform a given
work for stipulated price. aud might pos
sibly be implcadei III their courts but
where PREPARATION is sought for a wrong
These claims grow only out of an alleged
wrong which it is the duty of the govern
ineut to see righted, and individuals eau
not right
Again: These claimants are INDEBTED
purely and solely to What our Government
has already done for the fact that England
is nov ready to recognize any claim what
ever on their part. if that Government is,
so far willing. us they allese. Ifthey;bad
stood alone. and our Government had not
intcrfercd, beyond all question not onsIdol-
lar would they ever been able to recover,
or England would ever have allowed 1t
would be strange, then. if atthc moment
when they believeshc government haspla-
ced theu in q condition to regain thcit los
ses, they should be permitted to ignore lis
authority and value. turn their backs upon
1T. aud expose its houor to, the fidicuS OF
foreigners, as if it were an incapable or
untrustworthy agent Real patriotism,
would hardly proceed in such manner
And suppose they shoaId fail after all? Is
the Government again to take up at all this
disadvantage the cause which they have 50
seriously embarrassed It is to be reme,n-
bcred that whatever might be imagined
respecting case not vet touched. this
case. either BY the requirement or the very
cordial aeqaiescence Of these parties. i
now. and from the FIRST has been in the
hands .: our Government. There then,
IT certainly appears, it should remain until
finally settled .Atlcast, If the Govern
ment chose to permit a different course
yet the claimants couIa have no RICH, to
demaad!t Bstfur:her: The money claim
is but part of the case made with Great
Britain That Of itself became claim.
because Of the wrong under which the mo-
ney was lost; aud to assert the dignity and
honor of the country and repair this wrong
50 tina. the like may not again occur to jeo-
pard the pecuuiary interests or the intor
ests Of peace and righteousness between
two great nations. is Al least as high aud
valuable au end as the recovery Of. any Civ
en- amount of money. Would the pay
meat ofthc claims III the manner proposed
fairly and frankly meet that object? Il.
might be interpreted indeed. into an ad
mission on the part Il Great Britain that
there vas some remisspeSs on the part Of
her officials which might impose upon her
a degree Of responsibility; and that. l
think. she has admitted. and thereon is
wiling to endure some amount Sf dana.
ges. But would It repair thu indisuity Of
the hasty aad uufricndly neutrality act? =
the inlecorum Of Lord John Rpssal<Saeers
at the late United States" while he was
the member of the Administration wifh
whom our country lat amt, with them)
was 10 deal: the injury inflicted BY other