Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1871-05-12
WASHINGTON.
The Treaty Under DiseussiOn-Sum
ner's Opinion.


WASHINGTON, May l2,-The Foreign
Relations Committee, having under dis
cussion the treaty, was in session for
nearly seven hours yesterday, all the
members of the committee being present.
The treaty was read and discussed, ar
ticle by article, and several changes sug-
gested from time to time as the reading
proceeded. 1t does not appear thus far
that any member of the committee is
hostile to its provisions, or has any dis
position 10 oppose it, Some of the mem
bers would prefer to have certain changes
made, but no conclusive action was
taken. The session Of the committee is
being mostly taken up in a general dis
cussion Of the whole subject. The Sen
ators are as little disposed to communi-
cate any information in advance Of their
action as the Commissioners were. From
the manner in which the committee
has gone to work, it is evident that
the members do not intend to keep the
Senate waiting any longer than is neces-
sary, but the length of the document
and its Importance preoluded the posi-
bility of reporting it to the Senate when
it again assemblies to-day. The members
believe, however, that the committee will
have substantially closed its examination
on Monday. Conversation among Sena-
tors shows that the treaty will not be
ratified without spirited, and perhaps
long debate, and that it may be amended.
The treaty ia generally spoken of as a
remarkably strong one. Though almost
every one criticises it, there are very few
who critieise the treaty as a whole.
Considerable surprise is expressed by
Mr.. Sumner and one or two others that
the American commissioners did not in
sist that Great Britain should submit a
schedule of the claims Of her subjects so
that it might be definitely known of what
kind they are and what is their amount.
The assurance has been given at the
State Department that they are insigni6-
cant in amount, and will not include any
of those to which the American public
will object, and Granville letter to Lord
Lyons about the claims of British sub
jects against France has been cited to
show that there is no occasion to tear that
they will be large. But the reply TO this
assurance is that we are not sure that
England win abide by the prsce-
dent, and that it would have been
much more satisfactory to have had
these points definitely settled in the
treaty itself To show that these claims
may be very considerable in amount, ii
is said that 81 SOC, 600 is involved in the
case Of the Peter Hoft alone, which was
captured in the Rio del Norte and con
demned. Caleb Cushing is reported to
have said within day or two that this
case hau dfcduJ Dcch DtiOfe tut gu
preme Court and an opinion against the
United States has been given. A law
firm in this city has 100000 worth Of
claims for tobacco captured on vessels
which were a few hours late in getting
away from Norfolk and other ports when
the blockade was declared. Several
Senators announced before the treaty
was signed that they would not yaie
dollar to pay for blockade runners, and
it viii therefore have to be shown that
such claims are to be excluded to get
their support
Mr.. Sumner will also call attention to
what he considers the cumbersome nature
Of the Board Of Arbitration, and perhaps
suggest that it would have been mere
satisfactory TO have allowed British
claimants to prosecute in the United