The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-05-24
TEE ALABAMA CLAIMS !,

Debate in the House Of Lords.
The following discussion TOOK pl ace in the House
Of Lords on 18th instant thu day on which that
part Of the treaty which rete rs to the Alabama
claims was given by the Londo u Times
Lord REpKspALE asked : ne governments II the
ting the principles OF int national law persevere
Y the Alabama claims rs sir the reconciliation OF
rome before before. those who ansy determine
point of International law should receive full
Sssa me w aass as believed had not
States had 10 the bun ing and fitting out Of the Ala
the ships, and the injury to the trade OF the North
was committed BY .nem; YET 'iiey were now repre-
and the other southern states were asking US
eonenaea sfy Snas the s xmeloaS
had taken . wards the Southern States from rom
prosecuting, he claim; Had the South achieved
against this country been substantiated, we should
certainly ha We asked the South to reimburse for
United bya nd for it. The North could have required
tne SOUR as condition OF peace, to give compen
to 1oreive the principal, how could a claim be made
against ' he aeentY A man who, had received a
opponer I, proceed against the man who lent him
the silo' "a laugh,-and he did not believe that
was NJ It aware OF any precisely analogous case,
for SUI IN an occurrence was necessarily rare. The
South ern States were treated, not rebels, but rs
belllg erents, by the North, and go lar warlike
oper atoms were concerned they were clearly n-
dePe ndent country. They had, therefore, all the
spoi lsibltes Of that position Ii ordered to do
sop iething whereby he was benefited but which
ex posed TO severe penalty, 1t would be thought
very unhandsome for to 1le an information
against his own agent In order to obtain damages,
ing the action himself allowed his brother or part.
ner to 90 80. New, the Jaw OF na'ions ought to
" w ma "A
ne could not see how claim could fairly be prefer
red under such peculiar circumstances as existed in
rhe Earl Of LAUpERDALE believed there was no Just
claim against US. II during the Crmean war the
Americans had sold Alabainas TO Russia II would
not have entered the head of any British statesman
10 demand damages, and even if II had our friends
over the water would only have laughed at u.s. IL
might not be generally known that at that time they
allowed man owar TO be fitted out in one of Their
ports with guns and wariike stores, which vessel
rounded Cape Horn, reached Valparaiso, ana by
little treachery escaped the examination Of an
English vessel lying there, SO that 1t pro-
ceeded 70 San Francisco where Russian agent
went on board, ana was taken to q Russian port.
Eented to the Emperor, who gave him the usual
snmi box STUDDED sSnn with diamonds "a sugh lie
ne feared mat before long We should be saddled
Earl GRANVILLE thought that, as the question was
likely 70 DE referred to arbitrators the noble and
gallant earl would understand that 1t would not
argument on the subject: The sane feeling would
influence nee ms reply to u. nose lord edesdae
ne was aware, been previously raised. Ii
certainly had not suggested itself to the legal
advisers OF the successive governments, which
had 70 deal with the question, and 1t
had not formed portion OF the Instructions given
TO our Commissioners. Whether IL was good or q
bad one he would not say; but it might no doubt
nave been proper point TO refer TO the Commits
siOners In settling not the claims, but the IN
which they should be adjusted. Without giving
any opinion on the matter, he would only add that
u would be the duty OF the government to consi-
and fairly be urged against the claims OF United
States. The noble lord had implied that this country
had recognized the Southern States an indcpen.
dent country but the only recognition they received
from us, and the recognition OF which the North
complained, was that OF belligerents, and far
the government OF that day was concerned the
question OF recognizing their independence was
never even entertained.
The EARL or DERBY asked when an authentic copy
OF the treaty, which could at present only be judged
Of from statements in the public press. would be
presented.
Earl GRANVILLE replied that the amount OF tele-
Taphc communication between thegovernment and
our commissioners had been immense but informa.
Lon based thereon would obviously be insufficient.
The whole treaty-part OF which, referring 10 the
the Times OF this mornng-len Washington the day
before yesterday by the usual means and would pro-
badly arrive at the end or next week. There were
some technical dinculties, bur the government was
anxious that Parliament shond not be without III
formation any longer than was necessary
Lord REDEsDALE maintained tnat TO recognize par
ties at war with another state was 10 acknowledge
their independence, and vested them with the re-
sponsibiiities OF an independent State.