The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-02-14
SETTLING OLD SCORES.
THE JOINT HIGH COMMISSION -ANB
ITS WORK.
How Our Difficulties with John Bull
are to be Adjusted.

| Mr.. Secretary Fish upon the subject Of the Ala
bama claims and fishery questions. In lettel
dated January Is last, Sir Edward Thornton
says:
In compliance with an instruction which have
received from Earl Granville have the honor u
state lhat her Majesty's Government deem 1t o.
importance to the good relations, which they arr
| ever anxious should subsist and be strengthened
between the United States and Great Britain, tina
| a friendly and complete understanding should be
come to between the governments as TO the ex
sent Of the rights which belong to the citizens o.
the United States and her Ma]esty's subjects, re-
spectlvely, with reference to the fisheries on the
coasts Of her Ma;esty's possessions IN North Amer
| lea. and as to any other questions between them
which affect the relations Of the United States
| towards those possessions. AS the consideration
OF these matters would, however, involve lnvesti
cations Of somewhat complicated nature, and as
it Is very desirable that they should be thoroughly
| examined, am directed by Lord Granville tc
| the appointment Of joint high commission,
which shall be composed OF members to be named
| by each government, shall hold its sessions al
WASHINGTON, ana shall treat Of and discuss the
mode Of settling the different questions which
have arisen out Of the fisheries, as well as those
which affect the relations OF the United States TO-
wards her Majesty's possessions IN North Ameri.
ca. lam confident that the proposal Will be met
by your government In the same cordial split OF
friendship which has induced her Aajestys Gov.
ernment TO tender 1t, and cannot doubt that in
that case the result will not fall to con rlbuie TO
the maintenance OF the good relations between
the TWO countries, which I am convinced the
Government OF the United States as Sell as her
Majesty'5 equally have at heart.
Mr.. Fish replies, under date OF January 81, az
ter. acknowledging the receipt Of the above as
follows: 81 have laid your note before the Presi-
dent, who nstructs me to say that he shares
with her Majesty's government the appreciation
Of the importance OF 8 friendly and complete un-
derstandfng between the two governments with
reference to the subjects specially suggested
for the consideration Of the proposed joint high
commission, and he fully recognizes the friendly
President is, however, of the opinion that with
out the adjustment OF class Of questions net al
lnded TO In your note, the proposed high comn1is
sion Would fail 70 establish the permanent rel.
friendship between the two governments
which, 10 common with her Majesty's gov
ernment, he desires should prevail. he thinks
that the removal Of the differences, which arose
during the rebellion In the United States, and
which have existed since then, growing out
OF the acts committed by the several vessels
which have given rise to the claims generally
known as the Alabama claims, Will also be essen
tal to the restoration Of cordial and amfcabe re-
lations between the two governments. He directs
me to say that should her Majesty's government
accept this view oi this matter, and assent that
this subject also may be treated OF by the propos-
ed high Commission. and may thus be put in the
way OF final and amicable settlement this gov
erdment will with much pleasure appoint high
commissioners on the part OF the United States
to meet those who may be appointed on.behalftf
her Majesty IS government, and WILL spare no el-
forts to secdre. at the earliest practicable moment,
a ust and amicable arrangement OF all the ques.
tions .whIc'I now unfortunately stand In che way
OF an entire and abiding friendship between the
two matt Jns.o
Sir Edward Thornton replies, February l, 1871:
~ have the honor to acknowledge the receipt OF
your note Of the S0th ultimo, and to offer you my
sincere and cordial thanks for the friendly aud
conclliatory spirit which pervades It. With refer
ence to that part OF It In which you state that the
President thinks that the removal OF the dider.
ences which arose during the rebellion In The
United States, and which have existed since then,
growing out OF the acts committed by the several
vessels which have given rise to the claims, gene
rally known as the Alabama claims, will also be
essential to the restoration OF cordia! and ami
have the honor to inform you that have sub.
mitted to Lord Granville the opinion thus ex-
pressed by ihe President OF the United Staten,
the friendlness or which beg you TO believe
fully appreciate. l am now authorized by his
lordshIp 10 state that 1t would give her Majes-
tys government great satisfaction IL the claims
commonly kno1n by the name OF the Alabama
claims were submitted to the consideration Ol
the same high commission by which lter Males.
ty 's government have proposed that the questions
relating to the British possessions IN North Amer
lea should be discussed provided that al other
claims both OF British suojects and cltizens of
the United States, arising out OF the acts commit
ted during the recent civil war In this country,
are similarly referred to the same commission.
The expressions made use or in the name OF the
President, In your aooye.mentlonsd note, with ,e.
government OF the United States will consider II
Of importance that these causes OF dispute be-
tween the TWO countries should also and at the
same time be done away with, AID that you Will
enable me TO convey tony government the assent
OF the President to the addition which they thus
propose to the duties Of the high commission, and
which cannot fall to make 1t more certain that It's
labors Will lead to the removal OF all differences
between the two countries.
On the Sd instant Mr.. Fish responds: IL have
laid your note before the President, and ne has
directed me to express the satisfaction with
Granville has authorized you to state that her
Msjesty's government has accepted the views Of |
this government as to the disposition to be made
OF the so.called Alabama claims. He also directs
note. that II there be other and further claims of
British subjects or OF American citizens growing
out OF acts committed during the recent civil war
ln this county. he asseuts to the proprlety ef
their reference to the same high commissioners;
but he suggests that the high commissioners shall
consider only such claims OF this description as
may be presented by the governments Of the re.
spectve claimants at an early day, to be agreed
upon by the commissioners"
THE COMMISSION.
The American commission consists Of Fish,
Minister Schenck, Judge Nelson, ex.Attorney-
General Hoar and Senator Williams.
Five commissioners on the part Of Great Britain
have been appointed as follows lEarl De Grey, Pro.
lessor Montague Bernard, Sir Edward Thornton,
Sir John A. Mcdonald, Of Canada. and Sir John
Rose. The secretary Of the commissioners will be
Lord Tenterden.
THE QUESTIONS AT ISSUE.
The questions which have arisen from time to
lime between Great Britain and the United States,
and whicn are to form the subjects OF discussion
and adjustment by the Joint high commission just
appointed by The two governments, are as follows:
First The Alabama claims and oil matters con-
nected with the conduct Of England during our
civil war.
Second. The fisheries question, which embraces
our claims FOR illegal seizures and Imprisonment
Of our citizens s!n;e the abrogaton by Canada O1
the license system last year. The commission
wi i also determine the quesaon OF the rights Of
American fishermen under the treaty OF 1918, and
adjust, II possible, the pretensons OF the Do
mfnlon TO The neadland construction, by which
they claim the right under the treaty TO eXclude
our fishermen from the Bay Of Fundy, the Bay OF
treme headlands OF the Nova Scotia coast-a con-
,truction which; If enforced, would, in many IN.
stances, exclude our fishermen from going within
sixty miles OF the absolute coast and thus nullly
that provision OF the treaty which provided tnat
IN cases Of distress by weather. &C., our vessels
can seek shelter In the har0ors OF the Bralsn
North American possessions with the exception
of the Bay or Fuuly. This extraordinary heal
andn construction was never attempted 10 oe en-,
forced, and as regards the Bay OF Funay, LORD
Aberdeen, on the part OF England, In lSi3, waived
the enforcement, iwhile claiming. nevertheless,
that 1t WIS correct upon the spirited remon-
STRANGE OF the American govern ment IN the case
of the seizure of the American lslling schooner