Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1871-02-15
have the honor to be, with the highest
consideration, Sir, your most obedient hum
BILE servant, EDWARD THORNTON.
The Hon. Hamilton Fish. &c.

| have the honor to be, with the highest
consideration, Sir, your most obedient hum
BILE servant, EDWARD THORNTON.
The Hon. Hamilton Fish. &C.
Mr.. Fish 10 Sir Fdroard Thornton
DEPARTMENT OF STATE, WASHINGTON,
Feb. 3, 1871.
Sir / have the honor TO acknowledge the
receipt of your note ofthe LIST inst F., in which
you inform me that you ale authorized by
Earl Granville TO state that it would give
Her Majesty's Government great satisfaction
if the claims commonly known by the name
Of the " Alabama Claims were submitted
to the consideration of the same high COM
mission by which Her Majesty's Government
have proposed that the questions relating to
British Possessions in North America should
be discussed, provided that all other claims
both of British subjects and citizens of the
United States, arising out of acts committed
during the recent civil war in this country,
are similarly referred to the same commits
sion have laid your note before the Pres
ident, and he has directed. me to express the
satisfaction with which he has received the
intelligence that Lord Granville has author
lied you to state that Her Majesty's Govern
ment has accepted the views of this govern
ment as to the disposition TO be made Of the
so-called Alabama Claims. He also directs
me to say, with reference to the remainder
of your note, that if there be other and fur
Their claims of the British subjects, or OF
American citizens, growing out OF acts
committed during the recent civil war IN
this country, he assents TO the propriety OF
their reference to the same high commission;
but he suggests that the high commissioners
shall consider only such claims of this de-
scription as may be presented by the govern
ments of the respective claimants at an early
date to be argeed upon by the commissioners.
| have the honor to be, with the highest
consideration, Sir, your obcdent servant,
HAMILTON Fish.
Sir Edward Thornton, X. G. B. &c, &c.
The members of this commission on the
part of Great Britain are the Earl De Grey,
Prof Montagu Bernard, Sir Edward Thorn
ton, Sir John A Macdonald of Canada, and
Sir John Rose.
Secretary Fish, Gen Schenck, ex-Attorney
General Hoar, Judge Nelson of the Supreme
Court, and Senator Williams of Oregon will
represent the United States upon the com
mission. The Senate has already - advised
and consented = to the commission. Very
general satisfaction is felt here at the action
Of our government in the matter, and espe-
cially in the selection of commissioners
The honor and dignity and rights Of the
United States are quite safe in their hands
Tx INcoME TAN
A vote was taken in the Houee, which is
looked upon as a partial if not a perfect test
Of the disposition Of the House respecting
the income tax. Mr.. Hooper of Massachu-
setts moved to 20 into committee of th'
whole for the purpose, if his motion pre-
vailed, Of attempting to get vote on tht
bill repeating the tax. The motion failed
by a vote of l03 to I07, the largest vote o.
this session The vote was not an absolute
test, as it was influenced by some other con
siderations than the repeal Of the tax; but
| think it was as strong vete rs the friends
Of repeal will be likely to secure. Mr.
/ Hooper will make another effort next Thurs
day but | do not anticipate that he viii have
any better success. Some of the tariff men
who favor repeal, are yet afraid to consider
the bin for fear that "a clause viii be addet
to it abolishing the duty on salt, or SOME
other article which they want protected, anc
/ they prefer to stand the tax rather than lose
the protection to their pet industry.
/ PENSIONS TO SOLDIERS on TIE WAR oE 1870.
The bill granting pensions 10 soldiers an,
sailors of the war Of 1912 has finally passed
/ both Houses. The only change from th,
copy of the bill sent you last week, an,
which you printed, Is in the striking out o
the clause making it applicable to the soldier
Of the revolutionary war,--and that cla-ls
was stricken out because it would bcnef
nobody, it not being possible that there ar
now any surviving soldiers Of that war.
SOUTHERN PACIFIC RAILROAD.
The Senate bill making a large land gran
t. the Southern Pacific Railroad, was thi
week referred to the Pacific railroad com
mittee in the House. The reference wa
carried by more than two-thirds vote, an.
makes it apparent that the House VIII pas
the bill in some shape at the present session
The other land grants do not seem TO b
growing in favor, but I shall not be sur
prised if some grand combination of all in
terests, rushcs them all through before th
close of the session.