The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1871-02-17
Joint Commission between the United
States and England.

states anu England.
The pending dificilities between
the Ufiited' States and England have
been referred, for adjustment to a
joint Commission, which. will sit at
Washing,. n in tho month {" March.
Thcfolluwing ommis iners willrepre-
sent the United States: Hon. H:mil.
ton Fish, Secretary of State: General
Robert c. Schchk, Minister to Epgs-
land; Associate Justice Nelson, of the
United States Supreme Court; hon.
e. IL. Williams, Senatorfi ON Oregon:
and Hon. L. Il. Hoar, ,cx-Attorney
General. - s :. ~
The five commissioners on the part
of Great Britain are Earl Dc Grey,
Professor Montague Bernard. Sir Ed
ward Thornton, Sir J. \. Mcdonald,
iof Canada, and Sir JOHN Rose. The
secretary stf1 the commissioners vii
be Lord Trntrrdrn. -. !.
The appointments of the Commits.
sion originated in Il suggestion of Sir
Edward Thornton: the English Minis
ter, and in about q week tile whole
arrangement was effected. and the
amieutle spirit wl,ici, pcrvaded the
correspondence. affords every reason
to anticipate u satisfactory settlement
of The pending difficulties. The re-
lection Of tie johnson Clarendon
was owing chiefly to party spirit and
bitter opposition TO the admf"IS'r;-
ton but Il treaty concluded under the
auspices of the ruling party. will Ike:
ly receive this ready acqnicsccnce and
support.
The questions which have arisen
from time to imr between Great Br-
tain and the Uuited States, and which
arc to form the subjects Of discussion
an.l adjustment oy the joint high
commission just appointed by the
two governments, are aS follows:
First. The Alabama claims and all
matters connected with the conduct
of England during "ur'rivil war
Second. The fisheries question.
which embraces our claims for illegal
sci>ureS and imprisonment Of onr cili-
xens since The ahrogation hj' Canada
OF. the licrncc system last year. The
commission will also determine the
question of. the rights Of American
Under the treaty OF 1878.
and adjust. If possible, the pi'eteilsionS
If the Domiuiult, 10 the hcudl"ng con-
structlon. by. Which they claim the
right un'|er the treaty to- exclude our
fishermen from the Bay of Fundy,
the Bay af Clialcur and outside OF II
line drawn from the extreme head
lands of ,hc Nova Scotia coast.
Third. he claim of Canada for
a legged damages from Fc.an raids.
Fourth The naviga,ionut' st Law
renee aud the rights Of the United
States to the free "ingrrss and egrc>s
of ,hv lakes. a. .Es-&
Fifth. Tile San Juan question,
which has remained unsettled for
several years, the American Go ern-
m"nt claiming The Island and bsrhor
Of San Juau as belonging to the
United States under the treaty, while
Great Britain maintains that it is i'll
cludcd in British Columbia.
1t is understood that the commits
sion is not to.adj djudicMe any of the
claims, but will simply discuss and
decide the mode Of setting them. An
important account, which viii he pre-
>rn,cd by MIR Thornton, will be
the claims for damages by British sub
iects who were South during the late
war, and suffered lu from the mill
tury and naval operations of the
Union forces.
The place sc'cctcdis il avery strong
evidence of the conciliatory spirit of
Of the British Gosernment
and is very favorable to u satisfactory
<ettlement-being near the rcsid dcnce
Of the chief parti in interest, and
during the session of the American
Senate, rpon whom its ratification isl
to depend. The appointment too of
commissioners instead instead Of a
single representative Of each govern
ncnt is also very. conducive 10 the
samo end. The Dcmocraticparty will
jflrr no, obstru:tion to he SUCCESS Of
he negotiation. ~. sns