The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-02-11
sPxRTT or xHn PRISE.
editorial Opinions OF the Leading j Journals
upon Current Topios-compiled Every
Day for the Evening Telegraph.
ENGLAND AND THE UNITED STATES.

tical condolences On Thursday, for example,
while the cannon in front of the City HaiL,
within stones throw of the HeTdtd fh;e,
were laundering their wariike welcome to
the great passing Fenian procession, we were
recei wing dispatches from London aud from
Washington, the whole pufport OF which is "A
new entente c0TdtGto between England aud
the United States. 1t struck MS as most
extraordinary concurrence OF events, that
while hearing this warlike thunder of the
Fenian cannon we should be reading these
lightning dispatches from the foggy Thames
and the frozen Potomac-frOm President
Grant and Queen Victoria LET "a have
peacel" And while looking out upon this
Fenian pageant, and recognizing in its politi-
cai and military forces an argument the most
powerful with England in behalf of peace
with this country, 1t appeared to US tnat this
imposing Irish parade WAS involuntarily cele-
brating the inauguration Of a new epoch Of
progress, peace, prosperity, aud happiness to
i'the three kingdoms" and ''the great repub-
lie" and to all their people.
The Queens speech to the two houses OF
the British Parliament gives us, in few
brief sentences, the Inauguration of this new
historical era. She says that lat different
times several questions of Importance have
arisen, which are not yet adjusted, aud which
materially affect the relations between the
United States and the territories and people
of British North America" She next sub
mits that one of these questions (the i5heries)
''cals particularly for al early settlement, lest
the possible iDdiscretions of individuals
should impair the neghborly understand
ing which is on all grounds 80 desirable
TO cherish and maintain" In palmer
terms, she would say:-"You must look
out, gentlemen, for O settlement OF
those North American fishery troubles
General Ben Butler has been III akng
come mischievous speeches to the Yankee
fishermen at Cape Cod, and he seems to be
backed up by General Grant. Those Yankee
fishermen will be apt TO take the hint and
they may get up fight, and get the Feniaas
on the Canadian border again before we are
ready for them, If they are not at once at
tended to- Viewing the matter in this Ii ght,
the Queen next says that she has, through a
friendly correspondence with Gen. Grant, 5ug-
gested the appointment of joint commission,
and has agreed to proposal from the Presi-
dent to enlarge the powers of this joint COM
mission, so that 1T shall embrace the Alabama
claims and all claims for compensation which
have been or may be made by each Govern
meDt or 10y its citizens upon the other.
This is all we have Ill the Queens speech
on the subject but what she has omitted
touching this joint commission is supplied us
in the correspondence between her Munster
at Washington, Sir Edward Thornton and
Thornton says he is directed by Lord Gran
vile to propose 'joint high commission"
of members to he named by each Govern
ment; that it shall hold its sessions in Wash
iDgton, and that it's business shall be to CON
slider and "discuss tho mode of settling tue
different questions which have arisen out of
the fisheries" and other matters (such as the
ST. Lawrence navigation question: affecting
the relations of the United States with the
New Dominion. Mr.. Fish, in reply, writes
he is instructed by the President to say that
she shared with her Majesty's Government
the appreciation of the importance of
friendly and complete understanding between
the two governments on the subjects sug-
gested, land fully recognizes the friendly
spirit which has prompted the proposal Bat
the President thinks the commission on the
limitations proposed would fail to secure a
perfect understanding of peace. He, there
fore, proposes to turn over to this ..'joint
High Commission" the Alabama claims, and
if met upon this ground, the appointment of
the commissioners for the United States will
be made, and he thus hopes for "a just aud
amicable arrangement of all the questions
which now unfortunately stand in the way of
an entire and abiding friendship between the
two nations
This proposition being accepted, the Presi-
dent has nominated Secretary Fish, General
Schenck, Justice Nelson, of the Supreme
Court of the United States, Mr.. Hoar, late
Attorney General, and Senator Williams, of
Oregon, TO this ''joint high commission" on
the part of the United States. From the
other side We hear that Earl de Grey and
Ripon has been appointed, and that Minister
Thornton will be next in order; and we learn
that Sir John Rose, SIR John A. Macdonald,
Professor Montague Bernard, with Lord
Tenterden as Secretary, have been
also designated. The members on
the part of our Government are
perfectly satisfactory. Mr.. Fish
is pacific and conservative. General Schenck
is progressive, and has something Of the bold
Western theory of American rights; bat he il
an old diplomat and he is not unreasonable.
Justice Nelson brings with him the GOODNESS,
carefulness, and legal precision of the Su-
preme Court. Mr. Hoar, of Massachusetts,,
may be relied upon in behalf of our fisher
mems rights, and Senator Williams, of Ore
gon, is fully converssnt with the rights,
claims, and interests of our people on the
borders Of British Columbia and Puget's
Sound.
The British commissioners, it is reported
sailed for New York yesterday. We are
therefore, disposed to consider all the exist
ing differences between the two countries
upon the various questions TO be settled, a,
virtually adjusted in the appointment of thi
''joint high commission" They seem tc
have in England a very erroneous Impression
of the beljgerent proclivities of Genera
Schenck, and in some apprehension from hi
appointment as our Minister to London, Lor,
Granville may have conceived the grand ide
of this joint commission. We know tina
while General Schenck, in this city, has beer
awaiting his final instructions, his contem
plated voyage to England has been super
seded by this new and comprehensive ar
ranoamant