Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1871-05-19
grllows falls Jimrs,
The New Treaty.

lne treall PViAectcN ~ e"S ~NsHs
High Commission, was submitted to the
Senate and made public last week. II
provides for the submission of the Ala
bama claims to tribunal of five arbi-
traitors who are to be chosen one each
respectively by the President ofthe United
States, the Queen of England, the presi-
dent Of the Swiss Considerations and the
Emperor Of Brazil. England is made to
agree TO certain international rules for
neutral governments in time Of war, and
expenses, regrets that rebel ships entered
her harbor and then escaped to do us
mischief, &c. She agrees that these
rules may now govern the arbitrators in
fixing the damages to be paid, but does
not agree that they were in force when
the occurrence took place. This is GER
tainly nice and original way of whip
ping the devil round the stump" but no
matter. IL the damages are paid that
will be satisfactory, whatever may have
been British opinion as to international
law ten years ago, especially if she pro-
poses to live up to this law hereafter, and
altogether better as a settlement then
to have war.
1t will be seen by the above that Great
Britain comedies damages, and that the
amount of damages are to be fixed by
the arbitrator, before whom each coun-
try will present evidence and argument.
A majority of the arbitrator will decide
all questions, and they are to meet at
Geneva, Switzerland. If they decide
that the government were directly at
fault, then they are to award gross sum
in settlement of all claims. The chances
in favor of the United States, therefore,
are with the rules of neutral information
al law to which England has agreed to,
as the present proposed treaty is not
wholly settlement of the Alabama
question, but paves the way for letting
down England with care" to which no
reasonable objection can be made.
It will probably take some six months
or year for this commission to do their
work and make their awards.
The other portions of the treaty are
also of considerable interest. Another
commission is authorized, of three com.
missioners, to sit in Washington, before
whom the claims of both American and
British citizens will be heard.
In the matter of the British American
provinces, we gain many privileges not
before enjoyed. We are to have the free
navigation of the St. Lawrence, and the
right to take fish on the coasts of New
Brunswick, Nova Scotia, &c, for ten
years, and fish are to be admitted free of
duty to both countries. AS this is con.
cession more to the advantage of the
United States than to the English gov
eminent, a remuneration is to be paid,
and threeeommissioners are to sit at Hall
faxto fix theamount. heCanadiansar
to have free navigation of Lake Mich,
gan and ST. Clair Flats Canal, and the
Emperor of Germany is to be the sole
arbitrator Of the boundary of San Juan
The whole treaty ID received with gen
eral favor by the press Of tie country,
with a few exceptions which include some
of the democratic press who fear the ad.
ministration are likely to gain favor by
it.
The Alabama part Of it is not to our
liking, but perhaps will be when the
awards are made. As whole the mat
ter is to be settled very much as we ex-
pect questions to be settled by our courts,
and, in the interest Of peace, we may
well hope itmay be stepping stone by
whitehall may Observation-Disclosures
es withoutresort to The ruin and horrors Of
war.
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