The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-05-30
THE TREATY WITH AMERICA.

THE TREATY WITH AMERICA.
From slSe London Saturday Reuiet0.
This President of the United States, having
previously summoned an extraordinary ses.
sion fer the purpose of considering, the con-
illusions of the Joint Commission, is. now able
to submit to the Senate the treaty which has
been concluded. Is proves to be en- absolute
surrender of every point for which successive
English Governments have contended. 1t
commences with tho humble apology which
was demanded in vain 10y Mr.. Summer and
Mr. Fish; and the English commissioners as
if for the express purpose of humiliating,
their country, have committed the 'blunder of
declaring that the law which they recognize for
the purpose of compensation was not in force
when the supposedi liability was incurred. A.
penalty inflicted for the breach, of a legal
obligation would have been comparatively
endurable. The excuse for their inconss-
tency is founded on the profes9ed desire of
the English Government to cultivate friendly.
relations with the United States. A thinner
veil could not have been woven to disguise
the true motive of unqualified submission.
1t is not easy to' understand the immineace
of the danger which seems to hswe frighteGed
the commissioners. At the worst the Aneri-
can Government could only have threatened
lawless invasion of Canada; and it is>not
likely that so coarse menace was used
Ii
any patriotic American desires fully to aPpre-
ciate the triumph of his country, he has only
to contrast the treaty with the dispatches Of
Lord Russell and Lord Clarendon, and above
all with Mr.. Bernard's excellent treatise,
which from this time is obsolete. 1t is not
surprising either that Mr. Sumner expresses
general satisfaction with the treaty, or that
he thinks it practicable to- infict on England
the additional affront of making the arbitra-
nln -uid nd fha
more generous section of his countrymen
will be satisfied with the ample revenge which
they have secured for all real and imaginary
offenses
AS the removal of Mr.. Sumner from the
Office of Chairman of Foreign Relations proves
that the President is, supported by majority
in the Senate, there is every reason to believe
that the convention will be ratified. Circum-
| stances have chan ged since the vexatious re-
| lection of Mr.. Reverdy Johnson's s treaty. In
| 1869, when Mr.. Seward shared the profound
unpopularity of Mr.. Andrew Johnson, chronic
| ill-will to England was stimulated by unwill-
ingness to allow the outgoing administration
the credit of efiecting settlement of the dis
| pute. Genera. Grant and Mr.. Hamilton Fish
| have on moro than one occasion displayed
an exacting and unfriendly spirit in deal
ing with the Alabama controversy; but their
late proceedings seem to prove that they have
the good sense to prefer substantial victory
to any political advantage which they might So
cure by keeping the quarrel open. As the Eng
lish Commissioners consented to surrender the
main point in dispute, the Presidents Govern
ment can scarcely be blamed for adopting
their decision. In the arrangement of com.
promise or of a submission, the party who is
less eager for an adjustment enjoys an
undoubted superiority. In the United States
the possibility of a rupture with England
involved q mere disturbance of commercial
credit; and in popular estimation the incon.
venience was overbalanced by the hope that
war might result in territorial aggrandize
ment. Englishmen, on the other hand, have
cultivated for many years genuine love oi
peace which is neither shared nor understood
by any other civilized community; nor coulC
it be forgotten that struggle in Canadi
would be conducted under the most un
favorable conditions. There was nothing
to gain and much to lose in a conflict with thu
United States and the hostile feeling
which so largely affects American poll
tics has never been reeiprocated in Eng
land. The great majority of the people
having neither leisure nor inclination for tn
study of questions of international law, hav
probably received a vague impression tina
the persistent complaints of American speak
ers and writer's must have had more o
less foundation; and the present Govern
ment is not especially susceptible on delicat
points of honor. Mr.. Gladstone has, sine
the final overthrow of the Southern Confed
eracy, felt and expressed the deepest remors
for the sympathy with which he regards
their heroic efforts when they seemed likel
to win. Lord Stanley and Lord Clarendo
: have, by their large concessions to the exi
gency of Mr.. Seward and Mr.. Reverdy John
, son, prepared general opinion for the ulti
, mate prevalence of the American demands.
The additional quarrel with respect to tn
; fisheries, which has recently been fastene
on England and Canada, unexpectedly CAV
. an opening for fresh negotiations in the mai
ter of the Alabama. To Sir Edward Thorr
! tons proposal of a commission on the fisher
! question, the Secretary of State replied by
! suggestion that the same machinery shoul
! be used to prepare the way fc
settlement of the still NOR
, serious dispute. When England was a sell
: asserting and perhaps puGnacious powel
the overture would not have been readily az
: cepted. 1t was known from Mr.. Fish's nott
! rious despatch to Lord Clarendon, and frol
the Presidents last message to Congress, thI
4 the American demands had extended even b,
4 yond the limits which were defined by Nj
a Sumner; but the Ministers probably onl
| xricb cbrlk A. a. H. oil