The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-05-16
The Treaty Under Consideration.

The great Treaty of Washington is now under
discussion in the respective legislatures OF the
two high contracting Powers, In the smaller
assemblies Of the little colonies affected by its
provisions and in the yet more powerful
councils of public opinion. 1t was favorably
reported in the United States Senate yester-
day by the Committee on Foreign Relations,
and the doors were Immediately closed for
secret discussion in executive session upon
it. In the House of Lords Earl Russell last
evening gave notice of his intention to move
an address to the Queen against the ratifca-
ton of the treaty in case the arbitrators are
bound by rules or conditions except the law of
nations and the municipal laws of England in
force at the time the Alabama sailed. In the
House of Commons the government stated
that it did not know exactly what the terms of
the treaty were, as an official copy of it had
not yet been received. In the Provincial
House of Assembly in Fredericton,
N. B., the treaty is meeting with
great opposition, especially that portion of it
relative to the fisheries, neither New Bruins
wick nor Canada being much interested in any
other part of it, and, in fact, not having much
to say about any part of it whatever, and the
Canadian government press express themselves
as opposed to the provisions of the fishery
clause, subject always, however. as they eau
tiously intimate, to the decision of Great
Britain.
While it is noteworthy that Earl Russell
and the pompous old aristocrats of his day
who assisted the Alabama in getting to
sea, and toasted one another over the belief
that the 'Union had adjourned sine die, and
probably Disraeli, who believes in the divine
right and personal ability of England to exact
homage and tribute from every other nation
under the sun, are ranging themselves in
opposition to the treaty, the democrats in
our Senate seem willing to forego party ami
mostly toward the administration in order
to discuss calmly and impartially the
important concessions and provisions of
the treaty, and Reverdy Johnson, the
genial soul, who concocted that other famous
treaty, seems filed even with admiration for
the genius that negotiated this one. These in
dcations are all satisfactory. No one would
expect anything but opposition from Earl Rus
sell, who was in effect the moving spirit of the
trouble which the treaty proposes to remedy;
and the democratic exhibition of cheerfulness is
very soothing acknowledgment of the great
Importance of the negotiations. AS for the
opposition developed in New Brunswick and
the Dominion, that is merely the weak wailing
Of peevish children. Canada cannot affect the
matter either way, and if she takes pleasure
in making herself miserable over it nobody
else need be affected to tears.
But there seems, according to our Washing
ton correspondence, to be growing opposi-
ton to the ratification among our own Senators.
1t is said the more they study 1t the less they
like it. They find innumerable SCOUTS of
blood that were not there before" They study
its phraseology until, like RulloA they find
new pathological puzzles in the plainest Eng
fish. There can be no objection to this. No
plain, honest treaty ever suffered from too
close consideration. Let the Senators take
their time let them, if they think wisely, wait,
as some of them suggest, upon the result of the
discussion in the British Parliament; but by
all means let them be vigilant and careful Of
the honor and integrity and just rights of the
country.