Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1871-03-08

It's important work at Washington, with al
, the members present What will be the re
o. suit it is Of course impossible to predict -
. but the fact that such commission, clothe,
with such ample powers, and composed O
men so distinguished 10 both countries, point
to satisfactory aud auspioious result Th
, two governments have manicstly approachc'
the subject with the best Of motives an,
spirit and with a sincere desire to settle FINAL,
the highly important question at issue. They
must both desire that the effort shall no
prove wholly fruitc.s TO resort, at thi
b late day, to an agency SO elaborate and 50
conspicuous, without some expectation o
favorable results, and without some substantial
reason for mlulging such confidence would
. not only cover both nations with rlicule
bat also prccipitate them into complication
lana embarrassment. from which a peaceful
cyiricltion would seem to be impossible
The grounds Of confidence in favorable re-
suit are partially strengthened by tho fact
that the questions to be considered have long
been under discussion, and the points Of diff
ference distinctly understood by both nations.
The excitement aud bitterness which succeed.
cd the failure Of the Johnson. clarendon
treaty have passed away For more than six
year, The questions have been earnestly can
yasscl not only in the public journals of both
countries, but IN diplomatic forms Out 81
this investigation has come to each govern
mcut fair and intelligent understanding Of
the position Of the other The public senti-
mcnt Of both countries Is moasurabIy settled
and fixed. Ia undertaking the present nego.
tiation-, both Governments have proceeded
with a fun knowledge Of this fact, aud with
purposes which do not conflict with it, There
are many details which remain to be fixed,
but the general outlines and principles are
tolerably well determined
The British Government understands first
Of all that there can be no settlement without
fall acknowledgment Of liability for the
] NNhEfH Nl AIf 4AlhUuilus dlu MlkNOuA Il lull
payment Of the American claims This must
be the FIRST point in any adjustment There
must be no equiyocation or doubt in the
terms On this question public sentiment is
clear and uualtcrlbIc. The American people
are not now willing evea to submit the mat
ter to arbitration. They demand distinct
admission Of liability and a distinct measure
of Naturalization. The British Government
knows perfectly well that nothing short Of
this will be tolerated, and that any attempt
at settlement which does not Enthusiastically
recognize it will be utterly futile. We are
justified, therefore, in assuming that it is full
| y prepared to yield this cardinal aud pivotal
demand
As to other questions our government will
doubtless be moderate. We do not expect
constructive damages Mr. Summers theory
is too vague and impracticablc. We believe
that the course Of England did much to pro-
long the war and to augment our burden. 90
But We insist upon no claim which is not sus.
cepiblc Of exact measurement, and which is
not clearly founded upon the recognized priu-
ciples Of law. Passing this point, the most
important question next to the Alabama
claims proper, is that which grows out OF
the premature recognition of Confederate
belligerency. In many quarters it has been
insisted that England should apologize fol
this act but the British Government natural
y repels such demand Great nations are
not in the habit Of submitting to the humilia.
ton Of okring apologies under constraint
and the better sentiment in our own countr,
is now against urging any such demand The
act Of England was unlrendy in its influence
a but France aud other powers did precisely tn,
l. same thing, aud we make no claim agaius
u them. If the English recognition was hast
u and premature, it is none the less true that
+ was advocated by some of our warmest friend.
n upon the belief that it would be conducive t
d our real interests Besides it has been on
z American doctrine that the recognition
" belligercncy in such cases is an act Of SOW,
reign right, which may be abused, but whic
is nevertheless exercised in the discretion Of
nation aud for which it is not responsible
u anybody else. There is a maxim of law d
i dniug the right, but the determination of til
q question as to when the facts warrant the al
al picatiou is something which a goyernmel
must make for itself Our real complain
Or against Great Britain is not that She issue
! proclamation Of neutrality, but that 81
n did not observe it, The letter of Mr.. Fl.
N in the Motley correspondence indicates thu
ID our government will take the true and tenab
rs position on this subject position which wi
! eliminate one Of the chief embarrassments
the controversy with England
IA 1t is not improbable that the most pc
Of picking and serious difficulty before the Con
'e mission will be the Canadian subjects. TT
4 Canadian people are in that peculiar positc
Of which makes them specially sensitive and t,
C. nacious. Distrusting the fidelity of Euglan
ID aud solictous not to be oyershadowcd or co,
- ed by the United States, it may require mo
N skill and dexterity to manage them than
De deal with England herself A weak proyin
n. is often more strenuous than great Powe
ut 1t is apprehensiye Of suffering because of
- very impotence, and is jealous in propo
" ton to its leebleness. We may hop
IS. however, that wise craftsmanship and co
ne eiliaton will remove the complications viii,
as may thus arise.
a. The details of the Erie railroad busine
m for 1870 show that it carried million to-
al Of freight over its entire line for five millio
~ Of dollars, an average of five dollars to
oil and four millions of tons over portions of i
X road for seven millions of dollars, making
Ne total Of five millions tons Of freight NOV,
es for twelve millions dollars. The number
~ through passengers was 100000 paying
al Il -