The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-05-25

RATIFICATION OF THE TREATY.
The ratification of the Treaty of Washington,
without amendment, by the large vote Of
so to 12, in the Senate yesterday will, we are
sure, meet with the appreciation of the best
judgment of the nation. AS one of the
British Commissioners said at the banquet in
New York night before last, the treaty is not
what it would have been had it been prepared
exclusively by either the Cabinets of
London or of Washington, but,
as all such compacts must be, it
is the result of concessions on both sides.
At the same time it must be confessed that
the concessions made by the American Com
missioners are of comparatively small i'm
portance in comparison with those made by
the representatives of Great Britain. We
agree to submit the various points in contro-
versy between the two nations to arbitration,
while the British concessions involve a COM
plete back-down from the position assumed
by Earl Russell and his successors, aud
award as sentimental as we'll as ma
terial damages. Although the apology
is conveyed in q rather back-handed way, the
expressions Of regret at the escape of the
Alabama, and the establishment of new rules
of international law to regulate such cases in
the future, with the important provision that
they be retrospective, cannot but be con-
sidered as an apology, and as ample one as
it is possible for us to obtain without a
war. This method of getting out
of a dihiulty is peculiarly British,
and it reminds us exceedingly of
/. r T
which endorsed Russia's annulment of the
Black Sea treaty. The Russian Government
at an opportune moment announced its in
tention to no longer regard the bargain which
excluded its men n-of-war from the Black Sea.
The English Immediately began not only to
protest upon high moral grounds,
but to threaten war. Russia stood
firm, however; used as mild language
as possible, and readily consented
to Earl Granville's proposition for confer
ence ''without any foregone conclusions 4"
The proposition to discuss the matter "with-
out any foregone conclusions" was satisfactory
to British pride, especially as Great Britain
was not in position to go to war, and the
result of the conference was that Russia OBJ
tanned all she wanted, as every one foresaw
she would do. 1t is not too much to say that
the Alabama controversy, and the prospect
that the United States would give aid
and comfort to Russia in the same fashion
that England did to the Southern Confede-
racy, had most powerful effect in preventing
a war with Russia, and that the dread of a
feet of Yankee Alabamas being launched
against British commerce was one good and
sufficient reason for non-interference in the
Franco-Prussian war. The events of the past
year profoundly impressed British statesmen
with an adequate idea of the importance of
arranging the difficulties with this country
ut as early day as possible, and upon almost
any terms that would not make Great Britain
ridiculous in the eyes of the world. The re-
suit of this anxiety to come to terms with us
is the Treaty of Washington, which, taking
all things into consideration, is fair and
honorable settlement of our international
difficulties that does credit to both parties to
it. Apart from the fact that the treaty pro-
vides for satisfactory adjustment of the Ala
bama claims and other points at issue between
| the United States and Great Britain, it has q
value to the world at large, inasmuch as ii
sets forth new and important principles of
international law, and furnishes an example
of two great nations arranging their differ
ences without a resort to arms 1t establishes
precedent that it is to be hoped other ma
tions may be induced to follow, and as 6
statesmanlike effort in the interests of peace,
it may fairly figure in the records of the year
1871 as an offset to the horrors of the Franco
Prussian war;