The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-05-09
THE TREATY OF WASHINGTON.

THE TREATY OF WASHINGTON.
AN article purporting to be an authentic or
semi official description of the treaty framed
by the Joint High Commission has been
telegraphed to all the leading journals of the
country by the Associated Press, and 1t pro-
badly gives tolerably correct but somewhat
fiattering outline of that document. British
statesmen are good diplomatists, and if any
body knows how to drive hard bargain, or,
when concessions become necessary, to
render them as insignificant and useless
as possible, it is a well-trained
Englishman. In private trade
cute Yankee may outwit him. but in public
negotiation John Bull has rarely or never
yielded up to Brother Jonathan anything
more than force of arms or force of circum-
stances has compelled him to surrender. The
new compact, which is to be called the Treaty
of Washington, was framed at a time when
John Bull was disposed to be amicable, amia-
BILE, gracious, and to exhibit a slight sense of
Justice, SO far as such an essentially surly and
grasping individual can be amicable, amia-
BILE, gracious, or just, and the treaty
therefore contains some things which he will
be disposed to regard as concessions. Thus
it is said that "the British Government
frankly expresses its regret for the occurrence
of the incidents complained of by the United
States" and it is, furthermore, provided that
five commissioners, one of whom is to be ap-
pointed by each of the high contracting par
ties, and three by three designated sove-
reigns of Europe, shall examine into the Ala
bama and kindred claims, 'aud award
damages, either in detail or in gross" on the
principle that the responsibility of Great
Britain shall be adjudged under special rules
of neutral duty and obligation established
by the treaty, but which are
not admitted by the British
Government to have been in force during the
Rebellion. If this version of the treaty is
correct, the British Government has appa-
rently gone as far on the point on which the
American people are peculiarly sensitive as
we could reasonably expect. The ground
taken by Sumner in his speech against the
treaty negotiated by Reverdy Johnson and
Clarendon, viz, that we should hold Great
Britain Con account of her premature indi-
rect recognition of the Confederacy), re-
sponsible for a SUN about equal to
the national debt, is as ridiculous,
untenable, and unjust as it is impracticable;
and if this bunkum idea is thrown overheard
there is little cause left to complain of the
provisions of the new treaty so far as they
affect our war claims against Great Britain.
We may justly complain of the hot
haste with which Great Britain awarded
belligerent rights to the South, as well
as of her passionate demand for Mason and
Slidell, and of the immense amount of moral
and material aid and comfort her citizens
afforded to the Rebels during the war, but
this is not a matter to be settled by dollars
and cents, nor by treaty; and if that part of
the old score is ever to be wiped out, it must
be repaid in kind, when favoring circum-
ing opportunity.
The willy British diplomatists, in making
provision for our legitimate demands arising
from the operations of the Confederate cruis-
ers that were suffered to escape from English
ports, did not forget to prefer, as offsets,
sundry bills of their own countrymen which
were also run up during the late war. The
public is at present left somewhat in the
dark in regard to the amount and character of
these claims, but an assurance is given that
they are restricted to the nsrrowest possible
limits. 1t will not do for the treaty to leave
any loopholes on a point like this. We
should become a laughing stock among
the nations if, after all our
clsmor about the Alabama claims, any system
OF diplomatic jugglery should bring us into
Great Britain's debs Fears have been ex-
pressed from time 10 time that we would be
held responsible FOR the Confederate loan
negotiated ia England If the treaty con-
templates or permits any such trucking, it
had better be burned up at once, and woe to
the Senator who supports it.
On the fishery question and questions son.
nected with the navigation of the st. Law
renee, etc., fair and liberal arrangement
seems to kaye been made in the treatvNtheen,
tanglements of reciprocity being avoided
and the worst feature of this part of the ne
gotiations is the provision that they must be
ratified by the Parliament of Canada and the
Legislature of Prince Edwards Island before
they become binding. This seems to us 8
trick on the part of the British Commits
sioners and mistake on the part of the
Commissioners from this country. Ratifica
tions by the United States Senate aud th,
British Parliament are essential, but We nigh
as well require the consent of Oregon and
Washington Territory to the provision of the
treaty relating TO the northwestern boundary
line as permit Great Britain to compel us tc
await the tardy and factiSus action of
oofonfaI s,arIia,,enf "a a.