The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-05-01

knowledge Of key to important secrets about
languages. The best key in both cases is the
prison key, or, better still, the hangman's
moose. 1t is your smart villains who create
the most trouble all over creation.
| Senator Shcrman's Explanation or Mr.. SUM
ncr's Removal-The Alabama Claims.
Senator Sherman, of Ohio, in letter which
is running the gauntlet of the republican press
OF the country, makes what we consider o
very satisfactory explanation of the causes
which led to the removal Of Mr.. Sumner from
the Craftsmanship of the Senate Committee on
Foreign Relations. The reasons thus given
for this proceeding are substantially those
which we submitted at the time as a sufficient
justification for Mr.. Summers displacement,
What we then said Mr.. Sherman now says
that Mr.. Sumner was removed because ''his
personal relations with the President and Sec
rotary Fish had become such that it was i'm
possible for them to transact in harmony the
public business, and that the committee was
so constituted as not fairly to represent the
majority of the Senate;' that ''the Senate
shares with the President the treaty making
power, which, from its nature, is confidential
| and secret; conducted mainly in social inter-
course, demanding confidence, advice and con-
sent" Next appears, from Mr.. Sherman, that
while the social relation between Mr. Sumner
and Mr.. Fish were incompatible with the
public interests, which must be confdentially
considered between the Secretary of State and
the Senate chairman on Foreign Relations,
Mr.. Summers peculiar views on the Alabama
claims and the st. Domingo annexation scheme
were such that he did not on either of these
questions represent the majority of the Senate,
which Is in accord with the administration.
This we hold to be sufficient explanation
for Mr.. Summers removal without going into
the details. The difference of opinion how
ever, between Mr.. Sumner and the President
on the Alabama claims, as defined by Mr.
Sherman, was and is so broad that we cannot
overlook it. "Mr. Sumner insisted that the
hasty proclamation by Great Britain of neil
trality between the United States and the
Southern confederacy was the foundation,
the grayGDaes, Of the Alabama Claims" while
the President and Mr.. Fish commended that this
not complain, except as an indication Of an
unfriendly spirit by Great Britain and that the
true basis of the Alabama claims is that Great
Britain, after proclaiming neutrality, did not
enforce it, but allowed her subjects to build,
arm, man and fight English cruisers under
cover Of the rebel flag, to the destruction of
our commercial navy" Mr. Sherman further
folI hats -
the President and Mr.. Sumner led to the
removal of Mr.. Motley, who sided with Sum-
ner, and that this removal of Motley ''unques-
tionably intensified the feeling that had arisen
from the st. Domingo treaty."
Here the mystery of Motleys removal is
solved, and, for the first time reason is
given broad enough to cover this peremptory
removal. Mr.. Motley, on the Alabama claims,
did not represent at London the policy of his
government, but the policy of Mr.. Sumner and
surely this was cause enough for his removal,
and also for the wrath of Mr.. Sumner. And
just here we must say that in broad,
comprehensive, international view of this
Alabama claims question we still incline to
the opinion Of Mr.. Sumner, that the great
offence of England in this business was, not in
the mere proclamation Of neutrality, but in
that offensive form Of neutrality which placed
the ''so-called Confederate States" on the
same footing as the United States In the matter
of beligerent rights, and the so-called Presi-
dent Davis on the same International footing
as President Lincoln. If the news should
come to Washington to-day of an instruction
in Ireland, and that Dublin and some other
cities and towns Of the island were In posses
sion Of the Fenians, and that they had pro-
claimed the republic of Ireland, and il to-
morrow President Grant were to issue his
proclamation announcing equal belligerent
rights to the Kingdom of Great Britain and
the republic Of Ireland, we should be exactly
following the example of England in regard to
our Southern rebellion. Hence we incline to
Mr.. Summers opinion that the graoanse,s Of
our cause against England on these Alabama
claims is her concession of belligerent rights
to JEFF Davis. But in waving this point Cen
eral Grant retains the authority Of Englands
example for the recognition of the Irish repub-
lie with the occupation of Dublin by the Feni-
ans; and if England, through the Joint High
Commission, is ready for settlement gi wing
us some day the right, on belligerent rights, to
pay her off in her own coin, why should not
even Mr. Sumner abandon his pet theory?
We apprehend, however, that the forth
coming treaty from the Joint High Commits
sion on those Alabama claims will be as
stoutly contested in the Senate by Mr.. Sumner
as was the Dominican annexation treaty or
the English roast beef and plum pudding
treaty Of Andrew and Reverdy johnson. We
fear that Mr.. Sumner will stick to his original
text on those Alabama claims, whatever may
be the concessions from the High Commission