The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-04-24
THK .I0INr 1LGR 0oMNLasloM.

THE JOINT HIGH COMMISSION.
IT is reported from Washington that the Joint
High Commission has practically concluded
its labors, the general basis fer a settlement
of all the matters in controversy between the
United States and England having been agreed
upon, and the delay in reduction of the con-
illusions of the commissioners to the form of
treaty or convention being occasioned by the
non-arrival of the final response of the British
Government to the communications submit
ted to it by its commissioners. The COM
mission is reported TO have agreed that the
adjudication aad award of the Alabama claims
shall be left to a commission of jurists; that
the question of the ownership of San Juan
Island shall be submitted to the arbitration
of some friendly powers, while the fishery
question and the navigation of the st. Law
renee will be settled by treaty. How
far the conclusions of the Joint High
Commission will be satisfactory to the people
of the United States cannot be determined
until all the details of the convention are
made known; but it is sincerely to be hoped
that the Senate will exercise a jealous care
that our rights are not sacrificed to British
obstinacy, as they have been on previous oc-
our demands shall be complied with to the
fullest extent, or else that matters shall
remain in their present unsatisfactory condi-
ton until the English Government is ready
to come to terms. The English are far more
anxious to arrive at a settlement than we are,
and there is no reason why we should not
avail ourselves of all our advantages, espe-
cially ss we have demanded nothing but what
we are strictly entitled to. The San Juan
difficulty grew out of a characteristically
impudent British attempt to interpret
treaty, by which they practically gained
everything worth having, in such a
manner as to obtain more than they were en-
titled to under its provisions; and the only
settle ment the United States should consent
to is the total REIMBURSEMENT of all British
claims to the island. We have already yielded
more in this quarter than we ever should
have done, and there is no necessity whatever
that we should yield this point or even SUBJ
NIT it to arbitration.
With regard to the Alabama claims, the
proposed settlement may be satisfactory and
it may not. If the English Government
acknowledges its responsibility and agrees to
pay the bill, commission of jurists may per-
haps with propriety pass upon the validity
of the several claims and award the amounts
due to the sufferers, but an arbitration will
not satisfy the people of the United States
any better now than it would have done in
Reverdy Johnson's great dinner eating days.
All right. minded men are of course anxious
to have the various matters of controversy
between the two countries definitely settled
at as early day as is possible; but as the
disgraceful conduct of the English Govern
ment and some of the most influential men,
bers of its ruling classes got that country into
difficulty, the United States is not bound to
make any concessions for the sake of peace
and harmony, but is entitled in abso-
lutte justice to demand a compliance
with its terms before there can be any
settlement. We make these remarks not to
PREJUDICE the work of the High Commission,
but to put the public on their guard against
being deceived by soft words and specious
promises. The conclusions of the
commission should be rigidly scru-
tinized by the public as well as by the
Senate, for there must be no more misinter-
pretations of treaties and no more opportu-
mites for misunderstanding such as have
occurred with regard to San Juan Island and
the fisheries.