The Portland daily press., 1871-02-03

mitted certain propositions to our Govern
ment; that these involved virtual abandon
of our pretensions as to the reorganlza-
ton of the southern coniederacy, and as ~
claims based on the ravages OF reDei cru. t,s
other than the Alabama. 1t was these tnaI
Mr., Sumner is reported as declaring ihaumis-
sible, and sure to be rejected by the oenale. ~
The fun of the whole story Is that IL Is en-
tirey false There have been no such lnstrue-
lions received from LONDON, SO at ieast Mln-
;ster Thornton declares. His denial is con-
tirmed By Mr.. Sumner and Mr.. Patterson de-
nvipe any knowledge of such transactions.
Mr.. Sumner emphaticaly declares the whole
thing to be without foundation. Yet the en-
terprisng reporter repeats It in his dispatches
of Saturday last. He seems to satisfy his en-
ployers but the idea 1 suppose of one of
them, stated in instructions to the correspon-
dent, that on certain day he must send a
first class sensation thai should be true. In
this case, however, the last qualification is
left out.
THE FISHERY DIFFICULTIES.
But as he heard or was told something, it
has been deemed worth while to find out
what it is. The fishing difficulties are what
Minister Thornton's instructions relate to-.
So much is known, as it also is that the Brit
iSh Government is very anxious to Settle them
as early as possible. But the conditions, SO
far as they have yet appeared, seem lnadmis-
sible, virtually demanding among other things
an abandonment of our right to equal rights
to fish off the coast of Labrador, and only &C.
knOwedging the Canadians to be wrong in
claiming lines from headland to headland, at
the mouths OF bayou or arms of the sea. 1t
is undoubtedly convictions of such charac.
ter, that Mr.. Sumner has decarep inadmissi-
BILE. But whatever may be Sir Edward Thorn
tons first profers: it will be found before the
negotiations close, that he will yield to any
reasonable requirements we may lay down.
1t seemed absurd on the face of it. that a
| government so anxious as Great Britain un-
| doubtedy is to settle matter of grave inter-
| national Importance, should take the strange
step Of putting the negotiations into the hands
of their resident minister here, just at the very
moment they knew this country was sending
| to them an accredited agent specially instruct
| ed to open the whole matter and negotiate a
| satisfactory treaty ii possible. The merest
| tyro in diplomacy could see that no such
course would be followed.
/ THE ALABAMA CLAIMS.
| There is considerable anxiety and activity
manifested by the Alabama claimants,-the
| principal of whom are the underwriters
Their plan is to get bill passed by Congress
providing for the appointment of a commits
sioner to audit these claims, and to pay those
allowed, in twenty year bond redeemable in
twenty years, and bearing five per cent. inter-
NJ p,ainto, tro,a ~ Wow padford v,h Iars
and mnrcbants II ;s in substance What sncS
heavy claimants az the "a t,antic Nrntnain and
Cereal Western0 Marine Insurance 10 .
aoree tn heIieva the LATER have saveral
million dollars at AXE. They own about one 1
million and have ,etainad Vim M Eva,is az
their attorney That Gentleman began on N, "a
t;ons hv J;n;no Gan SchancL Evar,s st 8 no
o''1;ou,' ,o H InIIS,';'.a ~ liz, a. r.
| a;,,,,ou - 49,. a.. A. D,- eoeI~
Gnoot Wasto = ";,i,nr E,l,,;S,. Wy ~
dearly conn"otsj - ,r;.h Enol;s, hansas IL u !;
ta ,, III" "at,,. ns,,o,,t MUSES. so..,n ~
S;n wv a,, ~ Su..,. lux
ume. VIII .ne s'no l,,;to !,
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