The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-05-22

Joint High Commissioners n an imperfect abstract
OF their contents were published: Interested As we
all are In the restoration or per feet amity we CAM
not put this result in jeopardy by nasty conclusions
loundet on partial statement OF the COMMISSIONS
work We must wait until the exact cIauseS OF the
treaty treaty nave been transmitted and verified on both
ses before we can discuss their merits Al preteDe
we are only authorized to raise note OF warning
against the supposilion that the informal reports
sent us by telegraph from America are precise and
accura'e representations OF the treaty signed by the
The Commissioners had many things referred TO-
them OF various degrees Of Importance and difficulty.
One OF the simplest was the dispute, OF supposed dis
pute, that had arisen over the navigation vi the
St. Lawrence aud the Canadian canals We say
'.supposed dispute" for, so far as we are aware,
neither the home government nor the govern
ment OF the Dominion had ever raised any pre-
When our Philadelphia correspondent tells us mat
the right OF navigating the st. Lawrence Is con-
on record a right we never claimed to WITHHOLD.
The privilege OF innocent PASSAGE along The great
arterlal waters OF Continent ID too firmly estab-
lsled to be denied to any rverain 5 ate. Each
hordering Power has right 10 forbid the passage
adopt such police regulations as may be necessary
TO secure their neutrality from being abused; but
the sphere thus indicated. Independently this.
IL Is evidently the interest OF the DOMINION VI
Canada TO attract as mucn us posslole % e gr re
the Erie and Hudson canals TO the line Of the y.
Lawrence and the formal statement that inc ~.
Lawrence IL made free and the Canadian canals de-
Clared open on payment OF the regular Tolls Is not
the record OF a concession, but the embodiment IN
set terms OF well understood principles There
Is no difficulty IN believing that the report
OF the article Of the treaty on this head Is suDstan-
TALLY accurate We may be well content, again, to
receive the Intelligence that the San Juan boundary
question is to be referred TO the arbitration OF neu
a een aPom or go any
years to east on question that ought 10 admit OF
easy settlement The line OF demarcation between
the territories OF the two nations on the shores or
the Pacific Is defined In treaty Of long standlngi
the only point to be determined Is the application Of
nf fha M mi lnu1
ter OF an inlet on the coast; ana Us 1t appears inpos-
sibe to obtain an impartial examination Of the facts
desirable thai should referred to authority
who can be respected by both
II 1t were not that the San Juan dispute has ap-
peared ana reappeared as a threatening cause OF
dispute for these twenty wears we should have said
aa out Sn S e e % Is
these claims must be held to form the really serious
obstacle to complete amity. Eyeryt hing else could
s gSa fa sstsS d 0fa ssS al oss
ence; but 1t has been impossible to look into these
terly irreconcable IN antagonlsm with each other.
The Commissioners have agreed upon machinery
for the investigation OF the Alabama claims s &c.
have accepted as binding upon botn coun-
tries. Their chief difficulty has been in dein-
ing the principles which are TO prevail IN
the determination Of the claims; but the Commits
sloners believe they have surrounded this hindranca
TO u settlement. When we remember VINO me Com.
missloners both sides are we cannot lightly sup.
pose them to have gone through the solemn form OF
down the moment it Is sought TO apply them 70 the
facts OF the dispute between the two countries, ana
sary to receive the telegraphc description OF their
labors with extreme caution. Professor Montague
bernard among NE EnI gu, ~ lo
and the ASa enera ana Moar a
at home on the SUBJECT such men would
not easily be satisfied with the loose declara.
ton that State must be held responsible for the
depredations committed by privateer which had
sailed from one or It's ports, for they would see IN
this statement a series OF pitfalls scarcely concealed
from instant detection. An agreement OF this Ma:
lure woulu, In fact, be only a rouadabout way ot
remittlnK the whole question, both OF TACT ana OF
law TO the adjudication OF the UMPIRE to be selected
according the provisions OF the treaty. In case the
gree. and Inc High Commission would be found TO
have conlpassed, with great labor rule OF Jaw u
which they knew from the beginning they them"
selves attached divergent meanings, with the lnten.
ton that, after much further labor by a new Com.
mission, IN arbitrator might DC appointed 60 define
for himself rule which the iraulerS VI II lett pur-
posclv vague ana ambiguous.
The Senate Of the United States Is convened for to.
day 10 consider the labOrs OF the Commission, ana
1t may be expected that, In accordance with their
practice, they will at hrst consider the documents
70 me III sei ne Of ayorne
reception OF the treaty by the Senate ana presidents
Grant Is SAID to nave II ntmasea hat single aay
ate 1t is added, loves debate, and may BIT Tor weeks
We hesitate to neieve that the treaty will be imme-
dlatey ratified by the Senate, and we should depre-
cate anything like haste on their part II haste were
at all TO be feared. The meaning Of the articles OF
the treaty is not simple as to be Immediately ap.
pretended In oil It's significance, and we cannot ina
CINE greater misfortune than hasty approval Of
the treaty BY the Senate followed after interval by
a complaint thai they had been beguIled into sane.
tiOning what they had not thoroughly understood.
The result or Sucn course would he to stimulate
tue House OF Representatives. to assert practca.l y
the claims they have already put forward as u mat
ter of theory to sit in Judgment upon the poIicy OF
the treaty before voting any sums that may be paya-
bile under Its stipulalops We believe, however,
there Is danger ot haste the Tart OF the Senate
n 10
Foreign Affairs COMMITTEES, under the presidency Of
Its new chairman, Mr. Cameron, and 10 vote Of the
Senate viii be taken until after report has been
presented by the committee and O DEBATE upon tho
report, In which Mr.. sumner may be expected to
take prominent part That the result Will be IA
vorabe to the treaty appears to be believed III
America and we most heartily trust that the treaty
Will not only be approved by the Senate, but Will
prove final solution Of oil the difficulties between
The two countries.