The New York herald., 1871-02-27
THE JOINT HIGH Commission.
The Members to be introduced to Each
Other To-Day.
~N~No>~~~-~>>~~~<~N~~~~~~~~
The Formal Sessions to Commence
About March 9Th.
-->>~>~~>--~r~~>~>~~~~~-
Preparation Of State Papers
for the Occasion.
A Growing Sentiment Of Apprehension as to
the Result Of the August Council.
No Roast Beef and Plum Pudding
Treaty Acceptable.
England Probably Not Prepared to Grant
the Terms America Must Demand.

WAsuINGToN, Feb. 25-l0t0 r. NJ
/ The American and British members OF The JOINT
High Commission
| ARE TO BE INTRODUCED To EACH OTHER
tomorrow at a meeting appointed for the purpose.
/ All the American members are in town save Mr..
Hoar. He. however, will be here this week as well
as SIR John Macdonald and SIR stafford Northcote.
| The present week Is TO be devoted mainly to pre-.
| limnary business by the commissioners represent
! ing the respective governments For few days
Senator Williams win be busy in the Senate. 1t Is
expected that
| THE FIRST FORMAL MEETING
| as a joint commission TO proceed to business will
take place on Monday, March 8. Mr.. j. G. Bancroft
| Davis, Assistant Secretary OF State, has been ap
| pointed secretary OF the American Commissioners.
AS already stated in these dispatches, the State De-
parment has been busy In preparing the synopsis
| and
| CLEAR STATEMENT OF THE QUESTIONS
to be discussed compiled from the documents and
evidence in possession OF the State Department,
cumulated from time to time since the close OF the
rebellion. But the most important document has
| been prepared by the Secretary of State himself
In this State paper he presents In the cearest
ner an elaborate statement OF the position taken
! by the United States In regard to the Alabama
claims and is SAID TO be OF the ablest doc,I-
ments OF the kind ever prepared on that subject.
| After thoroughly analyzing the subject matter ne
cites largely from British precedents and British
| law In proof OF the claims OF the United States
! against Great Britain. and presents
A NUMBER OF IMPORTANT CASES
in point which have never been brought forward In
support Of the claims of the United States ON this
question in any previous discussion Of the matter.
| 1t will be remembered that about two years
since the State Department published complete
| history OF the Alabama claims, embracing all the
diplomatic correspondence passing bet ween Minister
| Adams and the British government well as Mr..
ADAMS dispatches to this country, and every item
| OF interest that could be obtained IN regard TO the
character and operations OF the rebel cruisers To
facilitate the work of tue Commission In referring
| these documents, the State Department has pre-
pared an abridged history In the case OF each YES
| se the time ana circumstances under which each
built and their until the end OF the war.
l. similar digest o: other questions to be discussed
has also been prepared bat IL Is understood that the
/ Fenan raids not even alluded to In the papers
prepared by the State Department
| This british Commissioners Will be furnished in
due time with
i THE HOME GOVERNMENTS VERSION
| or the Alabama claims, and iull exposition OF The
claims or British subjects the loss OF cotton to-
| bacco and other property in the South, either by
seizure destruction. Sir John Mac cDonald will
bring with him full Information on the fishery
question
AS yet the Commission has not made any arrange.
ments for
REPORTING THE PROCEEDINGS
OF their meetings in full and 1t Is doubtful whether
the OF stenographers will be brought into
requisitl0n II is believed that the discussions Will
be carried on In a conversational manner, that
the only persons present will be the members OF the
Commission and their secretaries.
As the questions to be discussed are being care.
fully considered by interested lockers the gravity
OF the business is becoming more apparent. While
it is dsagreeable to indulge in
FoREBODINGS OF FAILURE
and while every one would wish to see full and
final settlement Of all outstanding questions be-
tween this country and Great Britain, Is nevethe
less fact that there Is growing fear expressed by
prominent members Of Congress and friends Of .he
administration here tnat the Joint High Commission
viii not be success. The statement Of Earl Gran
vile in Parliament, that the British Commissioners
have no power to adjust anything, but are sent
merely to talk matters over, Is regarded as signif
cant OF the very limited powers entrusted TO them.
There Is no reason at present to suppose that MIR.
Fish is not alive to the almost universal sentiment
here, but it IS said to be quite certain that
NO ARRANGEMENT WILL BE ACoUIEscED IN BY
CONGRESS
which attempts, by ringing tile changes the
word peace, to ignore the fact that the United
States have wrongs and outrages to be adjusted be-
fore any satisfactory settlement can be arranged
IL must not be understood that there Is anything
like war feeling prevalent here; but public men
say we desire no renewal OF "roast beef and plum
pudding' diplomacy. They hold that the Official
utterances In England since the appointment OF the
Commission not at all in Keeping with the
theory that Great Britain is prepared recede
her position on the Alabama and kindred questions,
and do this country substantial justice. On the
contrary they point 10 the fact that two Of the per-
sons attached to the English side of the Commits
sion are distinguished for the extreme ground they
have taken against claims In any form, and that
these persons were placed on the Commission when
our government insisted tnat the Alabama question
should come under consideration.
The original idea OF the British government was
simply to adjust the fisheries NATTER IN view, OF the
determined language used by the President in his
December Message, and there Is no do ubt from Sir
Edward Thornton's assurances to MT. Fish. that so
far as the fisheries concerned, England Is pre-
pared to compel Canada to agree to
A ARE-EsrABLIsHMENT or THE LICENSE SYSTEM
and their practical freedom to our fishermen. Yes
even in the arrangement Of that matter 1t is argued
there is very pressing haste relu7ed, as Ameri.
can fishermen do not seek the Canadian coasts TILL
about July. On the fishery question and all matt rs
relating to Canada It Is said that England Is doubt
less prepared yield; for there Is evidence TO show
that the British government Is rs tired or the
ceaslng, petulant complaints OF Carada our
people are OF the annoyances of the semi
independent dominion. Attention Is at
tracted to the adrotness OF the Canadian
Premier Sir John Macdonald, in his attempt to