The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-02-21
THE OPPOSITION TO THE JOINT COM
MISSION
Froan. the " Y TYrnss-

From the " y. Times.
The question whether the Joint Commits
sion, which has been appointed to inquire
into all differences between the United States
and England, will be allowed to receive ordi-
nary fair play, is becoming more and more
doubtful. We stated some days ago that a
well known Senator had already avowed his
intention of offering every obstruction he
could to each step in the proceedings, and
this has not been denied-indeed, it cannot
be denied, because it is a fact. The oppo-
nents of President Grant are excessively
anxious that he should not have the credit of
bringing the long-pending Alabama claims to
q settlement. A Washington letter, which
appeared in one of our city contemporaries
last Friday, may be taken as the expression
of the views of the distinguished Sena-
tor before alluded to. The writer
said:-''It is the opinion of prominent people
here that no satisfactory solution of the ques-
tions can be made unless Great Britain con-
sents to withdraw her flag forever from the
American continent. Distinguished public
men are privately pledged to this as the true
American policy" These distinguished pub
lie men know perfectly well that England
cannot abandon Canada without the consent
of Canada, and that the conditions" upon
which they have privately agreed would put
out of the question any negotiations with
England until the two countries have had a
war. III their view IS the correct one, Ii would
be pity to allow the commission to waste its
time in holding single meeting.
The President seems TO be disinclined to
have the opinions of these extremists forced
upon him. We have certain claims against
England, and they ought to be settled; but
now, under pretense of discussing them, it
is proposed to drag in another question with
which our present differences have nothing
on earth to do. This course will seem to
verify the predictions of the party in Eng
land which opposes the joint commission on
the ground that the Americans want war,
and not peace" But it cannot, in our OPT
nion, meet with the concurrence of the Ameri-
can people. If we profess to be ready to
settle the Alabama claims and other ques-
tions on an honorable basis, what sense can
there be in presenting new demand to the
British Government, and one which we know
beforehand cannot be complied with The
truth is that the "Irish element, of which
the Washington letter above referred to
! speaks, earnestly desires to see a war between
/ the TWO countries. But do the American
| people, Ii SO, as was said in this journal
/ four years ago, and has been repeated many
! times since, 1t Is OF course possible to perse-
we're in course of policy which NAV produce
/ war. If what We want Is nothing more than
/ just redress for the wrongs we have sustained.
and some guarantee that these wrongs will
not be inflicted again, we are now in
fair way to be satisfied.
But, says the Washington correspon-
dent, echoing another voice, we must
beware ''of what an influential individual
there need be no doubt as to the identity of
this individual calls the polished perfidy
OF British aristocraoy." The individual IN