The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-05-11


perfect copy Of the treaty was furnished by SEN
ator, and it appeared in full In the prints OF the day.
Senator Sumner, after citing this historical incl
dent connected with the Jay treaty, said ne re-
garded this rs good precedent for the immediate
publication OF the treaty now before the Senate. AS
the treaty one OF reconciliation 1t was import.
ant to have the true sentiments of the people upon
It, and this could only be done by laying IL before
The people through the press
Mr.. Sumner then proceeded to make some sugges-
lions about the proprety OF allowing that Is known
as the English claims against the United States to
be considered in this treaty. Everybody, said
Mr.. Sumner, knows how these claims came
to exist. They were the direct result OF
the unwarrantablc course pursued by England
toward the United States al q time when
we were involved in q terrible civil war.
prolonged at least two years by England. and there
Is scarcely claim that England can present under
the provisions OF this treaty that might not have
been avoided had Great Britain acted differently
Under these circumstances he had not been able to
bring his mind to accept the proposition TO put the
English claimants on equal footing with our own
people, who are thus made to pay twice for the
wrOngdOlng Of others.
Mr.. Sumner said he did not intend, at this time,
to give his views at length on the treaty. He merely
offered q few general suggestions. At the proper
and give his reasons for doing. l he remarks OF
MIR. Sumner were listened with the most respect
full attention by majority Of the Senators. At the
conclusion OF his remarks the Senate adjourned.
AMENDMENT TO TIE TREATY PARAMOUNT TO RE-
:" JEofioS. -
1t is understood that the British Commissioners
hold that the treaty cannot be amended by the Sem
ae-that 1t must be ratAed 1t stands rejected.
Any amendment would be considered by them as
tantamount to rejection. The practice OF the Sen.
ate has been to amend conventions at their pleasure
anu some feeling Is expressed at what Is regarded
as an attempt to coerce the Senate into being
mere echo of the State Department.
~. .SOss1 = - s1AS 9fA;MS. On TIE ALA
As an indication OF the course the debate may
possibly take III the Senate on the question Of the
Alabama claims there ID considerable comment
upon the attitude assumed by our government here
toi0re and the basis upon which the present ar.
rangement has been negotiated. The Johnson
Clarendon Treaty was rejected by the Senate by a
vote OF "a to l. The Senate then removed the In
junction Of secresy from Mr. summers speech ana
It was published as the official exposition OF their
views. The following extracts from that speech
show the principal ground taken to substanuatc
the rejection Of the treaty.
SENATOR SUMNER ON THE JCHNsON-CLARENDEN
TREATY.
Close upon the outbreak of our troubles, Just one
month after the bombardment or Fort Sumter,
when the rebellion was still undevcloped, when tho
national government was beginning those gigantic
efforts which ended so tiinmphaatly the country
was startled bv The news that the British govern.
ment nad INTERVIEWED by proclamation which ac-
corded begcrent rights TO the rebels. AL the early
date when this was done the rebels were,
as they remained to the close, without ships
on the ocean, without prize courts or other tribunal
for the administration OF justice the ocean, with
out any OF those conditions which are the essential
prerequisites TO such concessions; ana yet the con-
nQE ~ uI n IN n
ana the land, so that by British fat they became
ocean bell,geren,s as Wen as land bclli-
stowal there was very little consideration for
q friendly Power. nor does 1T appear that
dent on Which 1t must depend. Ocean belllgerency
being "lact' and not 'prInciple,n can be recOg-
It was launched, this concession was more un-
friendly in substance. 1t was the frst stage in the
built IN England Every SSuu step nave in 's ser
could any munitions Of war have been a furnished.
not blockade runner, laden with supplies, could
have left the English stores, except under Sndred
penalty. The direct consequence OF this concession
was TO place the rebels on an equality with ourselves
OF war AS these were open to the national govern
ment, SO they were open To the rebels.
The asserted neutrality between the two began by
this tremendous concession when the bals at
one stroke, were transformed not only into bel
ligerenls but into customese In attrlDuting to
follow the authority OF the law lords or England,
who, according to authentic report. announced that
cruise against the United States would nave been
an act ., piracy This conclusion was clearly stated
himself and Others wEen he said:-
the Southern confederacy had been recognized
LORD S III these
a9y Eng smnn were to Z, out prvateer for the purpose
hss T1uS b suy of pfasy III. syT British pirate
q damages tndiy wbn
have suffered put also tho national acting
Three times is this liability fxed:--Frst, by The
conces ion OF ocean belligerency, opening to The
rebels ship yards, ionndrles and manu- actores and
giving TO them q nag on tn @ ocean; secondly, by
the organization or Hostile expeditions, which, by
admissions IN Parliament, were nothing less than
ana supplies extended to these pirate
sBs either OF rHSF ss and the aD g u
complete Show the three, and this power Is bound
by triple cord ana yet down to this day there is
word. Such a generous expression would be the
o. Of and the
and kindred nations which oil must desire.
Mr. Thornton, The British Minister. in despatch
to the Earl OF Clarendon dated April TO- 1862 CON-
municatng the result Of the Senates action on the
treaty, criticised Mr. Summers speech in the follow.
ing style:-
Your Lordship win perceive that the sum Of Mr.
summers assertions Is that England insuted the
United States by the premature unfricndy and un-
necessary proclamation OF the Queen cnjoiDiug
neutrality on her Maestys subjects; that she owes
them an apology for this stepi That she Is respon
other Confederate cruisers, and even for the remote
damage to American shipping interests, including tho
increase OF the rate OF insurance. that Confede-
rates were so much assisted by being able to get
arms aud ammunition from England, aud so much
encouraged by the Queens proclamation, that the
war lasted much longer than II would otherwise
have done, and that we ought, therefore, to pay
Imaginary additional expenses imposed up on mo
idea OF England being Responsible for certain
portion OF the expense OF the American civil
war on account of It's proiongaron due to the policy
0i Great Britain and the presence OH the seas OF
Confederate cruisers. seems almost too preposterous
to entcrain but the absurdty of 1t appears at once
by the consideration that II the pretonsion were TO
be admitted, nice examination would have to be
made, what proportion Of the losses shipping Ia
rs on account Of the Alabama aid What proportion
should be assigned Y the other Confederate cruisers