The Portland daily press., 1872-05-16
Washington Matters.
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.

THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE. ....
The following is the Presidents message
transmitting the British proposition to the
Senate: L]ais'a ,-
I transmit here with the correspondence re-
Gently taken place respecting the divisions OF
opinion which have arisen between this gov
ernment and that of Great Britain with re-
gard to the powers of the tribunal of arbitra-
tion created under the treaty signed at Wash
ington May 8, 1871. 1 respectfully invite the
attention of the Senate to the proposed arti-
Gle submitted by the British government with
the object of removing the differences which
seem to threaten the prosecution of the arbi
tration, and request an expression by the Sen
ate of their disposition in regard to adyertis-
ing and consenting to the formal adoption of
an article such as is proposed by the British
government. The Senate is aware that the
consultation with that body in advance of
entering into agreements with foreign States
has many precedents. In the early days Of
the Republic, General Washington repeatedly
asked their advice upon pending questions
cedent is that of the Oregon boundary treaty
in 1916. The importance of the results hang
ing upon the present state of the treaty with
Great Britain leads me to follow these former
precedents, and to desire the counsel of the
Senate in advance of agreeing to the PROPOSE
ton of Great Britain. ifl
THE PROPOSAL OF THE BRITISH GOVERN
The following is the proposition made by
the British Government to the United States:
Whereas The government of Her Britannia
Majesty has contended in recent correspond
ence with the government of the United States
as follows, namely: That such indirect claims
aq thOaQ for 10 national losses stated the
case presented on the part of the government
of the United States TO the tribunal of arbitra-
ton at Geneva to have been sustained by the
loss in the transfer of American commercial
marine to the British flag, the enhanced pay
ment of Insurance., the prolongation of the
war and the addition of large sum to the cost
of the war and the suppression of the rebel
lion, firstly were not included in the treaty of
Washington, and further and secondly should
notaobe admitted i'll principle as growing
out of the acts committed by particular vessels
alleged to have been enabled to commit depre-
dations upon the shipping of a belligerent by
reason of such want of due diligence in the
performance of the neutral obligations as that
(which is imputed by the United States to Great
Britain; and Whereas the President of the
United States, whilst adhering to his conten-
ton that the said claims were included in the
treaty, adopts for the future the principle con-
tanned in the second of the said contentious as
far as to declare that it will hereafter guide the
conduct of the government of the United
States, and the two countries are therefore
agreed in this respect i'm consideration there
of the President of the United States, by and
with the advice and consent of the Senate
thereof, consents that he will make no claim on
the part of the United States in respect of in
direct losses as aforesaid before the tribunal of
arbitration at Geneva.
THE POLITICAL CHESS BOARD.
Some of the free traders who were at Cincin-
nat working for the nomination of Adams, ARE
now busily engaged in getting up a concerted
movement to secure the nomina ton of Adams
and Groesbeck at Baltimore. That there will
be nomination at Baltimore is becoming daily