The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-05-26

AICer u prOtIdcteu cco1Oe ooooAon ouo SSAAe''o
last night adopted, by two-third vote, the
resolution reported by the Committee on
Foreign Relations, advising the President
to accept tAs aSd diss.- sEtiols e =
the Treaty of Washington demanded
by the English government and dictated by
Lord Granville. 1t is reported that the word
ing of the article was somewhat altered, for
the purpose of making it appear that the work
of the United States Senate was not altogether
marked out by the British Cabinet; but it is
conceded that this was only trick resorted
to for political effect, and that the sub
stance is unchanged, the abandonment
Of our claims for indirect damages and the
recantation Of all that portion of our case
offensive to England being made complete.
The Washington reports state that Secretary
Fish instantly telegraphed the news of the
national surrender to our Minister at London,
in order that he might at once convey the
gratifying intelligence to Lord Granville, and
that reply confirming the additional article
will probably be received from the English
government on Monday, when it will be for
mally ratified by the Senate This rapid man
ner Of transacting and perfecting q diplo-
matte negotiation is, however, unusual, and is
very unlikely to be acted upon. We should
rather believe that the completion Of the
national disgrace will have to wait
the slower process of mail correspondence.
However, the haste manifested by Secretary
Fish, and the evident uneasiness and anxiety
of those who have been instrumental in dis
ject wholly off their hands, indicate their sense
of the degrading character of the work in
which they have been engaged.
An extraordinary obligation Of secrecy has
been imposed upon Senators in order to keep
from the people all knowledge of the secret
action of the Senate. The publication Of the
treaty correspondence and the Granville terms
of surrender by the HERALD seriously
embarrassed the intrigues of the State
Department and rendered it more diff
cult to force the administration Senators
into the betrayal Of the national honor. So
Secretary Fish is more than ever anxious to
keep from public view the exact wording of
the additional article, as recommended by the
Senate, until it shall have been duly ratified
and placed out Of danger The people
are to be kept in ignorance of the
extent of their disgrace until the
act is beyond recall; but we may
safely calculate on the acceptance Of the
Granville article in all its offensiveness,
whatever change may have been made in
the phraseology. The only question that
remains, therefore, is whether the people
will accept the act Of their representa-
tives as a full and final settlement Of
our account against England for her
treacherous and unfriendly conduct during
the war of the rebellion. The treaty will, Of
course, exist and be in force; but will the
people of America feel that England has made
proper atonement to us for her perfdy, and
will the successful termination of the negotia-
tions-successful, at least, as between the two
administrations-pla the two nations on
q more friendly footing and heal up
the old differences that have so long
existed between them? We have English au-
thority for the prediction that treaty secured
only by the humiliation Of one of the parties
thereto will never be productive of good, and
common sense endorses the prophecy. The
Treaty of Washington has been main
tanned only by wringing from Amer
lea disgraceful concession, against
the wishes of oil but handful of her people.
The abandonment Of our case has been the
result Of corrupt and undisguised lobby
pressure, and the country, with almost unani-
nous voice. condemns and deplores the act
Under such circumstances how can any good
results be predicted from the Treaty OF Wash
ington. It is q settlement between the two
existing administrations, but it is no settle
ment between the two nations, and will not
be recognized as such by the American PEG
pie. 1t may keep Mr.. Gladstone and his
friends few months longer in Office and may
probably save Secretary Fish from damaging
exposure, but it will leave the sense of Eng
lands injustice and arrogance ranking in the
American breast and will widen the breach
between the two nations.