New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-05-19
ANOTHER POINT SETTLED,

The dispute growing out of the Ala
banna claims has been handled with con-
sunate diplomatic skill by Secretary Fish.
BY preferring claim for the consequent
tiaI damages that resulted from an admit
ted evil, which could be defended on
equitable grounds, as every moralist must
admit, the United States almost forced an
admission from Great Britain that she
would pay the direct damages which had
resulted from her negligence in allowing
the Alabama to escape from her ports to
devour our merchant marine and, by
Withdrawing or waving the demand for
these inferential losses, we have also Sc
cured a new rule of law as between our
selves and Great Britain Of great import
ance in view of future complications. The
British government has signifed its
willingness, not only to give friendly ear
to our suit for the positive losses that
our vessels suffered, but she has consented
that in the future neither government shall
be responsible to the other for any injuries
that may arise in the non-attendance of
either to)the enforcement of its neutrality
laws. That is to say, if the fillibusters Or
gapize to invade Canada, or if the Fenians
arrange to make descent from our shores
upon Ireland, if we neglect to arrest or
restrain them, England is neither to find
fault with nor to demand any damages
from us. Each government agrees to
protect itself from unrecognized expedi-
tons if the other power does not choose
to interfere to prevent its citizens from
assailing, on their individual account, its
territory. Whatever occurs hereafter is to
be treated as domestic concern to the
party interested and we are not to COM
plain to Great Britain if the Canadians
invade our soil, nor is Great Britain to
complain to us if our flibusters invade
Canada. The advantage seems to be
with us.
The benefit of this compromise consists
in this: That it will be almost impossible
for any such quarrel as the Alabama i'm
broglio to ever again put in peril the peace
of the two countries. By the new settle
ment it is expressly understood and de-
clared that each community is to protect
itself independent of the good offices Of
the other. We may have neutrality laws,
or we may dispense with them; we may
enforce respect for neighboring State
among our own ambitious and aggressive
people, or we may allow them to swarm
over the borders, as the old Vikings did
over the seas, and we are to be response
BILE to no other State, in damages or in
protests. The party aggrieved must pro-
tect itself With such an understanding,
one more chance of our becoming involved
in a foreign war is at an end. If we only
had such treaty with Spain, Cuba would
be a free State in about sixty days With
the sanction of England to the principle,
we may now insist that Spain shall sub
scribe to just such a treaty. Then Cuba
is ours.
At any event, the American people are
now relieved Of a disaster which might
have been precipitated upon them by the
negligence of these officers. The Fenians,
who are an abomination when they at
tempt to wreak on the Canadians the VEN
geance which is due to England can not
involve us in any danger hereafter by or
ganizing their expeditions in the United
States, for the British government has
agreed to absolve us from any respon-
sibility for their assaults upon British ter
ritory. In this respect alone the settle
ment is a great success as putting US at
rest about a troublesome matter Mr..
Fish has done this much good by his con-
sequentiaI damages