The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1872-02-28
Abstract Of The British secase." !"

L. ANAW OAAAt a Sb4 hA4J NtS 4U NWHN
this morning publishes an abstract of III
British case submitted, 10 arbitrators a
Geneva. In, this statement Her Majesty
Government complains that II has had I
reply to an argument not yet presented
When that shall have been presented AM
the claims Of the United States shall b
defined precisely, hers Majesty's, Govern
ment will exercise the right conferred OF
Il by Article 4 Of the treaty, 10, submit 4
the tribunal an additional or more OK
tended statement Of facts as the case
may exact, until the comparison Of cas-
presented by both parties shall determinl
the point really In dispute between the twl
governments 1t will refrain from all dis
cussion intended to sustain its owr
position, and willlimit itself at presenttC
submitting TO the judgment of tho tribu
nal the following considerations. As thC
ships were procured in British ports fol
warlike purposes and employed as bel
ligerent cruisers against the United
States, while Great Britain herself re
manned neutral. These events have
been the cause great displeasure and re
gret to the government Of her Britannia
Majesty. This report exists despite The
following facts, which, it must be con.
ceded, are important to arrive at a Just
appreciation OF the question. The vessels
we're procured by cunning and clandes
tine means, which bafiled the vigilance oI
the government officers. Not one had the
least armament. Some had been con.
structed as ordinary merchant vessels
having nothing which would adapt them
specially for war. In numbers they were
very small; and, finally, the persons who
obtained possession and control OF them
and employed them for beliggerent pur.
poses wore themselves American citizens
which the United States government has
always admitted. Such facts should seri.
ously affect in the mind of every impartial
man the question relative to the responsi.
bility ofa neutral government. The United
States government processes to have right
TO pecuniary indemnity for claims, which,
1t says, resulted from tho acts Of these
vessels; that is to say, 1t was like the op-
erations' carried on by means Of these
ships by the persons who had them in their
possession. 1t is evident the pretensions
OF this nature are such that her Majesty's
Government, animated as it is with the
most amiable sentiments toward the
United States, could not in virtue Of the
respect II owes to its own rights and those
OF neutral nations in general, consent to
admit 1t, since it believes that it is not
founded on justice. ;Itdevolves upon the
United States TO establish the propositions
it has advanced; to state clearly the in
ternational duty or duties on which
they are based, and 10 demonstrate
the violation Of which it COM
plains. The charge against a soveeeign
government OF having eVinced culpable
in the exercise Of one Of the
powers Of sovereignty is an imputatiOn
which should be sustained by strong and
solid reasons, A nation ought not TO be
held responsible for q delay or omission,
which may be due simply to accident and
moi to want OF foresight or reasonable
care. Finally it does not suffice to dem
onstrate that an act has been committed
which the government should have fore
seen. What must be advanced and prov
cd, is that the government failed TO exer-
else the same amount Of care as it usually
in international u affairs, and
which 1t may be reasonably required to
use in matters affecting internati tional inter
ests and duties. 1.-THE tribunal decides that
Great Britain has incurred any responsi.
bitty whatever towards the United States,
the question will then arise as TO what
will be a just measure and the extent Of
that responsibility Her Majesty's gov
ernment abstains at present from entering
on this question, and reserves for a more
advanced period OF discussion all Of the
observations that 1t shall determine TO sub.
nit on this point in the name Of Great
Britain. If claims Of this kind were ad-
mitted without reserves belligerent could
ask TO be, Unidentified by a neutral for
results which justly ought not to be laid
to the act Of the latter, but should be
placed to his own incapacity and deficient
initiation. Her Majesty's government is
obliged to point out that in regard to
the ships which form the object OF the
statement, the United States
Government or It's officers evinced extra
ordinary tardiness in employing the
naval forces at its command, and that If
ordinary activity were exercised TO cap.
ture or interpret these vessels, the losses
OF which the United States complains to-
day would have been in great part ad-
justed. Whether the decision Of this
tribunal is or is not favorable to her,
Great Britain is ready to yield TO its de-
cree. She has only one wish-that it be
just. She raises only one pretension-
that 1t be founded on a faithful and equi-
table Interpretation Of the rights Of man,
and on principles which herself and all
other powers will not repent Of recog-
n2ing and observing, either as neutrals
or belligerents in time to come.