The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-05-20

The British Ulttmatum IN tho Am0rA-
can senate-shan tho National Dis
grace be Contaminated
The majority Of the Senate Committee on
Foreign Relations have agreed to report favor
ably to-day the English supplemental rule to
the Treaty of Washington, and it seems not
unlikely that the Senate will confirm the action
of the committee and advise President Grant
to accept the ultmatum of the British govern
ment and to abandon so much of our case be-
fore the Geneva Conference as relates to the
claims for indirect damages. Two of the
committee, in a minority report, recommend
the rejection Of Lord Granville's proposition,
and single member proposes verbal amend
ment which will leave the meaning Of the rule
unchanged If this should prevail the dis
grace will be none the less, since it is an alter
alton said not to be Objectionable to Secretary
Fish, but the chances are that the dose will have
to be swallowed exactly as prepared for us
by the English Cabinet The influences to
which we shall owe this national disgrace are
well known to be wholly of selfish or MERGE
nary character. The direct claimants who
expect liberal awards for their losses an ex-
pectation which may be eventually disap-
pointed; the paid lobby agents who are labor
ing in their service; the merchants, railroad
projectors and spectators whose interests are
identified with the London market or who re-
quire the aid of English loans; the handful of
traders who imagine they are to make profit
out of some of the concessions Of the treaty;
- hose
icy may be INSTRUCTED by the temporary inter-
ruption Of financial business with England
all these have united in o common effort
to accomplish the result which 1t is too
much to be feared their influences have
now secured. Their success is the more
to be deplored because, in all in which
the public interests are in any degreee con-
cerned, their fears are groundless and their
arguments fallacious. The breaking off of
negotiations with the British government and
the destruction of the Treaty of Washington
would not injure our national securities or
damage our railroad and other home enter
prises. The unnaturally inflated Wall street
stock balloon might collapse and few gam
bling spectators might collapse with it; but
this would be a benefit rather than an injury
to the people. There might be momentary
depression in our bonds and gold might rise
fraction under the influence of the failure of
negotiations SO nearly completed; but the
country would be as rich and prosperous as
ever, the Alabama matter would only re-
turn to the shape it has remained
in ever since the cessation of the war of the
rebellion; Germany and other European ma
tions, except England, would at once feel
greater confidence in our securities from the
frmness with which we could maintain our
rights and resist injustice and the shrewd
outburst Of disappointment at their failure to
bully us into compliance with their de-
mands, would take similar view Of our stead
fastness and would seek our well-paying in
vestments and our handsome interest more
eagerly than ever.
Before this national disgrace is consum-
mated we desire to say few words of warn
ing to the administration and the Senate. 1t
is as well known at Washington as anywhere
that the great body of the American people is
opposed to the abandonment Of any portion Of
the case our government has presented to the
Court of Arbitration at Geneva, and that the
withdrawal of our claims for indi-
rect damages from the consideration and
action of that tribunal would raise q
storm Of indignation throughout the country
The administration unwittingly gives evidence
of its knowledge of this overwhelming popular
sentiment in its unofficial utterances At the |
Office Of the Secretary Of State, we are told,
great indignation is expressed at the ''unau-
thorized'' publication by the HERALD of the
correspondence between the two governments
and of the text of Lord Granville's supple
mental rule, because it is felt that the success
of the proposed settlement has been thereby
greatly endangered. This admission comedies
that the British proposition is not one that can
be accepted with honor to the nation and sat
isfaction to the people, otherwise its announce
ment to the country would have increased
rather than have lessened its chances Of sue
cess. The indignation" in Secretary Fish's
Office proves also an intention to deceive
the people as to the character Of the
surrender forced upon them until the dis
grace had been consummated, and we have
no doubt that 1t was on ON understanding with
Secretary Fish to that effect that Mr.. Glad
stones explanation in the British Parliament
a week ago was so guarded and scanty Of in
formation, and that he refrained from laying
the correspondence before the members at that
time, as he had partly promised to do.
These facts should surely be sufficient to
~
the lobby influences now laboring with
them for the success of the English PROPOSE
ton are tempting them on to their destruc-
ton, and that the act they are urged to do is
one which will be spurned and resented by the
people, We tell the administration, and we