The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-02-07

O.~--SeO A>OAAO" ~
case'-A Firm Fro.s the 0sly Alter
native Loft = General Grant.
The Queens speech, delivered yesterday to
the two houses Of the British Parliament, on
the American case" on the Alabama claims,
Is very brief, but very much to the purpose.
Her Majesty says 1.-THE ahbitrators ap-
pointed pursuant to the Treaty Of Washington
for the purpose Of amicably settling the Ala
bama claims have held their first meeting at
Geneva. Cases were laid before the arbitra-
tors on behalf Of each party. In the case so sub
mitted by America (meaning tho United States
of America) large claims were included which
are understood on my part not to be within
the province Of the arbltrators. On this sub
ject have caused friendly communication
to be made to the government of the United
States" This communication Is no doubt q
remonstrance against these '1arge claims"
which Her Majesty holds to be ''not within
the province of the arbitrators," and an appeal
to our government to modify Its case by
striking out these ''Iarge claims" held by Her
Majesty to be inadmlsslble.
Here, then, we stand. Queen Victoria, from
the american case" as presented to the
arbitrators at Geneva by Messrs. Caleb Cush-
Ing, William NJ Evarts and their colleagues,
as counsel for the United States. appeals to
President Grant against the bill and for It's
withdrawal and modification. so as to exclude
those disputed claims, and, meantime, the sit
tings of the arbitratovs at Geneva are sus-
pended. A special HERALD despatch, which
we give this morning on the subject, informs
us that In London the Alabama madness con-
tinues to rage, but that some journals, which
were outright In their opposition, are sud-
denly silent; that the excitement has certainly
been fostered by the government (Mr. Glad
stone) as convenient diversion against awk-
ward home questions; that any embarrass-
ment which this Alabama Juror may cause
can readily be escaped by appeals to popular
Our correspondent further informs us that the
DoiIy Telegraph complains Of the timidity and
hesitating course of the English press on this
question, and denounces our demands for in
demnity for the British prolongation of the
war of our late rebellion as so monstrous that
the only way against them is to shut the door
In the face of all indirect demands from our
side under the head of these Alabama
claims; that the London Times and Nesos
hold substantially the same ground, while
leading journals of Germany and Austria con-
trast the silence and moderation of the Ameri-
can press with the clamor of the English,
while the Memorial DipIomatique, of Brussels,
stoutIy argues the admissibility of the ''Ameri-
can case"
Several points in this new controversy are
thus brought out into bold relief First, we
see that this scandalous hue and cry of the
British press was instigated and is fostered by
the Gladstone government as q Convenient
diversion against awkward home questions;"
secondly, that through the Queens speech on
the american case" Mr.. Gladstone puts
himself upon his defence in the House of Com
mons; and thirdly, that from the general tone,
so far, of the leading political journals of the
European Continent, England will stand alone
in this new and extraordinary attitude before
the Board of Arbitration, which she jointly
assisted in arranging and appointing, and
which she has accepted on these Alabama
claims The essential fact however, with
which we have to deal is this Mr.. Glad
stone has deliberately staked his fortunes, as
the head of the British government, and the
fortunes of his party upon the ultimatum that
the ''large claims" included in the american
case" as submitted to the Geneva Board OF
Arbitrators, being held by him as ''not within
the province" of said Board, must be with
drawn, or England withdraws from the arbi-
tration and the Washington Treaty falls to the
ground. The Queens speech is the speech Of
her Prime Minister.
In the House of Commons the paragraph
relating to the Alabama claims was imme.
diately seized upon as a salient point for debate
even before the address in reply to the speech
from the throne had been voted. Disraeli dis
played his inclination to use the subject of the
proceedings which were had before the Genevs
Court of Arbitration, and of the Gladstone
diplomacy generally thereto, as q powerful
Parliamentary leverage against the Cabinet
Disraeli was British, and persistent, however,
in his assertion against payment of the Ameri
can claims, and seemed inclined to outbid th.
Premier in an appeal to John Bulls stubborn
prejudices in the matter. He did no
succeed in this, however. Mr.. Gladstone re
sponded In the same tone and vein, his word
having the additional force which always fol
lows from the vehemence of the Treasur.
benches. He cassed the American de
mand, for indirect damages particularly. a
''preposterous and absurd" and declare
that no people, but particularly natio
moved by the feeling which animates the Brit
ish people, would ever submit to them. Thi