The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1872-02-09
TIE GENEVA CONFERENCE.
Johnny Bell is Getting Nervous.

public satisfaction was felt in all
parts OF the country, last spring,
when IL was announced upon the
conclusion Of the Treaty of Wash
ington," that the differences between
the United States and England
which grew out of the late war,
were to be amicably settled with
out resorting to the sword. To
have settled the dispute concerning
the ALBANIA claims with our war
was universally applAuded as
grander achievement of information.
al diplomacy than was ever rccor-
ded before in the worlds history.
The fact that the Alabama claims
were only in part for direct losses
to this government from the depre-
dations of the pirate ships furnished
the rebels by the British, and large
ly for consequent damages there
from, such a. the prolongation OF
the war, the expense attending the
pursuit of those vessels, loss in the
transfer of the American CONNER
cial marine to the British nag, the
enhanced rates of insurance paid,
&C., made 1t very doubtful that they
would ever be satisfactorily settled.
But when England and the United
States mutually agreed to submit
the question to five men, and to a.
bide by their deci sion, a thrill of joy
swept over both continents like q
summer breeze.
BY the terms OF that treaty, the
President of the United States was
to name one of five arbitrators,
Queen Victoria one, the King of It
ally one, the President of the Swiss
Confederation one, and the Empcr-
or of Brazil one, and in accordance
Herewith the following persons
represent this tribunal: Hon.
Charles Francis Adams the United
States; Sir Alexander Cockburn,
Great Britain Herr Stampfli, the
swiss Confederation; Count Sclo-
pis de Salermo, Italy; and Baron
DTtajuba, BAIL. On the Engliah
side Lord Tenterden acts as Secre-
tary and general agent, and Mr.. j.
G. Bancroft Davis acts in similar
capacity on the American side.
Hon. w. N. Everts, Hon Caleb
Cushing and Mr.. Morrison r.
Waite have been retained as Coun-
sci for the United States. Our side
of this case as presented to the con-
ference fills q printed volume Of
almost 900 pages. The direct claim
of the United States against Eng
land amount in round numbers to
$l9,000,0O0. OF this amount nearly
$1,000 900 are charged against the
Alabama alone. The conference on
these claims met in Geneva on the
18th of December last.
For o week past the cable dis
patches indicate q growing 1urest
in British circles in relation to the
proceedings Of this tribunal and the
leading papers of England have pre-
dicted that the determination of the
conference did not promise to set
tie the question, and have even in
timated that the ultimatum, after
all, would be the arbitration of the
sword.
A London dispatch to the New
York Herald said il the conference
should decide in favor Of the claims,
no English Government would ac-
cept the result, no Parliament would
vote the money, and there the mat
ter would stop. The London Times
thinks England should demur to
the indirect claims for damages, and
II the demurrer should be rejected
by the Court, she should withdraw
from the case. Great excitement is
reported In English official circles.
Dispatches have been received at
Washington urging the Admins
tration to withdraw the claims for
consequential damages, but the
President Is firm that the case, as
presented by our Government to the
conference shall not be modified or
withdrawn.
This English excitement, as q nat
ural result, finds its counterpart
In America, and while we do not
believe that 1t IL the secret intention
Of the ''power behind the throne" to
ignore the wishes and promise of
Her Majesty to abide by the results
OF her High Commissioners work
in the Treaty of Warrington, yet It
win be well enough to keep our
eyes open in this contingency. The
power. that annoyed us through the
war may yet cause us trouble. 1t
Is probable, however, that this fur
ry-on the part Of the London press
is nothing more than an attempt to
influence the Geneva arbitrators in
their FINAL decision. The sum OF
damages claimed by MS is very large,
and the thought Of being made to
pay 50 dearly for = profitless inter-
meddling In our affairs IL enough to
raise the capillaries along Johnny
BULBS spinal column, and cause him
to paw and throw dust for season,
but no Will probably not be so boiS.
trous when the 6nal decision 10 rsnd.