The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1872-05-24
Grants Surrender Of the American
Case''-A National HumiliatiOn.

CaSe"-A N4ll0Dl numll11tlOUs
The important despatch of our Lon
don correspondent causes less surprise
than modification, for the substance
of what it communicates has been
fcreshadowed in many ways during the
last two weeks. The most significant and
striking of these indications was a 10
msrkahle passage in the recent speech
Of Sir Edward Thornton, delivered in
this city. The British Minister made
what our Government would have re-
garded as an offensive, nay, an insult
ing declaration, If it had not already
succumbed under British buster, and
intimated to Mr.. Thornton that it was
preparing to abjure its case" He as
serted, with as much GOODNESS as If un-
aware that he was making an impu-
tation upon our national honor, that
none OF the Commissioners who negoti-
ated the treaty understood il to include
any claim for consequential damages.
But il the American Commissioners had
not that impression, il is impossible to
clear our Government from the charge
of bad faith and disgraceful chicanery in
putting that branch of claims into its
"case." General Grant has virtually
pleaded guilty to this charge by with
drawing that branch of the claims, and
surrendering j. to British stiffness and
bravado. If he had not been foolish
enough to cause the claim for conse-
quential damages to be put into the
"case," he would have been spared this
personal mortifcation, and the American
Government would have escaped an as
persion and stigma on its integrity and
honor.
Perhaps never in diplomatic history
was there so signalan instance of Gov
eminent meanly sneaking out of a
position into which it had proudly strut
ted" The lease" WAS prepared with
one eye OF the really excellent treaty
which Mr.. Fish had negotiated, and the
other on the approaching Presidential
election. General Grant, in his sordid
desire for a reelection, caused Mr.. Ban
croft Davis to shape me American "case"
as a campaign document for the Presi-
Dental canvass. Parts of it were COM
posed in the ranting, invective strain Of
a stump speech. 1t seemed to say, See
how boldly General Grant boards the
British lion I" The treaty itself had
been Justly praised by many good judges,
and cordially accepted by the whole
country. Ii was regarded as the chief
feather in General Grants cap since he
bee anne President. Had he been con-
tent with the credit which fairly be-
longed to his Administration in negoti-
ating il, the treaty would have formed
his best claim to a reelection. But he
bestrode it as an electioneering hobby
and rode il to death; or rather, the
hobby has kicked mp its heels, flung
Grant over its head, and left him sprawl
ing in the dirt.
Grants attempt, through his tool Ban
croft Davis, 10 make the American
lease" an electioneering document and
trump card for the Presidential can
vass might have succeeded. had il not
been for his egregious miscalcula,ion as
to the reception OF the lease" by the
British Government. The lease" was
calculated Ito use a phrase Of the
almanac. makers) for the meridian of
the United States, and it proved to be
all agog in reference to the meridian of
London. Gladstone, as well as Grant,
desires to be kept in power; and what
would have proved Grants reelection
would have been fatal to Gladstone's
position as the Briii-h Premier Other
wise, the electioneering document pre-
sented to the Geneva Arbitrators as our
"case- might have accomplished its
sordid, selfish purpose. Grants idea
was, that the preposterous claim for
consequential damages would eowithout
remonstrance to the Geneva Commission
and be overruled by them after the Presi-
Dental election was decided he mean
while having the advantage of beard
ing the British lion. But, unfortunately
for him, Gladstone also wishes TO remain
in Office. and the British public is not
disposed 10 tolerate American "bun-
combe" Grant has therefore been
forced to make an jgnominious re-
treat.-N r. World, Nay l.
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