The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-02-29

NEW YOF
psc uecsuse NOSE acu. committed BY British sub
jects were the direct consequence OF the injurious
proclamation OF the Queen.
When the Alabama and other privateer vessels
threatened from British ports in the service
of the rebels, the United States government pro.
tested and demanded that they should be stopped.
The British government did not stop them, and said
they only bound ~ exercise due diligence. as
In case OF legal foreign belgerenls. The United
States, on the other hand, insisted that they
liable for the depredaiions, whether they exercised
SUFFICIENT diligence or not by virtue Of their pro-
ceedings OF recognizing the rebels as bellgerents
The matter went on; the vessels escaped and COM
init ed their depredatOns. The United States de.
mandedS redress and presented claims OF the citi
zens OF the United States for the damages sustained
by these depredatlOns. These are the Alabama
claims proper
CORE sPONDENT-Thls Is q very interesting n!s-
torcal resume and may prove useful one, for IN
the mists OF legal bubbles, the question Of the Ala
bama claims threatens 60 become as dim and con-
fused as Lord Palmerstons celebrated scheswig-
holstein question.
Mr.. SEwARD-The British government under
Lord Palmerston ana Earl Russell refused
to near or receive or file the claims OF the
United States government in It's archives The
United States government instructed Mr.. Adams to
present the claims and leave them on the table OF
the Ministry, saying that they should expect IN due
time upon after consideration, that the claims will
be FLED ana received with the respect due to
ereign and aggrieved nation. The United States
government insisted that this refusal OIL the
British government would leave them no alter
native but to seek redress and satisfaction for those
claims whenever they might be able and as they
Rvf hatr HAM m hat off
alarm was produced in the British Parliament,
under the influence OF which Earl Russell sharply
demanded whether the United States government
meant to
MENACE ENGLAND WITH WAR.
The lntimation was not necessary that II the
United States should threaten war Great Britain
and France would at once join the rebel coniede-
racy.
The United States thereupon answered, that
although they demanded these damages and
atOnemeEt Tor the wrongful proceedings OF
the British government, Of which they were
the consequences, they nevertheless had
raised no question with tho British govern
ment that they were not ready to submit TO the
arbitration OF an impartial and not unfriendly
nation.
Earl Russell, for the British government, repealed
and secuted the idea OF submitting the claims or
any questions about them 10 the arbitration Of o
new depredatlons aggravating the case, until Earl
Russell went out OF power.
The Derby Cabinet came IN, and Lord Stanley an
nounced to the United States government that the
British government mad reconsidered the subject
and was now willing to submit the Alabama
claims to an impartial arbitra ton. He requested
the United States government to prepare the form
OF submission 10 aroitratlon. me United States
government prepared tue form aud insisted therein
that the question Of the good Iatn aud legality or
the queens proclamation should be submitted 10
the arbitrator. The British Ministry, OF whom Lord
Stanley then formed part, Withdrew from their offer
V arDitrae The ground that the United States IN
Sisted that the rigntlulness and legality OF the
Queens proclamation were to be submitted. The
question Of arbitration thereore' under LORD Stan
ey Eor s stahla administration was succeeded by
that OF Lord Clarendon. Lord Clarendon now ad-
milted Willingness to arbtrate upon liberal terms.
The Secretary OF state at Washington tmeanng my
seit)
DREW UP A TREATY
between the TWO nations, wnlcn was entrusted 10
MIR. Reverdy Johnson lor negotiation. Ihls treaty
PROVIDED IN substance that Ill the claims Of citizens
OF the United states arising out Of the Ang0.COn
lederate priracies against Great Britain should he
considered, and that reciprocity convention should
be Instituted lor the ajluslmsnt OF Ill the claims
! the UnlLed states and the government OF Great
Britain on naud and between The subjects OF
| Great Britain and the government OF Inc united
Mr.. Reverdy Johnson negotiated this treaty with
Lord Clarendon. 1t provided III d ect terms for tue
adjustment and liquidation only OF claims OF the
CITIZENS VI the UniIed States against the govern
ment Or Great Britain and the SUBJECTS OF Great
Britain against the government Of the United
States wnile 1t expressly included the Alabama
CLAIMS, which had been Inc suoleG' Oh 80 mucn dls,
| each government, IN support OF the claims OF Its
cItzens and SUBJECTS to present every document and
| maintain every ground which had been taken III the
diplomatic correspondence on the subject OF the
Alabama claims. and that IL should be the duty OF
the arbitrator hear and consider these claims and
arguments In this way 1t was supposed Dy the
I administration OF the United states Which nego.
tlated the treaty that the awfulness. justice and
| good faith of the queens proclamation would be
submitted for discussion to the arbitrator, and that
his decision upon ~ would DC necessary Ia ascer-
United STATES for the depredatl0ns Of the Alabama
! ana knured piraces.
The Senate Of the United States, at the beginning
! of General Grants administration, rejected The
treaty, as was understood, upon the ground that
IL provided no direct atonemenL TO Inc government
of the United States IN damages or ny apology Tor
| the deprcdati0ns OF the Alabama.
| Aftera time JOINT High Commission was created,
| which MADE new treaty. This new treaty seems
OMIT STIPULATION
m tie part OF the United States that the Queens
| INJURIOUS proclamation should be submitted to and
Considered ny the arbtratOrs and in lieu Of that,
s1pulatlon which was contained the old treaty has
ii three articles, which provide, In effect that 1t
was the duty the BRUSH government w use due
diligence to prevent the arming OF the Alabama
4 and such vessels.
HERALD CoRREsPoNDENr-Then you consider, sir,
least least ' over the Treaty Of washington s~' ~
| Mr.. SEwARD-Ihe last treaty differs from the
former IN TINS. that while the first stipulated IN
1 direct terms for damages only to citizens OF the
| United States who had suffered bv the depredatOns
! OF Alabama and otner kindred vessels, tire new
treaty describes these claims as being claims OF the
government OF the United States Tor It's ctlZens,
and defines the rules by which the arbitration snail
proceed In ascerlanng and rquidatlng those
| damages.
HERALD CORRESPONDENCE negotiating the first
treaty was there no thought oil claiming cOmpensa-
ton for consequential damages, no demand for
| their settlement by a liked sum IN CROSSE
| Mr.. SEwARD-The administrations OF Lincoln and
Johnson, so far as L knew, never expected that
claims for redress OF the Alabama depredations
would be presented to the arbitration in the form
! OF money sum OF damages TO De paid directly To
| the government Of the United States besides and
independently Of the claims TO the injured citizens
OF the United States. They regarded the illegality
and injustice OF the Queens proclamation requir-
ing an atOnemenJ to the wounded pride and honor
OF the United States, either by confession an
halil D...r