The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-05-13

The thought suggests itself, however, lis this
reported settlement of the difficulty actually
true9 AT the first glance it appears somewhat
improbable that MIR. Gladstone would risk the
unpopularity, in the present state of English
feeling as we understand it, Of backing
down from his imperious demand for
the unconditional withdrawal of that
portion of the American case relat-
ing to the subject of consequential
damages. Yet the treaty, which would be
destroyed by the breaking up of the Geneva
Conference, is Of vast value to England, and,
driven to the horns of dilemma, the Minister
may have deemed it moro prudent to COM
promise on the point of honor and save the
treaty than to insist upon his first ultimatum
and lose it. Tonight he is to face the
British Parliament with sharp and
watchful opposition ready to give him battle,
and he may have decided that it would be
more dangerous to say ''The Americans refuse
to abandon their case we have withdrawn
from the Conference, the treaty is destroyed
than to announce, ''The Americans have pro-
posed a supplemental treaty declaring their
although made in their case we have accepted
the proposition, the Conference will 90 on,
the treaty is saved" We incline to the belief
that the report is reliable, and that some such
compromise has been arrived at by the politi-
clans, who have been so thoughtlessly and
imprudently playing with fire for
the past three months. At the same time we
must caution our citizens against accepting too
readily as fact the statement that all diff
culties are at on end and the treaty out of
danger. It must he made very clear to the
people Of the United States that their honor
and self-respect have not been used as
football by politicians, over-eager, per-
haps to prevent the failure of the nego-
tiations they have fathered There must be no
juggling about the terms Of the understanding
or in the language of the proposed supple
mental treaty. The American case, with its
claims for consequential damages and it's
severe indictment Of England, must stand in
tact before the Geneva Tribunal for it's con-
sideration and Judgment as it came from
the hands Of its trainers. We may probably
spective rule that no money shall be paid by
a neutral in the shape Of indirect damages
under circumstances similar to those in which
England and the United States are now
placed; but the consequential claims in our
case must be considered by the arbitrators
nevertheless, and this rule must only guide
their judgment upon such claims. Unless
his is made as clear rs language can express
t the American people will spurn the pro-
posed arrangement and will scatter the treaty
20 the winds.
It will be interesting to note, if the cable
despatch of Minister Schenck should be con-
irmed, whether the settlement Of the Alabama
differences in the manner proposed will save
the official lives of Mr.. Gladstone and his
associates in the British Cabinet. No doubt
the brilliant and dashing Disraeli will be
prepared for the unexpected change in the
and will Immediately alter his
plan of attack. Instead of denouncing
the incompetency that destroyed the
treaty and lost the advantages it secured
to England he will assail the cowardice
Of the British Ministry in yielding to
the presumptuous Yankees and suffering the
American case to go before the Geneva Con-
ference in its original shape. He will charge,
and certainly not without some reason, that
the indiscreet remarks made by Gladstone
in the House, when the subject was first under
discussion, make no very creditable show in
the light Of the proposed compromise. We
oil fha Cf
learning from the tory leaders, speech that we
have gained the best Of the bargain and
brought the British Cabinet to their knees. It
is just possible that this popular English view
of the affair may prove too much for Glad
stone in the House, and that he may go down
under an overwhelming weight of British senti-
mentality. But it is more probable that
the satisfaction that will be felt at the preser-
walton of the treaty, coupled with plausible
explanation on his part, may suffice to save
him for the present How is it to be with
Secretary Fish? We repeat, that the Ameri-
can people will in the first place de-
mand to be well assured. beyond per-
adventure, that the national honor
has not been sacrificed to secure the
present settlement of the difficulty forced upon
us by England. But even if the compromise
be such as we may accept without forfeiture
Of self-respect the removal Of Secretary Fish
from the Cabinet will be none the less
imperative upon President Grant. The
conduct of the negotiation has been
signally un-American from first to last.
There has been nothing sincere and earnest
in our diplomacy. 1t might have been fitting
enough for Spain, or Austria, or Italy, but not
for the republic Of the United States. The
people have cared little about the Treaty of
Washington, whether it should live or die;
but they have some regard for their national re-
putation, and whatever may be the fate of the
treaty they will insist upon dispensing with
the services Of Secretary Fish: ..--a.. s,.,
- "'s' ------------------------ 49,.
The Spanish Treasury Budget-The