The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-05-02

20 cover V0x oOrrooO0r 10 ing
l.nd,-Ths Aiabsm. claims.
This is by no means welcome news from
Washington and London! We see more and
moro every day the misfortune Of our foreign
diplomacy. These misfortanes are deepened
by the fact that at time when the friends of
President Grant wish everything to go well
we are burdened by the manifest incapacity of
the administration to deal with grave and vital
questions of international interest. Instead Of
going before the psoYas with pride and 'solu-
tion confident that the country would approve
the measures Of tho President to their fullest
extent we see tendency to intrigue and
menace; for the situation shows nothing
but intrigue and menace Driven into an un-
fortunate position by tho incapacity Of the
Secretary Of State. the President, by series Of
expedients, seeks to escape from his misfor-
tunes by oonceding to England, under mem
ace what should either have been withheld at
the outset OF, if presented OF all. urged upon
the British Ministry with all the zeal and
resolution Of our government.
The fact that the administration has in some
way drifted into this position is shown by the
metaphysical dispatches communicated to our
correspondents in Washington. No position
is more annoying to q government than posi-
ton which its Ministers are called upon to de-
fend. We are in the position of the
British government under the Ministry OF
Lord Aberdeen, before the war with Russia in
1854. Instead Of resolutely grasping the cir
cumstances of the case, and holding England
to an exact accountability for her course
towards the country during the rebellion, we
have "drifted.' This was what was said, and
properly said, of Lord Aberdeen. His Ministry
was one of peace. He shrank from war with
constituencies which Sir Henry Holland in
his recently published book partly explains
when he says that the bodily condition Of
his Lordship was such that he could take
nothing but the gloomiest condition Of affairs.
And SO meaning peace, and straining the re-
sources Of diplomacy and craftsmanship to
maintain peace, he certified" into war. And
as if to add to the parallel, and
give force to the criticism that we are COM
PEELED to make upon President Grant, the
prominent member Of the Aberdeen Cabinet,
which '.drifted" into the war with Russia, was
the same Mr.. Gladstone, who is now Prime
Minister. But the Minister has changed his
policy. No one can accuse Mr. Gladstone of
drifting in these Alabama discussions. Ac-
cepting one condition of affairs from our gov
eminent, agreeing to treaty which was thor
oughly comprehended by him, and to an OBJ
scrvance of which the Queen herself pledged
l,ar o,,I &ba
of the question as desirable contribution to
the peace of the two great Englsh-speaking
nations Mr.. Gladstone as soon as he saw that
his course was displeasing to the people Of
England, and fraught with danger to the con-
tinuance of his power, repudiated the treaty,
charged the United States with bad faith in
the presentation of its case, and invoked the
public opinion Of England to sustain him and
force us to consent to a modification of the
treaty or a complete surrender
As we indicated in our dispatches some
days since, the purpose Of the government is
to settle the Alabama case by asking Eng
land TO consent to the establishment Of rule
of international law by which no neutral
maritime nation can be held responsible for
consequential damages arising from the unau-
thorized depredations of escaped vessels upon
the commerce of the opposing Powers. We
have seen nothing to change that information.
Such settlement will be made. And in max
ing it we see nothing but a surrender to Eng
land. If the rulers of England inspired by bit
wish to see an end to the power of the great
nation which threatened to become greater
Britain, consorted with the rebels and gave
them encouragement there is some way they
should atone for their action. The principle
is advanced that, having recorded an expression
Of regret at the escape Of the Alabama, the
English, as a sovereign Power, could not be
more closely questioned. But if great mari
time nation like England can with IMMUNITY
in contempt of municipal law and in violation
Of the laws Of nations make its peace with
the nation injured by adding commonplace
phrase to the treaty, then she is in the pirates
attitude of making war and pillaging when
that can be done, and of retaining her booty
and at the same time escaping justice by
meaningless and easily expressed petition for
pardon. We consent to this Interpretation when
we assent to the compromise advanced by the
American government. England wants this
immunity. She cannot afford to permit the
Alabama case to become precedent So
long as it SO remains America, France, Spain,
or any nation with commerce and coasts
virtually keeps England under bonds to keep
the peace. We had this position before the
treaty was made we retain it if the treaty
dies We are no worse off than in the begin
ming for the Alabama Treaty is of no material
advantage to u.s. In fact, it has been demon
strated that SO long as it does not exist and
England holds to the position she assumed
during our rebellion we have her at an
immense advantage