The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1872-10-22
The Result of the Geneva Arbitration.

Thus the object tor which the American
Government had all along contended was at
tanned. A decision by the arbitration of the
point at issue was secured. The additional
advantage was also gained that the United
States would be able to fall back upon this de-
cision las well as upon the arguments of the
British Government) if ever the latter should
present indirect or consequential claims. Ev-
en- the Fenian Claims, which the British Gov
eminent had repeatedly described as conse-
quential, were now forever barred. As Cen
eral Schenck had well said in a dispatch of
May IA, discussing with Mr.. Fish the supple
mentary article, Il think the principle declar-
ed in this article for future observance be-
tween the two nations is one which, if settled
and maintained, must be of inestimable adj
vantage to the United States. With our
chances of being generally neutral when
Great Britain and other European States are
belligerent, the benefits of the rule are to be
principally and oftenest ours. Our continent
tai position, our extended sea-coast, our num-
erous ports, the enterprising character of our
citizens, and the difficulty of restraining their
spirit of adventure, surely make the rule that
wonld thus be established more valuable and
more favorable to the United States than to
perhaps any other country. All this we Sc
cure in exchange for the surrender of certain
claims which we were pressing before the Ar
bitrators at Geneva, not with view to pc
cuniary compensation, but only because they
were portion of the grounds of disagreement
between us and Great Britain, upon which
that Tribunal was empowered, for the sake
| of perfect peace, to make an award, while we
| ourselves did not hesitate to admit that it
must be to our gain to have the decision
| against u.s." This, it will be remembered.
| was written more than month before the
| declaration of the Arbtrators. On the 2Sth
| of May Mr.. Fish had instructed General
| Schenck: The obj ct of the United States
| in insisting on retaining the Indirect Claims
| before the Tribunal was:
81. The right under the Treaty to present
| them.
FL. To have them disposed of and remov-
! ed from further controversy.
"'III. To obtain decision either for or
against the liability of a neutral for claims of
that description.
Nv. If the liability of neutral for such
| claims is admitted in the future, then to in
sist on payment by Great Britain for those of
| the pas.
0V. Having a case against Great Britain,
to have the same principle applied to it that
may in the future be invoked against the
| United States"
After reading these confidential commun;-
cations between the statesmen who conduct.
ed the principal negotiations on the part Of
the United States, it will be difficult to say
that their aims were not justifiable, patriotic
worthy OF themselves and their country. and
eminently within the scope which the world
attributed to the treaty of Washington when
it was signed. 1t would be equally difficult
to show that those aims were not fully at
tanned. But for an absurd and unnecessary
clamor of the London press, the objecG OF all
the original negotiations would have peen
reached without ill feeling, without tne r,ulS-
ulous paroxysm of fright and fury INTO whlen iS
the British nation fell, and WITHOUT the