The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-04-01

proceedings under the Treaty Of Washington Tho
few words spoken by Mr. GLADSTONE last night mdl
cate weak and vaci atng disposition which viii
flnd no favor with the country. he UNIVERSAL
feeling Ia that once for all we should state
that under no circumstances can we assent
10 the Interpretation put on the Treaty OF Wash
inglon bv the government or the United States ana
tnat unless some means are taken TO limit the IN
curry before the arDrator5 so rs 10 exclude the pre-
posierous demands To wnlcn We object We must
abandon the treaty. There rs, however nothing in
Mr.. Gladstone's comm uncaliOn to the House OF
Commons to lead the puhlc to suppose that 50 Gu
Is The course on which he has determined.
The Tdu NAL Gazette treats the SUBJECT IN the fol-
owing Manner
Rut what is meant by the dcsp patch cap
pearing 10 require an answer as bOtn Lord Gran.
vile anu Mr. Gladstone say2 Mat Is meant Dy
Mr.. Fish seeming 10 invite" appearing 10 antci-
pate" replyf the language of Tier Malesty's
Ministers strongly suggests the invitation is
no means direct, but, on me contrary Is so indirect
II is delicate matter of opnon' Bnt It IL OF great
importance whether the American government
write as 4 they were willing TO be convinced, or
strict oppositi on 10 your view OF The matter; and
now 1t Is Tor you 10 declare what course you mean
to lake." THIS may be construed INTO ''seem ng
1nvitation' to controversy. but II nfuses no hope
into the dreary expectation that argument
"art we are distinctly OF opiySon f that
ahtontroversy on that point is useless anu worse
than useless; and we do not believe tnat the "invi.
tailon" Is u such character Us 10 Justify IL beuet
that the Americans think differently. We may
far The Cabinet OF the United States Will never be
turned by any numDcr or answers, however
courteous or persuasive they may be, from
the treaty OF presenting theis consequential
damages III some shape or arbitration. Ins being
despatch which Is to be our answer 10 Mr.. n,sh's
obscure ana careless invitation. Aud we are
anxious Tor Tins reason. There Is talk Of compro-
mise. Although etiquette obliges the government TO
abstain from lnlorming The Legislature OF what
70 s M wv 20 ocy aey ave
trive TO hint their policies IN dark, experimental
manner And from an article that appears In yes
terday's edition OF that Journal IL seems that the
government IL busy with way ont or the diIlculty
which we suggested az sure 10 be propoundei
fortnight ago. suppose The British goycrnment
accepts for the sake Of peace another little dose OF
huml.iatlon and declares taat while 1t
say %scn TIVE Would load ns eonn,y with an
ilnpost that no nation would submit 10
seven at the point OF death It does not mind YIELD
ing the principle IT, u limiied amlcable way, tnat
would not entail considerable paymen's2 THIS is
the suggestion set form III yesterday's fete0faDh
mIation. That journal says-"lOu!d the United
States withdraw the pecunary part OF rue Indirect
money Is really expccted-tne English government
might perhaps airord. Tor the sake OF final settle
ment, to concede point OF form." Now there can
be no dQubl lAat the Amsrican government and the
American people are really Indifferent as to .inc
pecunary part Of the indirect cia,ms." That may
be proved out OF the protocols aud out OF the whole
body or comment that has appeared In the
American press since The discussion arose. All
that they desire Is tnat the money paid to them
so obtain for those losses sufficient recog ion as
Just matter OF compensation. the righteousness
oil the claim they Insist on; the money they are In
different TO. But is the country prepared to lall In
with this arrangement. VIII II be honorable to
ourselves to REJECT the claims rs forced and unjust
so long as they seem Oncrous, but TO admit
them as soon 1t Is discovered thai they Will be
unlrequently SAID that Mr.. Fishs despatch hints
pretty broadly That ''money Is no object; but Is
question OF Inc gravest mpoit, and we only wish
the country had some assurance mat t2e policy III
dlcated by the ministerial paper Is not favored ny
The Lond on Standard concludes an article on the
treaty as f0liows:-
The American government nOtoriOuslv did not eX.
pect to get anything Dy Inc Claim for consequential
damages. IL was not foolish enough TO expect that
any arDltrators would hold either that the Alabama
and her consorts caused the proonGauon OF the
be called upon to pay for a con n 'u 80
remote. But IL wished to present 10 The court IN
full It's wnoie case Its entire cunds oil resentment
against gaDd, ana perhaps Imagined mat he
supposed encouragement given TO The C0nIedcracy
might operate IN aggravatinn OF general damages.
ii, therefore, the Americans are allowed To COM
PLAN, 1t Is possible That some means
might be ionnd Of arranging that they
Is SAID to contain an instruction To that eject.
Now, II Is oDvions .hat the moae suggested III
tau quarters OF limiting the maximum vi damages
by common consent VIII not suffice. Not only
could England not agree to pay enormous
wIong eroUads. she owes 1t to sell ano TO all
neutral nations not TO admit q claim when night
be made on iuture OCCASIONS the precedent for
demands mat, a NJ. De Aavcleye remarks, might he
pressed nome 10 the utter rum vi MINOR Stale. Our
governmenG Is bound to exclude altogether Tue pos.
snilty OF damages Tor the Drolongauon Of tue war.
But u this can be done we are not bound TO oe
very particular as To the mode OF dong
1t. IL i suggested that The Senate having
accepted the treaty including these claims,
the President cannot agree not 10 press
tnem or that II he a,d the senate mig at Afterwards
cause them 10 be renewed in diplomatic form, on
the ground that 1t mad not assenied TO their with
drawal. Now. III the mrs: place. the American con-
OF mn n
tons and arDItratons 10 the Executive though
the consent OF the senate is necessary to formal
struct his representatives ~ Geneva simply to
notify the arDtratols inaL their is not To be
interpreted az claiming consequential damages, the
Senate cannot interfere with hnl- Nor does IL con-
whether MS couduct be constitutional or
not. II the arbitration caa 80 on ana Judgment
be gvea, without our allowing the SUBMISSION
OF the consequential claims. we may leave the
President TO account as he can 70 the Senate
afterwards. We neea not be afraid OF anything
the latter can DO. IL could not prevent the execu-
ton of the awards OF the various COMMISSIONS; IL
could not obge President Grant 10 reopen the dis.
pute; and IN tae infinitely Improbable case tnat the
consequential claims should be revived by MS
SUCCESSORS peremptory refusal TO discuss them
would he approved By the entire world, America
not excepted. II, then. the President and his
ADVISERS Is are wiling 10 give US any assurance
on account OF the prolongaiiun Oi the war; and SO
iort, snail not oe preferred, or shall form no part
oil the subleot OF the award, 1t would, In our
opinion. be perfectly safe Tor our government
accept that assurance without scrupuousy inquir-
respectively exercised by The President and by
the Senate. We tear tnat there Is little hope or
any sucn concession on tue part Of the American
Executive. But still There are symptoms wnich
seem 10 point 10 the possibility Of sucn solution:
and, II 1t be possible chiuerical fears OF the pos
sble hostility OF the Senate no scrupes with regard
TO constitutional questions wnic 40 not concern US,
should prevent our government from embracing
the opportunity Of bringing The matter 10 AMIGA
be ana honorable, II no. III all respects satlsfac
tory, settlement
The LONDON telegraph thus expresses itself on
the ministerial statements III both Houses OF Para-
ment on the night Of the lsih:-
y But II Mr. Gladstone and Lord Gran vile
were prudently retlcent III their statements last
night II cannot be slld that they Jailed to satisfy
puoIc curiosity, or even TO aliay pnbnc anxiety.
They told tnat the American note requires
anticipates, Invites reply, and the Premier
especially was significantly emphatic IN MS caution
that IL would be premature 10 assume at present
anv interruption In The course oil the negotiations
contemplated by The Treaty OF Washington Both
~ these indications rs 10 the line winch the
diplomatic controversy IL taking are OF high I'M
portance; Indeed, they may be sad 10 shed q new
hight of nopefuness upon AFFAIR OF The Indirect