The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-05-30

Another Entangiement in tine treaty
EngIand's Last Menace-Thc Question
OF veracity.
The Treaty of Washington, which has trem-
bled in the balance 50 persstently, seems
in no fair way of Q final settlement
yet The latest advices indicate that
the British Cabinet, dissatisfied with the
changes made in the tone and language of the
! supplemental article, demand that it be altered
back to the shape in which Granville first pre-
sented it. They profess their inability to COM
prehend the meaning of the alterations, and fear
that the apparent widening Of its scope
may give rise to fresh misunderstand-
ing 1t will scarcely be exceeding the
mark to speak Of this as insolent 1t
is we'll understood that so far as
the treaty is concerned the question of
indirect damages was settled by the article
which expressly surrendered them; yet Eng
land denounces the poor attempt to extend the
surrender into a principle Of Heaven
knows what elasticity. 1t would give
some comfort to the country to
know chat Secretary Fish has declared the sup
Elemental article as amended by the Senate to
be Americas ultimatum, but that the Secre-
tary has ere now registered determinations
from which he found it convenient to recede
Such, in effect, is said to have been his
statement to Minister Thornton and the
gist of a despatch to General Schenck
in London to be read to Earl Granville.
So that after all the nation will be
obliged to reopen an irritating controversy,
which has caused us already so much heartfelt
shame, and that too, at the growl of the Eng
lish Cabinet, who wish still to have the ex-
quisite pleasure of debating the precise terms
of our humiliation. It remains to be seen
whether the English Cabinet will remain firm
in it's position of menace, and whether Sec
rotary Fish can 'screw his courage to the
sticking point sufficiently to let England
break down the arbitration if she will.
While the two nations thus hing in sullen
waiting on the upshot of the diplomatic rhet-
ORIG which will decide the fate of the treaty
we may note an episode Of the proceedings
before the Joint High Commission, out Of
which the great difficulty may be said to
have grown 1t refers to the question Of
veracity which has been raised by the state
ment of one of the British members Of the
Joint High Commission. In speech de-
liyered quite recently at the town of Exeter,
England by Sir Stafford Northcote. the Right
Honorable Baronet emphatically stated that
there was distinct Understandings that
promise was given-that the claims for in
direct damages should not be made by the
United States. Sir Stafford language admits
not of two interpretations. "Two questions
he sad have been rnised-stone, the personal
question as to what was the understanding be-
tween the Commissioners at all events, and
perhaps between the two governments, at the
time the treaty was concluded; and the other
as to the general merits of the question raised |
with regard to what are called consequential |
damages and indirect claims. With regard to
the personal question, I will only say this
that we, the Commissioners, were distinctly re-
sponsible for having represented to the govern
ment that we understood O promise to
be given that these claims were not
to be put forward by the United
States. But if we are to maintain that |
position we of course must be brought into
painful relations, and perhaps painful ques-
tons, between ourselves and our American
colleagues upon that Commission. 1t would
have been most unjustifable it, while the mat
ter was under discussion, we had allowed any
desire to make good our own case in the mat
ter to interfere with the great international
settlement which has been going on. Whether
the time will ever come for speaking fully on
the matter don't know and comparatively
little care. What I am anxious for is that
reasonable arrangement should be come to
which may secure to both countries-and 1
will go SO far as to say, to the world at large
the great advantages that we promised our
selves in the conclusion of the treaty. While
the question was one merely between the two
governments it was difficult to treat it |
without entering upon the personal ques-
ton, but it has now so far passed
beyond the two governments that an
arrangement has been Professionally come
to between them which is now awaiting
the sanction of the United States Senate, and
which must if accepted by them, come before
the Parliament and the people of this country
with view to its ratification by us also. there
fore speak with some little freedom, because l
feel that l can do so without raising the other
class Of questions to which have referred"
This language as we have said, is clear and
unmistakable. 'sWe, the Commissioners, were
distinctly responsible for having represented
to the government that we understood
promise to be given that these claims were not
to be put forward by the United States" Sir
Stafford Northcote is gentleman and man
Of honor He has already held high position
as Cabinet Minister and, although he be
longed to the tory side of politics. his high
character recommended him to the Gladstone
Ministry as a right and proper person to rep
resent his country in the settlement of great