The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-05-15

out OF the events OF the late war, should be sub
mitted to a mixed commission, &c. Such, then. he
concluded, is the proposal which Her Majesty's gov.
eminent desire TO submit to the government OF the
United States and limited reference 10 arbitration
In regard to the so-caed Alabama claims, and ad-
judeation by means OF mixed commission OF
general claims
The first occasion ON which these words, ''the
so-caed Alabama claims occurredin the course or
date OF this letter, in u letter from Mr. Seward to
Sir f. Bruce, 18th OF January, 1867, in which
OF he 10th NoyemSer 1885 as setna forth
the views of Her Majesty's government OF the
so-caled Alabama claims. presented In my
despatch to Mr.. Adams. and as concluding with a
proposal Of the principle OF arbitration, attended
with some modification. In regard to those claims
Lord Stanley himself had spoken OF the settlement
OF the Alabama and other claims by means OF the
proposal which lie had authorized Sir r. Bruce to
make in a note to Sir r. Bruce dated the 24th OF
January. 1867 The same phrase, alabama claims
had also been used on one or two occasions, with
reference to the same proposed settlement, In
English newspapers during the autumn OF 1865
Lord SANKEY'S letter OF the 9th OF March, 1887 was
seward. on the Cd of May 1851 Mr. Adams COM
muncated to Lord Stanley the substance OF Mr..
Stewards reply, saying that "the government OF the
United States adhere to the view which they FORM
erly expressed az to
THE BEST WAY OF DEALING WITH THESE CLAIMS
They cannot consequently consent to special and
peculiar limitation OF arbtramenl in regard 10 the
Alabama claims sucn as Her Majesty's government
suggest. They cannot give any preference to the
Alabama claims over others in regard to the form
of arbitrament suggested, and while they agree
that all neutral claims which arose during the
@ Say to ' g. sq aSs speedy
justed, they must insist that they he adjusted by
one and the same form OF tribunal, with like and the
same forms, and on principles common to all
WHAT WILL BE INCLUDED IN THE CLAIMS
Lord Stanley to Sir +. Bruce, May 2, lse7.-The
language Of this communication led Lord Stanley
been understood as applying only to the claims
arising out Of the proceedings OF the Alabama,
p S es Of the es s
Georgia. He, therefore, wrote to Sir F. Bruce on
sta of nay 1857 a saying III + important
Mr.. Seward that the offer to go to arbitration was
not restricted to the claims arising out Of the
have named" Referring again to the terms
Of his his despatch s;n q the 9TH q March
that "there was no intention on the part Of Her
regard to the form Of arbitrament to the Alabama
that there must have been some misapprehen:
sion on this point because the question OF
dlsposng Of general claims in contradistinc
the proceedings OF the Alabama and vessels
Of that class, had not hitherto been matter OF
afterward, having spoken Of the first or Alabama
class Of claims, he says:-"The one class, or the
specific claims such as those arising out OF the
! proceedings of the Alabama and such vessels, de-
pend for their settlement on the solution OF what
may be called an abstract question
nected with the vessels out Of whose
dcpredations the claims OF American citizens
e ~ the
| ity was such as would involve moral response
bility on the part Of the British government to
American citizens, and he repeats his former offer
of separate modes Of arbitration as to the two
or the Alabama and such like claims, and the gen,
era claims of the citizens of both countries.
ANOTHER TICKLISH POINT.
Enrf orn n Mr. 90 ard tho
18th OF August, 1851, In despatch communicated
BY Mr.. Adams, said that he understood the
fciently precise to include all the claims of Amer
lean citizens for depredatOns on their commerce
during the late rebellion which had been the sub
eminent OF the United States; but that the
government of the United States would deem itself
at liberty to insist before the arbitrator that the
actual proceedings and relations OF the British gov
eminent, it's officers, agents and subjects toward
bellion, were among the matters which were
connected with the vessels whose depredations
| were complained Of He then objected to the con-
stitution Of two different tribunals, arbter
to determine the question Of the moral RESPONSE
vessels OF the Alabama class, and the other mixed
ISL to @ Said thaS eVeqy
tion.
THE ENUMERATED DIFFERENCES
Lord Stanley to Sir +: Bruce, 10th September
1851: Lord Stanley, In his reply OF the 10th Novem
Oer, through MI. FOrd 10Th november, 1867, uSpC
further argument in support OF the British proposal
designating throughout the special class of claims
as the so-csed Alabama claims After some inter
despatch OF Mr.. Seward to Mr.. Adams, expressing
his wish that some means might be fonnl ofarrang
and the United States, which was communicated
| to Lord Stanley on the 10Th OF February, 1868
The questions causing these differences were thu.
Ffr&-The Alabama claims.
| SecOnd-The San Juan question.
| Thfrd-The question Of naturallZed citizens thetl
| rights and position
t0artn-rhe fishery question.
And he That the true method Of deal
jointly, and endeavoring by means Of conference
to settle them all.
LORD srANLEY's ANSWER.
4 LORD STANLEY TO Mr.. THORNTON 18th February
1863.
Negotiations followed In the first instance di
fiOns.
REvERDY JOHNSON APPEARS.
On the 10th OF October Mr.. Reverdy Johnson who
had now succeeded Mr.. Adams, called on Lore
Stanley ''to discuss with me-, says Lord Stanley il
.the question OF the Alabama claims, proposing
Mixed Commission to whom all the claims on both
sides should be referred" Lord Stanley pointed
proceeding as applied to the Alabama claims
and Others of the. same class, and suggested
as arbitrator the head of friendly State
As to the recognition of beligerency he said that
Her Majestys government could not depart from
the position which they had taken up, but that he
that by mutual consent, either tact express the
difficulty might be avoided. on the 10th OF NOven.
Der, 1858, q convention accordingly signed sub
| Ject to ratification between Lord Stanley on the
part OF Her Majesty, and Mr. Johnson on the part
| Of the United States.
| THE sTANLEyJOHNsoN CONVENTION.
| By article Of this Convention it was agreed that
! oil claims OF subjects OF Her Britannia Majesty on
the government OF the United States and all claims
on the part OF citizens Of the United States, upon
the government Of Her Britannia Majesty, which
might have been presented to either government
for its interpostion, with the others, since the Goth
| OF July, 1852 and which yet remain unsettled,
| as well as any Others, such claims which might be
| presented within the time specified In article 8,
| viz. within SIX months from the day OF the first
meeting OF the commissioners, unless they,
| or the arbtratOrs, or umpire should allow
further time should be referred to four
| commissioners, with provision for an arbi-
unable to come to decision on any claim Article
was In these terms:-The commissioners shall
have power to adudicate upon the class OF claims
referred to In the official correspondence between
the two governments as the Alabama claims, but
nf