The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-02-09

States-The Sacreduess OF Treaties.
In yesterdays HERALD we summed up dis
passionately the case of the United States, as
submitted to the Geneva Conference, In order
to show that no extravagant, demand has been
advanced by our government, and that no
position has been taken by us that is not justi-
fed by the letter and the spirit of the Treaty
Of Washington. We have repeatedly stated
and the fact should always be kept in mind in
any consideration Of the subect-that our
case is not offered in the shape of an
ultimatum, but Is laid before the tri-
bunal for its deliberate consideration,
close scrutiny and final judgment. We
do not insist that England shall pay us
either direct or consequential damages; we
only make out our plea, recount our claims
and leave the result ir the hands Of the Con-
ference. The British government is at liberty
on its part to controvert our positions; to adj
vance arguments in justification or extenuation
of its acts; to show cause why some of our de-
mands at least are untenable and should be
disallowed. judging from the case presented
| by England, which will be found in the HERALD
| to-day, her advocates do not lack ingenuity
In framing a plea or pausibility 10 ar
guing it, and should they be able to con-
vince the keen and unbiased arbitrators
who sit in judgment between the two nations
of their exemption from liability for the acts
of the Anglo Confederate privateers, the peo-
pie of the United States, however chagrined,
would submit to the verdict of the tribunal.
But when England demands that we shall not
present our case at all, unless in mutilated
and insufficient manner; when, upon ascer-
tanning what our line Of argument is going to
be, she insists upon our modifying it SO as to
accord with her views; whom she raves
against even the presentment of claims
which she affects to regard as pre-
posterous and untenable, she not only
offers an insult to the nation, but
induces the belief that her violent oppo-
sition to the consideration of our demands by
an impartial tribunal arises from her convic-
ton of their force and justice. The British
government would scarcely venture to impute
dishonorable intentions to the Geneva Con-
ference, and the more unreasonable and exor-
bitant our claims the less prospect would there
be of their favorable recognition by fair and
upright arbitrator.
The true issue Is not, however, between the
justice or injustice of the American case,
but between the honorable observance
and unwarrantable violation of a solemn
treaty. When the controversy Familiarity
known as the Alabama claims ques-
tIon first arose between England and the
United States the former government
the subject, and only few fair-minded men
could be found in the whole nation disposed to
do US anything like justice. The insolent tone |
adopted by Lord John Russell; the vulgar i'm |
pertinence of Laird; the cold, diplomatic |
courtesy of Lord Clarendon; the buster of the |
English press, and the indignation of the |
British people whenever any attempt was
made to induce their government to 80 far
atone for the cruel wrong she had done
to friendly power as to express
regret for the escape of the Anglo
Confederate privateers, and for the aid and
sympathy they had received in British ports
during their careers of pillage and murder,
When the peace of Europe was threatened
with disturbance and when the condition of
Ireland grew alarming there was some abate-
ment of the lofty tone of English statesmen
and journalists, and an anxiety was mani
tested on the part of the British government
to get rid of the dlsagreeable and dangerous
precedent furnished by their own &C
ton during our rebellion, and to make
their peace with the American republic.
After several Intellectual essays at an adjust
ment of our differences the easy and amable
Reverdy johnson was appointed our repre-
sentative ct the Court of St. James, and
during his term of Office came the we'll
known convention in which Lord Clarendon
so clev erly managed to get the better of the
American Minister and to bring down a
grea. controversy, involving the national
honor and the peace Of the world, to a
mere question of dollars and cents. As
soon as it was found that the Con-
vention contemplated only the settlement Of
few paltry claims of individuals for losses
and damages resulting from the depredations
of the English privateers, that no men
ton was made in it of the more important
claims of the American nation, and above
all, that England refrained from expressing her
regret for the escape Of the rebel ships or her
sense of the injury she had inflicted upon the
United States, the Senate refused to ratify the
Convention. While the question of its accept
ance or rejection was pending Lord Claren-
don agreed to an additional article,
in which the proposed tribunal for
the adjustment Of the American claims was
authorized to consider those of the United