Middletown transcript., 1872-05-04
Indirect Damages.
Letter from Etiha Swrrtst,
Ngw RutrAlr, Ccxx', April 10, 1871?


Hon Mr.. Peters. A. c.:
DEAg SIN: As one Of the many thou.
sands Of uupoliticsl but thoughtful men in
this country, who feel that the honor aud
dignity OF our great nation are seriously
compromised by the attitude in which Ger.
tain features OF our Case" present US be-
fore the world, feel constrained to thank
you most heartily for the resolutions you
have submitted to the Committee on For
eign Relations. l think | do not attribute
to others only what feel myself when |
express the belief that thousands Of intelli-
gent aud patriotic Americans are at this
moment deeply afflicted by the sentiment
that the immediate jewel Of our honor Us
nation has been impcrilled by the pre-
SIN . ion Of those :. consequential claims"
which your resolutions propose to with
draw. l do not think il is going too far
to say that the whole thinking mind Of
this country regard them as hc.ons,
crouudless, and helpless. They present,
both at home aud abroad, no aspect OF
fairness or sincerity
No intelligent mind could believe, If
our own Supreme Court ut Washington
we're substituted for the Geneva Tribunal.
il would award dollar OH these unfath-
ouablc, fapciful claims. No one expects
q dollar Of award by the Court Of Arbi,ra-
ton At Geneva. If they go to its bar. As
you have put il most clearly in your rcso-
lutiens, no country in the world could
have greater reason for abstaining from
raising the question Of the consequential
responsibilities Of neutral pntions than
ours for our part Of history shows that
no people on earth are more susceptible ot
9 active sympathy with foreign struggles,
or moro tempted to clandcstinc and illegit.
ima,e enterprises Of this very kind, by the
very romance as well as profit Of contra.
|, baud commerce. think il is not toe
much TO say that these consequential claim'
!, arc vor.ing the two nations &2O. 900. .OOt
$ $ weekly. in their effect upon trade. stock
aud al those sensitive interests that draw
their life from permanent public conf
!. dcnce.
b The erection Of the High Court Of Ar
!, bitrstiop ut Geneva is to my mind tn
Rrundcst act that vas ever consummate'
By two grca, Nations. All the cirrpm
. stance of the time enhanced its sublimity
= In q sense. the whole civilized world mus
have felt this court Of reason, humanity
and Justice was erected in sight Of a mil
lion Of fresh graves that bloody war ha
Just tilled with its victims IN France au
Gcru,any. u vas noble and lofty re
!, monstrance lifted up 10 the view Of tl
d whole world against the inscnsatc arbitru
:. meut Of the sword. It was grand au
:; towering Phsros. lighted like very 81
4. Of reason, religion. and equity. TO guild
u sll the war.Wsstcd nations into new an
= everlasting departure from tho old blood
!. way Of brute force.
I. For one, fecl thst II wcrc veil wort
Ii 70 the world that England and Amepif
y l'beeoms tpo that they might become one
= !. THE great joint work for mankind. The
. Why sacsi6ss eternity for three days
Hsviue erected this great white thsoue
q lmpsrtIai Justice. Why should 10 bring
!. ! jes bsr . case soiled With confessed rottel
81 ness, claims that ~ know and confess
Of Be- worthless, and which the Tribunal
Y self knows that 10 do not expect Il vi
y admit or treat % sincere and ssriousi
ia | can and 10 simlle adequate TO Sepr
NJ cent NJ senss Of this sharp practice q
g g IL ovesssaehine folly. TO say that Il
!, The dead a. shst taiuts The spoiheeary
- olstuest y 10 uss sms)l egurc; but
:. = sAs noet expressive that ! csn. apply
y I pslisy vhisi ! 49, deeply Sssl toneh
n or asSieaal dleplty y ths qniek. WI
's9 ehsoe vlewa, Ioek v " ss0plt d ~
- ! teoolueloae ullt juosoee iotessse ed as
~ ~. vese soopesetslly youss.
a ag(sdFao ~ - sssslspd 4 I1!