The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-03-21

donald report as highly satisfactory.
The Alabama Claims Negotiations and
British Crown Right Of Treaty Maxi
Ing.
The correspondence which has been con.
Quoted between Secretary Fish and the
British Cabinet on the subject of the Alabama
claims bill adjustment was brought to the no.
tice of the English Parliament again yester
day. The Right Honorable Edward Hors-
man, member for Liskeard, reformer in poll
tiles, and man who has had consid.
cradle official experience as Lord OF
the Treasury and Chief Secretary for
Ireland, moved in the matter, in &C"
cordance with his notice, which has been
already published in the HERALD. Mr.. Hors-
man did not impugn the essentials of the case
as an international one in any respect, par
ticularly with reference to the equity of tue
American bill of damages, or tho liability
Of Great Britain for its discharge. His
anxiety was expressed with reference to the
constitutional right, power and independence
of Parliament with regard to treaty making,
as against any executive assumption tending
towards the fixing Of an unusual precedent in
that respect on the part Of the Ministry of the
monarch Mr.. Horsman wished the Queens
Cabinet to pledge itself to Parliament that,
Sin case fresh negotiations relative to the
Alabama claims are entered upon with tho
American government, no proposals will be
finally accepted until they have received the
sanction of Parliament"
The principle involved in Mr.. Horsman's
resolution is not Of exact interest to the
American people in the present instance
his Parliamentary profession, by the wording
Of the paper, appears to be more serious.
When he uses the words Gin case fresh ne
gotiations relative to the Alabama, and tho
remainder, does he mean to convey that the
negotiations which have been already had be-
tween the United States and the Queen have
failed, or does he profess to know that they
have been successful to the point which has
been already reached and require merely some
technical elaboration to insure their friendly
completion? The cable news report does not
elucdate the perplexity. Premier Gladstone's
reply does not make it anything more clear.
The chief OF the Cabinet confined his explana-
ton to the constitutional point. Parliament
shall be at all times duly informed as to the
policy and direction of the ministerial action,
the Queens speech at the opening OF
the session having acknowledged the
monarchical liability In this respect by
Her Majesty's reference to the Alabama
claims case. Ministers are yet in con-
sultation with respect to the terms of the
official exposition which shall be made to the
Legislature, members would be duly enlight-
ened, but it would be impossible to allow
Parliament the treaty-making power" The
American people can thus perceive that the
treatment of the Alabama claims case by the
Washington government is likely to advance
to beneficial fruition very grand principle
of popular self-government in Britain, by
ultimately bringing the treaty-making power
within the control of the popular will ex-
pressed In Parliament, as it is in the United
States, and thus prevent the occurrence in
the future of international misunderstanding
through the caprice or envy or prejudice or
arstocracy of individuals or Cabinet officers.