The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1872-07-11
The Alabama Claims.

The suhjoined article we clip from
the Hamilton Advertiser, published at
Lanark, in Scotland, the former home
Of Mr.. Archie Cadzow Of Winchester,
and to whom we are indebted for the
paper. The article in question is just
about as sensiblea thing as we have
seen in regard to the ridiculous de-
mand for indirect damages made by
the United States upon England. The
writer gives u good reason why the
word alabama" should be mention
ed as seldom as possible by the North
If they would not have their powers
in naval affairs suffer by comparison
with the deeds Of the little Confederate
cruiser. The writer says:
"Mr. Editor:-Nations as well as
individuals will sometimes make fools
Of themselves. Nothing can be a clear
err proof Of this than the ridiculous
glamour raised and kept atloat for years,
and the very mean and utterly unfair
claims put forth by the Yankees in the
case OF the little privatcer Alabama
Had the Americans taken a proper
view of their position respecting the
damage done 10y that small We sseI, in
stead Of bowling so loud and bouncing
50 furiousIy, they GU hit never to have
let the world hear a word about it.
They, above all men, ought never to
have allowed her name to pass their
lips: they ought rather to have cX
plunged the word "Alabama' from
their vocabulary, They ought 10 have
done this for the following and other
reasons. They bounce that Great
Britain can lick the world,' and they
can lick" Great Britain. If SO, why
did they allow a small b%uccaneer like
the Alabama to cruise 50 long on their
own coast, and destroy so much prop
crty in the face Of their fleet ?
Surely, if their fleet they boast so much
about is able to lick the British fleet,
it ought to have made short work with
the little Alabama. Besides, the Brit
ish Government had as little come
ton in any way with hal vessel as had
the great Mogul. Mr.. Laird, Of Biz.
kenhead, built that vessel by open con
tract with u private company,-bui!t it
as an open trading one,-nor did our
government know anything Of the mat,
ter till the Americans informed them
that she was intended for 4 blockade
runner or %privateer, when, to prevent
mistakes, as 500 as she was launched
she was put under an embargo. After
much delay and no satisfactory proof
being given that anything was wrong,
she sailed from the McrSey with a
common crew, and without any war.
like appointments, and Was next heard
Of at the Azores or Western Isles, fit
ted as q p~rivateer, and complaints be-
ing still made, II Government laid
the the case before the House of Com.
mons, where Mr.. Laird in his place in
the House rs member for Birkenhcad
gave convincing proof that nothing
clandesline had IL II done by himselj
OF the British Government in the cas-
So far, then, rs this country is con.
cerncd, no reasonable man or nation
can alllX any blame Tor in any way aid.
ing Or mixing themselves up in the
matter consequently, the silly snlvcl.
ling howl Of these self Conceitcd Yam
KEGS servrs only to expose their own
madness, impotence, and imbcCility in
this case; and the sooner they learn
this lesson the better for their OWL
credit. Wan is q heavy curse on any
nation; but even war itself would be
preferable to tie humiliation of sub
hitting quietly to such an impuden1
proposition as the Yankees have put
forth. If the doughty hclmsman OF
the British Ark and his motley crew
show symptoms Of hauling down theil
co!ors in IN emergency like this, til,
sooner they are paid OFT the better.
Lesmahagow, June, 1872, S. r.