The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-05-06
THE WASHINGTON TREATY.
The Arbitration Question Brought Up in the
House Of Lords-More About Those TN
direct Claims''-General Schenck's
Letter to Earl Granville.

Letter to Earl Granville.
LONDON, April %, 1872.
Last night the vexed Alabama claims subject was
brought up again In the House OF Lords by the Duke
of Richmond, who gave notice that he would this
day ask the Foreign Secretary whether the
government was prepared to give an as
surance that further proceedings in the
arbitration ut Geneva would be suspended un-
less the claims which were termed 1.-THE indirect
claimsn we're abandoned or withdrawn by the gov
eminent OF the United States The noble duke added
that he did not intend to raise any discussion the
subject.
Lord ORANhoRE moved for copies Of any CORE
spOndence which had taken place between Her Ma
jesty's government and the government OF the
States with the Minister Of the United States in
this country, relative to the presentation of the
counter case by Her Majesty's government to the
Arbitration Tribunal at Geneva or, II no correspond
ence had taken place on this subject for
minute OF the conversations on this head referred to
by Her Majesty's Secretary Of State for Foreign Az
fairs In his speech In this House on Friday the 18th
inst. The noble lord complained that the CORE
spondence wasSo confused that it was one of those
things which no fellow could be expected to under
stand; that Her Majesty's government had shown
amount OF vacillatiOn about the presentation or
their counter case that had degraded the country
and that it's humiliation was complete when the
take step without the leave OF the American gov
eminent.
Earl GRANvILIE-Thc noble lord who has made
this motion states that he IL very much in the posi-
ton of "Lord Dundreary;" but will give very
shortly my answer to the specific charges which he
has made against me. One of them Is that the va
Citation of Her Maiestys government has been de-
grading to the country. and that its final humia-
ton was reached when we avowed that we
had not ventured to take any step without
first obtaining the permission of the government
of the United States. With regard to General
Schencks actual letters, allow me In the first place
to say that should not have the slightest personal
objection to produce them II 1t were necessary to
do so, and should think that General Schenck
would, on his part, also consents but there Is an
obvious Inconvenience, unless there IL a necessity
for doing so, In producing letters OF private
character. Those OF General Schenck, may state,
were in the first instance marked 'private,''
though 1t Is true that he subsequently gave me
permission to divest them of their confidential
character. AS to the vacillation we are said to
have shown, 1t Is perfectly true that Her Maestys
government did not finally decide whether they
MONTH But that delay did not arise from any vacil-
lation We could not till the last moment tell what
find ourselves at the time when our decision must
be taken. The circumstances might have been such
as to render it dificut II not impossible, to present
a counter case at all. circumstances, on the other
hand, might have rendered 1t totally unnecessary
to accompany the presentation OF our counter case
with any declaration on our part. As 1t happened,
circumstances at the last moment were such as to
justify the course which has been taken, namely,
that of presenting our counter case, accompanied
have knowledge. And here l may just mention
that there is a technical error In the statement
made by Mr.. Fish to General Schenck, because we
are not bound by the treaty to present counter
case. Even If there had been no misunderstanding
at all it would have been perfectly open to either
prudent, not to present counter case
all. 1t appears obvious to me- however,
s ns e tna no 81
were maintaining 1t was an emnently desirable
thing to do. If the arbitration was to continue, 1t
would have been madness, after having presented
our statement OF facts not to lay before the arb
traitors the arguments by which our case was to be
supported. i the arbitration was not to go on !
advantage with regard to the formation OF sound
opinion both In Europe, and still more in the United
were not ashamed should be laid before the public.
(Cheers.) The whole diffculty was merely whether
the presentation Of our counter case would affect
the position we were maintaining The noble lord
says it was perfectly humiliating to the country
that we should have asked permission of America
before we took any STEP ! must say disagree
with the noble lord. There might have been an in
convenience, but do not see how there could have
been the slightest humiliation, even II ] had
said to General Schenck that / should like
to know whether his government would consider
1t Objectionable for us to present our counter
case accompanied by q decla ration. on the con-
trary, say that that would have been prudent
thing for us to do; but. In point of fact,
asked no such question: and our whole action has
not been In the least dependent upon the perns-
sion OF the United States In q conversation, which
we both agreed should be confidential, General
Schenck spontaneously stated to me his opinion
that we could present counter case without pref
udce to our position and that he believed his gov
eminent would accede to the same view. The only
question ever asked OF him was whether might
dvest that communication OF its confidential
t 10 T om as an being %
honor should have been unworthy OF the position
hold as the representative OF this country II had
not asked permission before made use OF conf
dental communication. tCheers.) have seen Gen.
eral Schenck since the publication OF my report Of
what took place. and he has not made the slightest
n
of the rights of the American government, which
were put In by Mr. Bancroft Davis at Geneva, can
not OF course give any explanation. am bound to
take 1t it stands-namely, that Mr. Bancroft Davis,
not having received Instructions from his govern
ment as TO our declaration thought 1t necessary to
reserve the American rights, as we had reserved
the rights OF England In the matter. 1t is perfectly
idle, therefore, to talk about any degradation or
humiliation Of the country arising from the steps
we have taken. (Cheers.l
In answer to the Marquis OF Salisbury,
Earl Granville added that he had on Thursday or
Friday asked General Schenck II he would object to
have the American counter case laid before Parlia-
ment The General said he should prefer tele-
graphing to. his own government before giving an
answer and he had not yet replied to the question.
The motion was not pressed.
Opinions OF the English Press on the
British Ministry and the American
Claims.
The London Times OF the 22d ult says IA week
has elapsed since the presentation Of the counter
cases and the interchange OF protests by Lord
Tenterden and Mr. Bancroft Davis at Geneva, and
it is worth inquiring how far that week has affected
the prospects OF the Treaty OF Washington. We be-
leve 1t has left the treaty precisely where it was.
The intervening days have been thick with rumors,
and the hopeful persons who always believe in the
best have been several times certain that the gov
eminent OF the United States have resolved on the
withdrawal of the indirect claims. Those who take
gloomy pleasure In anticipating the worst have
been equally well assured that the treaty must at
once lapse. The moral to be deduced from the con-
Trajectory rumors and guesses which have dis
turbcd so many people during the last week seems