The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1872-04-14
s. G..
Sunday Morning, April IA, 1872.
Grant to Take Water.

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House OF Representatives on the 9th
instant, and referred to the Committee
on Foreign Affairs. proposing to waive
the claim for consequential damages be.
fore the Geneva arbitration. Mr.
Peters, of Maine, said to be strong
Granite. was the mover of the resolu-
tion, and his action has, doubtless, been
directed in accordance with the views
and wishes of Grant. The resolution,
after lengthy preamble. setting forth
the terms Of the treaty, is as follows:
Resolued, That it is the opinion of this
House that the said claims for indirect
damages should be held and considered
to be waived by the said recited intima-
ton Of the American com missioners that
they would be waived in case of an
amicable settlement of the matters in
dispute, it being clear that settlement
of those matters by and under the award
of the said tribunal of arbitration will
be an amioable settlement thereof, and
that the said claims for indirect damages
are incompatible with the terms and
provisions of the said treaty. and that
propositions oontended for in the snid
case in respect to the obligations of
neutrals, as above recited, are unsound
and incompatible with American pre-
cedents and the genius of our institu-
tions.
We are inclined to think the resolu-
ton very sensible one, and that its
adoption is about the best thing left for
the United States to do. England, it
appears, emphatically refuses to con-
tinue the negotiations until the Ameri
can case is thus modified, and in case of
q rupture of the treaty. war would
doubtless follow. For this Uncle Sam
is in nowise prepared, and vast ma
jority OF the people Of this country are
earnestly opposed to such woful solu-
ton Of our difficulties.
The wrongs, if any there were, COM
mitted by Great Britain against the
United States, In connection with the
Confederate cruisers, are of too uncer-
tain q character and of too distant date
to arouse any very keen or general de-
sire to seek retribution for them at such
oARohb0 VI Al0 nhA bAOoouHo % u Udk
with gigantic power like England must
inevitably entail. The United States
would be amply able. no doubt, to repel
any invasion OF its own territory, and, 80
far as defensive warfare is concerned,
would be prepared to confront and hurl
from her borders the strongest army that
England could muster on this side of the
Atlantic. But we would, in seeking in
demnity for alleged losses by England'e
conduct during the ''late unpleasant
ness." have to take the aggressive, and
force our antagonists to accede to our
demands, and pay us that little bill OF a
few hundred millions which we claim to
be our due. That would be a little more
than Unole Sam. with all his giant
strength, could very reasonably hope to
accomplish. We would have delight
fully easy task of it, landing and sus-
tanning an invading army upon the soil
of Great Britain, which would be the
only way that we could force that coun-
try to terms. We might invade and con-
quer Canada, it is true-though that
would be no infant enterprise-bu at
best, it would be but barren conquest.
Canada is of no value to England. but
rather an expense; nor would it be de-
sirable or profitable acquisition for this
Government, especially when made in
opposition to the wishes of the inhabi-
tants.
If. then, as circumstances seem to in
dicate, the only alternative of our Co.
vernment is REIMBURSEMENT of our
claims for indirect damages, or o war
with England, the choice of the former,
which is just and fair in itself, is far
preferable. The only objection to it
and which is none at all to the oppo-
nents of Grants the ridiculous posi-
tion in which the Administration is
placed through its own stupidity. II
we may credit the preamble to the reso-
luton above given, it is evident that the
United States Commissioners in the
conference of the Joint High Commits
sion. relating to the Alabama claims, on