The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-05-25

IL manly due TO the same fact, for Ii exposed him
TO the risk OF the very discussion which took place
In the Senate to-day and provoked the Butler
luton OF inquiry, which 1t will be impossible to
swer II 1t passes the Housee Sir STAFFORD NorthcOte
made his Exeter Hall speech on the same day when
the correspondence printed In the HERALD was
published in England. That speech revealed the
line OF argument
COMMENDED FOR by THE ENGLISH THROUGHOUT
the whole controversy, and showed that he adhered
with wonderful tenacty to the position that indi-
rect damages were not to be included among the
demands OF the United States. 1t has long been
question how ten intelligent men could have been
together for weeks to settle questions OF the mag
nitude OF these presented to the Joint High Com
mission without
COMING TO COMPLETE UNDERSTANDING
on all the claims under consideration. While three
OF the English Commissioners have declared hat
the question OF our national losses was waived
before the treaty was agreed upon at all,
none Of the American Commissioners. except
Mr.. Fish, In his Official correspondence, has
uttered word on the subject. The English do
not regard Mr. Fish's correspondence with General
Schenck as merely the correspondence OF the
American Secretary OF State, but criticise
his declarations as the utterances OF
member OF the Joint High Commits
sion. 1t was this view which Sir Stafford
Eorthcote took when he found that his own pre-
viously published statement a lie If the state
ment OF Mr.. Fish, as published In the c0rresp0n-
dence was true. 1t frequently has been asked on
what authority the British Commissioners assume
to speak both for themselves and for the American
Commissioners on q point about which there has
been so much dispute. The assigned Is that
the British Commissioners are prepared to show
by documentary evidence that their public decara
tons are correct and that
THE INDIRECT CLAIMS HAD BEEN WAIVED
by the American Commissioners On the other
hand, 1t was asserted some time ago that Mr.. Fish
had evidence equally conclusive to show that the
contrary was the truth. It Is reported here that
NOrthcote's statement Is to be supported by tina
other British Members of the Joint High Com
mission, and that they will make complete
and crcumstantial defence. Further than this IL is
known that General Schenck repeatedly said during
the negotiations that the claim for indirect losses
had been waived by the agreement to refer the
direct losses to arbitration. In conversation with
Senator Sumner, De Grey and Northcote talked the
whole matter over and
THE SENATOR LEARNED FROM THEM
for the first time that the administration had
agreed to waive the claim for national losses so
earnestly contended for by him in his speech
against the Johnson Clarendon Convention. The
question as to whether Mr.. Sumner represented the
views Of the administration at the time of the
lection of that convention came up in subsequent
conversations, and the British Commissioners were
assured that If the Senator had not said word on
the subject the convention would have been re-
jected on account of
THE DINING AND WHINING POLICY
pursued toward Reverdy Johnson. In view OF all
these conflicting statements and the tortuous pol
Icy Of Mr. Fish, II Is not to be wondered that he
anxious to save the treaty, and dined and wined
Thornton and Quincy in order to fix
up matter 80 dear to him and
30 hurtful to the people. On the Esd
of April Mr.. Quincy the British Commissioner in
the Britsh-American Claim Commission dined with
Up to that time he had no confidence in the treaty
being saved. At the dinner
THE SYNDICATE PROPOSITION FOR BAcK-DowN
was discussed, and Mr.. Fish assured Mr. Quincy
that this government did not want cent OF money,
but that the question had been presented simply as
a matter Of form In order to prevent Great Britain
presenting under similar circumstances q like
claim. Mr.. Quincy laughed at the sober statement
OF Fish, aud said II the United States
would 80 present that statement to his
government that he it would be
accepted by the English government, and thus end
the unhappy controversy. Mr.. Quincy left the resi-
policy, and promised that
HE WOULD DO ALL IN HIS POWER
on returning to England to strengthen the position
Yielded by Mr. Fish. On Thursday, April 25, Minis
ter Schenck telegraphed that 1t appeared too
probable that the British government would take
such course as would put an end to the arbitra-
ton at Geneva and to the treaty. fully confirming
the previous declarations of Russell Quincy. This
despatch read at the session OF the Cabinet on
the day received and on April 81 Mr. Fish
authorized to telegraph to Mr.. Schenck that we
were prepared to back down, and that while
England had oil along been terrified at our extra
ordinary demand for money, we did not mean dol
lars and cents but merely principle, although on
the in gross, which included Indirect losses, we
distinctly asked for
INTEREST AT THE RATE OF TEN FER CENT PER ANNUM
from July ], lsss to July /, 1873. This despatch
was communicated to Granville, and on the follow
ing Thursday, May Q, the Objectionable proposition
OF Granville, prompted by Schenck's instructions,
was received. This was read at the Cabinet meet
ing on the Sd ins and 1t was then resolved to call
together the republican members OF the Senate and
House Committees on Foreign Relations and Affairs
and
HOLD A PARTISAN CONFERENCE,
the particulars of which were published In these
dispatches Of May 8. AS stated, the President
got but very little consolation from his partisan adj
visers, and authorized Fish to say to Schenck that
he sorry that Granville did not understand the
despatch proposing to back down. and that Her
MaIesty's government had not seen ut to accept the
Presidents
WILLINGNESS TO EAT "HrMBLE PIE.r
on the 10th May, after several explanatory de-
spatchcs had been sent as to what would probably
be swallowed as a sugar-coated pill by the Senate,
came the proposition now pending before the Sem
ate, and which Is recorded q fitting finale to the
laundering diplomacy OF Secretary Fish. From the
day that the moneyed interests OF the country pre-
vailed upon the President to save their credit down
to the present moment, there has been a gradual
weakening the part of the administration In
standing by the position assumed in the diplomatic
correspondence. General schenck, when he tele-
graphed that
THE "CAsE" SEEMED HOPELESS
fully believed that the casef had broken down, II
the demand for indirect damages was persisted,