Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1872-02-14
Our Relations with England


United States propose to present to the
Geneva Tribunal is exciting attention and
comment 10 all parts of this country, and on
the Continent Of Europe and the English
Papers are keeping up the excitement in
England BY violent daily editorials on the
subject As we stated last week, England
objects 70 our claim for general or consequent
'i damages suffered By the United States in
o'nsequence Of the building Of rebel cruisers
British ports. The actual damage com
7,tted by these cruisers she l. willing should
c presented &c the Tribunal, but the in
crease Of our public de caused by the pro-
ongstiOu of the war. and the general damage
- our commerce other than the actual des-
rruction Of vessels, she is not willing to con
s'der as e claim % be considered at al az
Geneva
While We think the British government
and people are making an unnecessary dis
tUrbance about our - case, ne can but
think that our government has made mis-
take in presenting it. There i no probability
that, in case the arbitration should 20
and We should be allowed % press
rlr claim il now u.s. We should ever
recover anything beyond the sctuaI damage
lone by the rebel cruisers. While this is.
on the one hand. reason why England need
not be disturbed, i IS on the other. the hest
reason in the world why We should not
nave presented the claim. IL is uudignifed.
20 say the least, for a great nation q present
indefinite claim, which. If it means any
thing, in this case amounts - bundreds IF
millions Of dollars, when there Is not only
no probability OF getting any part Of it al
lowed, but when even our government ia
fully aware in advance it must be summary
rejected.
We are inclined % think. also that the
treaty was negotiated on the part If the
British members Of the joint high commits
sion, with q full understanding that incident
Al or consequential damages were net b. he
asked, and the negotiation on our part wos
conducted in q way to fully warrant such
belief Unless this is the fact. II is imp5ssi
bic to explain the surprise Of the English
government and press at finding this claim
IN the American q" case. There has been
no expectation in the United States, sin y the
treaty was made public, that anything but
actual damage was to be allowed, or erep
asked. and we shink this part Of the e case =
Is az much a surprise to cur people, as 1T
was 70 Englishmen.
Thus the matter rests nov and IL viii re-
quire very delicate Management, and dipI5-
macy to save the Treaty from destruction.
One side or the other-Or both to some ez-
tsnt-will have to recede from thcls posi-
tions and this Is awkward with presiJcn-
tial election impending here, and . minis.o /.
rial crisis threatened in England. We trust I
cur people viii in any event keep cool We i
don want war with England, or any other
power. England ought not 70, snj does not /
want war with US. Our interests are equally .
With hers bound up IN peace and friend! mess.
But it viii not be difficult to drift into war
that would send our securities down, and god .
up, and would IL single week cost either
nation more than year OF industry could .
repay and il il the drift in that direction
that, while preserving our honor, the
country ought to resist
In the American " case which Is TO be
presented in its present or in G modified form,
20 the Geneva Tribunal, we think the English
government and people have taken ofFense
more at the formidable array and renewal of
our grievances growing out Of what are be-
lieved were the unfriendly feelings Of the
British governing class, during our war,
than from any apprehension that England
would ever have 10 pay = consequential
DAMAGE" IL is doubtless true, that both
the English government and the English
people supposed that the EXPIRE ssions Of re-
gret, put in the Treaty by the English
commissioners. were to be received BY the
United States as 81 apology for the gen
ersl wrong done " in the escape OF the
confederate cruisers and that hereafter.
we were TO forget that any feelings of IN
friendliness existed, and only proceed to set
tie, BY an amIcable arbitration. the amount
ofdamage actually done us. Bat the case -
opens again, 60 far as England Is concerned
every wound in other words, we 20 before
the Tribunal and ask not only actual damages
for the destruction Of our vessels, but we
srraign England, by e carefully marshalied
array Of facts, acts, and speeches of promi
nent men, az hostile to US from the outse, #
the rebellion, and as doing almost every
thing possible, short OF actual war. to AID
the traitors in their attempt to destroy oar
government. Now. whether this be true o.
not, there can be no doubt whatever. that i
was supposed that most of these griefs wer
buried by the treaty; and that what rename
was only to ascertain and present &c TIL
Tribunal the facts in connection With th'
escape OF the confederate cruisers, and apDl,
70 those facts the rules of international Law
and obligation as laid down il the treaty il
self
Il Is perhaps worth while for our people
before they get too much heated and warlik
in their temper, to consider what an ARA,
Of facts 20 show unfriendliness toward Eng
land. could be brought against us 10 10
only allowing, bat encouraging Fenian or
CARNATIONS in this country and If whas j
done by the people is to be charged upon th
government, how could we escape claim f9
the expenses England and Canada were 10
TO, to defend themselves against Fenia
raids? Perhaps, also, we ought not to forge
that the war IN Cuba had for long time il
main support in this country but we shout
De dislnclined to recognize, on that account
claim from the Spanish government f.
g consequential damages - but on the cor
trsry, should be very quick 10 resent any a
tempt to make US responsible for them
government can and ought never to unde
take TO control the sympathies of the Pc