The New York herald., 1872-11-01
CONSEQUENTLY REDIVIVIS.
Secretary Fish Vindieates the
American Commissioners.
Sir Stafford q M9rthcote's Ex-
teter Charge.
A Point Blank Denial Of the British
Commissioners Assertion.
Attorney General Williams, Judge Nelson,
Judge HoaY and Minister Schenck
Support the Secretary.
THE NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS." IN ENGLAND.
A Ghost from the Joint High
s.~ em Commission.
THE MISUNDERSTANDING" m ENGLAND.
A Ghost from the Joint High
,e on Commission.

gaf sNMf COnIu1SSlOu.
H WASHINGTON, Oct. 81, 1879.
Secretary Fish has issued q blue book entitled
"Tne American Commissioners and the Statement
Of Sir STAFFORD Northcote at Exetern In relation to
IN alleged promise OF exclusion OF the indirect
claims Of the United States. This pamphlet
contains extracts from Sir Stafford Northcote's
speech at Exeter on the 18th Of May last
while tho disagreement was pending between
this government and Great Britain over the in
direct claims; an extract from an unpublished
despatch OF Secretary Fish to Minister Schenck,
repclling the assertions OF Sir Stanords speech
and the diplomatic use attempted to be made Of 1t
by Lord Granville In the controversy with this
government as to whether the indirect claims were
within the scope and purview OF the treaty; q CIR
cnlar letter addressed by Mr. Fish to the American
members Of the Joint High Commission in relation
TO Sir STAFFORD Northcote's statement OF the alleged
understanding OF the British members that q
promise had been given to them that the conse-
quential claims should not be put forward, under
the treaty for arbitration the several replies OF
the American commissioners to Mr.. Fishs letter;
an extract from the protocols OF the con-
ferences of the Joint High Commission; an
extract from speech OF the Marquis Of Rpon In
the House Of Lords, correcting prevailing opinion
that Her Majesty's Commissioners had been
cOaxed by means OF q secret misunderstanding
into the use Of language in the treaty that admit
ted the indirect Claims and letter from Sir Staf
ford to Lord Derby correcting Misrepresentation
Of his Exeter speech.
This compilation has been withheld from publi-
cation BY the Secretary Of State until oil the ques
tiOns arising under the treaty framed by the
High Commission have been ended, and Is now
put forward In vindicaton, frst OF the conduct Of
Aunn ioctn u1,iI hn
In process Of formation, as showing that they did
not either waive or neglect any part Of the claims
that government believed itself to hold against
England, and, second, In especial vindication
OF Mr.. Fish from the unavoidable imputation
Of Sir Stahord's speech that he had,
hrst, as Commissioner to nego.
tiate treaty, knowingly allowed his col.
leagues on the other side to derive a promise OF
certain line OF action from what passed in confer
ence, and then, as ministerial oflccr, attempted
to uphold and enforce totally variant line Of &C.
ti0n with respect to the same subject. 1t will be
remembered chat Sir STAFFORD Northcote, in de-
Tending the Gladstone Ministry from the censure
50 plentlfully heaped upon them by the conscrva.
tivcs for the dilemma in which Great Britain was
placed by our enormous claims, made use OF the
following language
4 SIR STAFFORD NoRrHcoTR's cHAKGE
Two questions have been raised-one the per-
between the Commissioners at all events, and per-
baps between the two governments, at the time the
merits Of the question which has been raised
with regard to what are called consequen-
@ g e es ndqsSs claims WIN
say this-that we, the Commissioners, were dis
.incty Responsible for having repressntsa 70 the
ssi no ass Is q % ;
nsnS 90 We are q course brought into painful
ourselves and our American colleagues upon that
FISH ON MS MErrLE
Mr. Fish took notice OF these remarks in his in.
structions to General Schenck OF June 3, 1872 He
therein said:-
American side OF the Commission I must
take this occasion, the first that has pre-
esseS Of Sir ssord
that no such promise he states that the British
ss having been understood by them to be made BY
che American Commissioners was In fact ever
made. The oncia M communicatSns ss1;s between
made BY or to me as the nrst named Of
never heard OF any such promise, or Of anything
resembling IT, on the subject referred TO. None was
Of SI unociaIy, an and IL feel entire Confidence in max
Ing the assertion that none Of my colleagues ever
made any promise or any declaration @ ara or
What may have been the. understanding OF Sir
stafford Northcote or his colleagues, I cannot un-
soners ssve linn or them any grounds - UNDER
stand that such promise was given as he says they
represented to their government as having been
losT RESPECTFULLY BUT MOST ExPHATlcALLY TO
y connot conceive from what he has imagined IT, as
She only direct alustOn TO the three classes OF
claims called the indirect claims was that made on
che part of the American commissioners ON he
eth day OF March, and IL set forth In the thrtysxth
protocol In the words In which II was made.
1he protocols ami the statement approved by
Of what passed on that occasion. am at loss to
conceive what tation, outside Of the state.
men; made IN the thirty xth protocol Sir stafford
refers to some personal question:" something
which until the time OF his address he and his
discussing; but the protocols and the statement TO
which have referred had been before the public,
both 10 Great Britain and in the United States for
nearly year before his declaration. II IL only
within day or two that tho journals containing
his address have reached me.
60 each Of our colleagues on the commsson calling
attention 10 Sir Stanord's statement, and In due
slime may make public the correspondence.
The letter he addressed to his colleagues on the
American side OF the Commission was the fol-
lOwing:-
beg TO ask your attention to the enclosed ex.
tract OF IN address made by Sir Stafford NorthcOtc
90 the Lxeter Chamber OF Commerce. containlng an
.eiven to the BRITISH Commissioners that hat what
are called the indirect claims could not be brought
y s r. Daes the
OF any such promise. AZ one Of the American
CommlssionersI never made any promise nor sus.
sscoSscsion Of any "s question Of the s'' kind nd
being raised, of1ciaiy or unonlcially. what
fnay have been the understanding OF
9n1cn propose TO enter: II is enough that they,
z. Sentlemen say that they had certain under