The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-06-07
TIE QUESTION IN WASHINGTON.
ions-The Administration Definition Of the
Supplemental Article-Final Instructions
to Minister Schenok-Writtsn Expla-
nations Authorised To Be Given in
London-The Last Resource.
WASHINGTON, June 0, 1872.

WASHINGTON, June 0, 1871
II any hope has fingered in the minds OF Mr.. Glad.
stone and his subordinate Lord Granville that the
United States government would eventually listen
to their appeals for modification Of that part OF
the Senates amendatory article that contains their
own language, the cheers which greeted Earl Rus
sells reference to the Trent snsir have
quenched 1t. The disposition OF the administration
to resist all further concessions to the demands of
the British government has never been so nrm as
now and all attempts to disguise the Indifference
Of our government to the success Of the Treaty OF
Washington have been abandoned.
In fact, the only intermediary act that this gov
eminent is now in position to perform prior to
the next meeting Of the Geneva Tribunal for
the reception Of arguments under the fifth
article rests with General Schenck, and has, SO far
as the authorities here know to the contrary, been
performed already. That u assurance to Earl
Granville that the President understands the tenor
and scope Of the modified article to be that the
United States, In confederation Of the adoption
Of 0 new rule of neutrality for the future,
not only withdraws Its Objectionable indirect
claims rom the consideration OF the arbitrators,
but regards them as wholly disposed OF and settled
as fully and finally as they could be In any manner
whatsoever. The parliamentary exigences OF
Gladstone and Granville may have required the
to he reduced to explicit terms in writing
and the representative of the executive power OF
the United States General Schenck, is possessed OF
ample authority to give any written assurance OF
that character that may be needed. But, on the
assumption that he has done Of the authori
ties here place any value upon it either as an
authoritative construction of the supplementary
article binding upon the United States or likely
to possess any moral influence with the opposition
In Parliament.
In conversation with leading administration
Senator, whose Official relations to the State De-
partment require him to be fully informed on the
condition OF the subject as understood here, he
took the ground that the very Willingness OF our
government to construe away the doubtful part OF
the supplemental article, while steadily refusing to
modify the article ITSELF would he seized upon
by the opponents of the English Ministry as con-
elusive evidence that we had a verbal catch In the
treaty and were resolved to keep it, He remarked
that the British statesmen could not be SO ignorant
OF the Anne lean constitution as not to understand
that no construction or explanation Of a treaty
that might be at variance with fell
short of the fullest import Of the treaty
language could be Of any binding force upon either
OF the cosignatories, unless such construction
explanation proceeded from the reaty-making
power-that Is, the President and Senate
jointly, the Supreme Court, which, by the judicial
article of the constitution, has final jurisdiction
Of the subject. There is no doubt, however, that
any written other assurance which the British
Cabinet may desire to receive from this govern
ment, in any manner less formal than such as would
require the further action of the Senate viii be, II
1t has not to-day been furnished through Minister
Schenck. But there Is no belief entertained here
that such assurance could be OF service to this
or the British government. Nothing but an inter-
change OF the treaty obituary notices. and publ
cation OF the correspondence both sides, is now
regarded as remaining to be done.
Lord Russell's alluson to the Trent business has
led to the unearthng OF the following extract from
one of Minister Adams dispatches to Secretary
Seward
/ have observed that the British people were
satisfied with the vigor and the energy OF the prepa
rations which their government made for the war
which they expected to occur between them and
ourselves.