The Portland daily press., 1872-02-08
The Dominion Press on the Flurrv

The Dominion journals probably represent
people whose welfare is more deeply involved
in the Washington treaty and particularly in
the question of peace or war than any other
Consequently the tone that these papers assume
ON this question is of general interest.
The Quebec Chronicle says in the course of an
article ON this subject
We believe there is rather much apprehen-
sion among our British fellow-subjects on this
head, and that they do wrong to exhibit it. The
great bulk of the Americans have never dreamt
of recoving from England more than the value
OF the ships and property destroyed by the
cruisers Mr.. Sumner and the few who went
further, piling up claims for enormous amounts,
under the head of indirect losses, received cred
it for great ingenuity, while their pretensions
were regarded as impracticable. We doubt if
their efforts than applause for fine special
pleading, or for rhetorical exhibitions. With
out accepting the rumors of undue haste or
petulance on the part of the British Govern
ment, in dealing with the startling side of the
United States case, 1T is reasonable to suppose
they will find an effective enough way Of Civ
ing our neighbors to understand that they will
not listen to acquisitions opposed to fairness,
moderation and common sense. The Gladstone
Cabinet is not a courageous one in handling
foreign policy, but economy is strong point
with 1t, and the contingency of heavy sacrifices
may decide it to display more than ordinary
Judgment and firmness on this occasion. The
sentiment OF the nation will probably conduce
to such a result, if it do not also make a whole
some impression upon the minds of the Ameri-
can Representatives.. 474a
The ST. John Globe seems to get at the case
as well as any of our Dominion journals. 1t
says:
There must be some grounds for the alarm
experienced in England in regard to the WASH
ington treaty and the Geneva conference. The
demand for indirect damages caused by the
Alabama and other cruisers has surprised and
excited the people of England. The Spectator,
Saturday Revieeo, Times, and many other jour
nails devote lengthy articles to the subject, and
all denounce the cease" made out by the United
States and sent to Geneva as violation of the
spirit of the treaty Now, it was pretty gener-
ally understood that, ON this side of the water,
the whole matter, indirect damages as well as
direct, was to be eft to the arbitrators-that, in
TACT the case" as submitted by each country
was to be considered. If this was not intend
ed, where was the use of an arbitration at all
Tor the direct damages could easily have been
agreed upon. 1t is just possible that all this
agitation in England has no other object than
10 lnnuence the arbitration, or at least to open
its eyes thoroughly to the extent of the Ameri
can claims-and nothing more!
The Montreal Witness, without expressing an
opinion respecting the merits of the matter,
fully appreciates the crisis as seen from its
standpoint. 1t says:
1t is plain that matters in connection with
the Washington treaty are in very delicate
position at present, and it behooves all who
wish to see peaceful relations preserved be-
tween both countries to pray that temperate
counsels may prevail in the Governments of
both, and that a treaty calculated, if faithfully
carried out, to have such benefcent effect in
both the new and old worlds may be at length
successfully consumnated
The st. John Ne,os says that the people of
the Dominion are deeply in the trouble spring.
ing up afresh in connection with the so-called
Alabama claims, but charges all that trouble to
the exorbitant nature of the American case
and complains that it is written in the worst
spirit.
This outrageous demand is made in violation
OF the spirit of the new Treaty The speeches
delivered on this Treaty by British Commits
sioners who had been engaged in it's negotia-
ton, by the members of the Gladstone minis
try who advised the Queen to ratify it. by the
United States Commissioners at public BAN
quets after its terms had been agreed upon, and
by the members of the Federal Senate in the
discussions preceding its ratification in that
body, all seemingly go to show that no such
demand as that which so shocks public opinion
In Britain was expected to be formulated under |
mat Treaty by those who brought it into exist !