The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-07-28

maue, second, upon our earnest appeals IL Ought
to have been earlier rescinded."
The despatch goes on to state the conviction OF
the American people that the proceedings OF the
were not merely unfriendy and ungenerous, but
| entirely unjust. In another part OF Mr.. Fish's
having been made by Mr.. Adams on the sOth OF De.
cemher 1862 l4th and ed OF March 1861 and 2sth OF
| The acts complained OF in the first extract will
| be seen, reading the entire passage, TO have
| been that vessels owned by British subjects have
| been and yet In the constant practice OF de-
parting from British ports, laden with contraband
| OF war and many other commodities, with the in
the war. The despatch OF the 14th OF March, 1862
refers to certain intercepted correspondence re-
ofConfederate agents, blockade runners and to the
cotton loan
planned, also referred to the cotton loan and to
these proceedings OF Confederate agents. The
despatch OF the 2sth Of April begins, ~ am in
structed to inform Your L0rdship that the govern
ment OF the United States has heard with surprise
and regret OF the negotiation OF loan in this
city," and proceeds to state that this transaction
must bring to an end all concessions Of whatever
form that may have been heretofore made for miti-
eating or IL the rsors Of the blockade
cludes:-'I am sure that 1t Is with the greatest
reluctance the United States government finds
irresponsible parties bent upon carrying on hos
tties under the shelter Of neutrality to restrict
trade. The responsibility for this, I. e. for this re-
sSr1ction, must rest mainly upon those who, lot
motives best known to themselves have labored
and continue to labor so strenuouSy and enectually
to furnish the means for
THE pRorRACrIoN OF THE STRUGGLE.
! have reviewed the passage cited by Mr. Fish
In support OF his argument that the alabama
claims' include other claims than those Tor the
show how little SUPPORT thew aford to it. But
this Is almost superhuous, as conclusive answer
is afforded by the very volume OF dispatches from
which Mr.. Fish has taken these extracts.
Mr.. Reverdy Johnson in despatch to Mr.. Sew
ard, dated February II, 1859, page 1871, contain
Maestys government, states, II hear that in some
quarters objections are made to the Claims Con-
vention, for which ! was not prepared IT.. >.
submitted should not be all that have arisen subse
quent to July, 1853.
Second-That no provision is made for the submits
sion Of any losses which our government as such,
may have sustained by the recognition OF the insur
! gents as beligerents and the depredations upon
our commerce by the Alabama and other vessels.
As regards the second objection, he urges,
am at loss to imagine what would. be the measure
should be Unidentified for, how Is it to be ascer-
tained by what rule is it to he measured
NATIONS HONOR CAN HAVE NO COMPENSATION IN
MONEY,
and the depredations OF the Alabama were of prop
erty in which our nation had no direct pecuniary
interest. II il be said that those depredations pre-
vented the sending forth of other commercial en-
terprises the answer is twofold.
Ffrsf-fhat If they had been sent forth the nation
would have had no direct interest in them: and
SecOnd-rnat II could not be known that any
such would have been undertaken. Upon what
ground, therefore, could the nation dema nd COM
pensation in money on either account ? And If 1t
was received is 1t to go into the Treasury for the
use of the government or to be distributed among
| those who may have engaged in such enterprises
and how many OF them are there, and how are they
to be ascertalned France recognized the insur.
proong the war. This, too, IL may be said, was
violation Of her duty and affected our honor. II we
can claim indemnity for our nation for such q
recognition by England we can equally claim it of
France. And who has suggested such a claim as
that But the final and conclusive answer TO these
| objections Ia this
First-That at no time during the war, whether
whilst the Alabama and her sister ships were en-
gagged In giving our marine to the flames, or since,
no branch Of the government proposed to hold Her
Majesty's government responsible, except to the
value OF the property destroyed, and that which
would have resulted from the completion of the
voyages in which they were engaged. The govern
ment never exacted anything on its own account;
1t acted only as the guardian and protector Of its
own citizens, and therefore only required that this
government should pay their losses, or agree to
submit the question OF its liability to friendly ar
btrament; to demand more now, and par
ticuary to make demand to which no limit
can well he assigned would be entire de-
parture from our previous course, and would
| am sure, not be listened to by this govern
ment or countenanced by other nations. We have
have ever asked. And with perfect opportunity Of
Knowing what the sentiment of this government
and people is I'm satisfied that nothing more
can be accomplished.
EVERY DOLLAR TO RE RECOVERED.
And am equally satisfied that If the Convention
goes into operation every dollar due on what are
known as the Alabama claims will be recovered. II
Mr.. Johnson was mistaken in the view thus decid-
! eddy expressed, IL might he expected that some
notice would have been taken OF so important an
error; but Mr.. Stewards reply of March Is. 1869,
writes, 'Your despatch No. 1l2 of the 18th ultimo
relative to the protocol and Convention recently
signed by you on behalf Of this government has
this day been received and submitted to the Presi-
dent. He directs me TO say in reply, that 1t Is re-
have been Communicated to the senate had II moi moi
reached here at the close OF the present session
and that of his administration. Thus, according to
nm fr1l N nfin oil
patch from the United States Minister in London
to the government at Washington, oficialy pub
eminent had never eXacted anything ON its own
account, and the claims known the Alabama
claims had been limited, during the whole war and
IN the subsequent negotiations, up TO February,
1869, adding
DErREDArIoNs or THE REBEL VESSELS
10 the claims for the value OF the property de-
stroyed and that which would have re-
suited rom the completion of the voyages
In which the captured vessels engaged
Ir. Johnson confirmed the statement in his
despatch in letter to Mr.. J. A. Parker, published
in the New. York Jowno, or Commerce November
80, 1910. my instructions as did those OF Mr.
Adams, looked exclusively to the adjustment Of in
divdual claims ana no alleged commission oil
the United States pending the given in
any part OF the correspondence between the two
governments as having any influence upon other
than individual claims"
II is not easy to understand how class OF claims
which had been known under one appellatlon FOL
seven years could have suddenly acquired lar
wider and more Onercus significance.
Mr. Fish relies on Mr.. Reverdy Johnson's pro-
posed amendment OF the Carendon-IohnsOl con
venton on these public or national claims having
been prominently before the senate when that con-
venton was under Amusement, by which it is to he
! presumed he refers to Mr.. Summers speech, the
! only part OF the proceedings which published
In the Presidents message Of December, 1862 and
in his despatch TO Mr. Motley OF the 18th Septenl-
| Der, 1869. Mr.. Johnson's proposal, however,
was not tn include national claims under the
head OF "Alabama claims, but to superadd them by
inserting certain words after the words "agree
that's In
THE FIRST ARTICLE OF THr CONVENTION.
Had his proposal been adopted the article would
have stood thus--
'Ihe high contracting parties agree that all claims
! on the part OF Her Malesfy's government upon the
government OF the United states, and all claims vi
the government OF the United states upon lie
Maiesty's government and i'll claims on the par:
| of subjects of Her Britannia Majesty upon the gov