The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-05-15

claims,- the Alabama and other similar claims,
s.the socalled Alabama and other similar claifnsn
and the so-called Alabama claims and others In
Guided under the same head, and the several varie
ties OF phrase used In these memoranda TO describe
the subject ultimately defined In the fourth article
OF that Convention the class OF claims referred TO
in the official correspondence between the two gov
ernments as the Alabama. In letter or the l2tn
of November, 1868, Mr. Reverdy Johnson, while COM
municating telegraphic despatch from Mr. seward,
N which genera dS % 'ne 10 yariens m
pOrtant points, was accompanied by stipnlauon
that Washington and not London should oe the
Her Majestys government assented,n said, II think
the change will be disadvantageous to the Alabama
claimants" In adespatch Of soth November, 1893,
Mr. Thornton stated the objections then urged by
Mr. Seward to the Convention, In which MIR.
s s,eDss also a spSss the t Ss sabama
and claims, and the Alabama Claims
and OF the persons interested in those claims as
OF the 27th OF November to Mr.. Reverdy Johnson,
communicated to Lord Clarendon on the ga OF
He says:I.TRe United States are obliged to disal-
low this article 4. The United States have no OBJ
lection to the first clause OF the article, when
declares that, the commissioners shall have
power to adjudicate upon the so-called Alabama
claims. Indeed, the United states would willingly
retain this clause because Of its expicitness with
regard to the Alabama claims. They did not, In
their instructions to you, insist upon such special
OF these claims might he deemed inconvenient
the part o. h n9 nss wh It.
other claims Of citizens Of the United states in the
scpon 81 81 com
sidered by Her Msjesty's government that the
Alabama class OF claims constitute the largest ana
most material OF the entire mass OF claims OF cti-
zens OF the United States against Great Britain,
which it is the object Of the Convention to ADJUST
Upon the Alabama as well as all Others the govern
ment is content to obtain, and most earnestly de-
sires. perfectly fair equal and impartial judicial
trial and decision Isl rhs has always
NO DISCRIMINATION IN s.s5R Of ~ rae IL 1tABAnA
.-'.s CLAIMS,
and can admit Of material discrimination against
them in the forms q trial and Judgment, but must
on the contrary, have them placed on the same
basis as all other claims It probably win conduce
o osSsT cass 'ne Of I nteSnatiOnal di,cni
the se CLAIMS against wc the wS tss
cannot agree to admit Of any prejudical discri-
nation. To present the reasons now would be
simply to relate arguments which have been con-
tinuaily presented BY the department in all the
former stages Of this controversy, while It Is 1air
Her Majesty's Department for Foreign Affairs.
The general result Of this correspondence was that
provisions were substituted for those OF the fourth
and sixth articles Of the convention Of the 10th Of
November, 1885, to which the United States govern.
ment had objected, and the special men.
ton Of the Alabama was transferred from
a am TO ar he hc Of
of Her Britannia Majesty upon the government
OF the United States and all claims on the part OF
citizens for the United States upon the government
of Her Britannia Majesty including the so-called
Alabama claims, which may have been presented to
other since the Goth Of July, 1859, and which yet
remain unsettled, as well as any other such
n g p Ns
not arising out Of the late civil in the United
States, shall be REFERRED" &c. On the ed OF July,
resolution OF majority of the Committee on For
eign Relations Of the Senate Of the United States
ne NOT who to the
resolution, having said, 'that It covered
none Of the principles for whiche the United States
| always commended" He also enclosed resolution
Of the Legislature Of Massachusetts, protesting
against the ratification OF any convention which did
admit the liability of England for the acts OF the
Alabama and her consorts.
REvERDY JOHNsoN's NEW PROPOSALS.
wh ae ec C M npcn
first article Of the convention which hekthousht
tanned by the Senate to the convention, and would
secure Its ratification by that body. This new
the part Of Her Britannia Maestys government
upon the government Of the United States,
the United States upon the government Of Hei
Britannia Majesty, as wen all claims Of subjects
and citizens as to which the language Of the con
vention would have remained lnaltered. Lord
Clarendon reports what then took place. In hii
MARKED Johnson tnat his propossi would
troduce an entirely new feature Into the convention
which was for the settlement OF claims between the
subjects and citizens OF Great Britain and the
United States; but that the two governments not
i having put forward any claims on each other,
Introduction Of some claim by the government Of
the United States for injury sustained on account
snEson ea 70
Interpretation OF his amendment but said that
If claims to compensation on account Of the
ligerent rig hts OF the Confederates were brought
forward by the government of the United States,
forward Claims to for damages done
TO British subjects by American blOckades which,
the Condedesates were not belligerents were ie:
Her Malcsty's governments had given en' of their
to meet the wishes OF the United States and to the
difference In the course Of proceeding adopted in
to take sSa per st Len
In the matter, or to adopt any amendment
to the convention even ii II had been free
authority, renewed his proposition In letter to
Lord Clarendon dated 25th March, 1850, In which ne
Of the States to os
vention consisted In the fact that the convention
provided only for the settlement BY arbitration
and American citizens upon tho respective
governments, and not for any claims which either
Ny government, he added, believe as nm now
advised that It has claim OF its own upon
Her Majesty's government because OF the conse-
quences resulting from premature recognition OF
the Confcderates during our late war. and nom
the fitting out OF the Alabama and other similar
vessels in Her Majesty's ports and from their
and prOvisioned during their periodical cruise.
The existence OF such q claim makes II as neces-
| sary that its ascertainment and adjustment
| shall be provided for as the individual
/ claims growing out Of the same circumstances.
| The United States government, down to this time
had insisted that the convention ought strictly
to follow the precedent or the Convention of 1851
| which contained no provision for any species OF
public claims. Lord Clarendon therefore, on April
$, 1869, thus
| ANSWERED MR.. REvERDY Johnson
Her Majesty's government could not fail to OBJ
serve that this proposal involved wide departure
from the tenor and terms of the Convention OF
1852 to which, In compliance with your Instructions
you have constantly pressed Her Majesty's govern
ment to adhere, as necessary to insure the rati1-
cation OF new convention by the Senate OF the
| United States. No undue Importance Is attached