The Portland daily press., 1872-01-24

policy. tsrfEs IL 1919 ftf4E
John Bull Frightened.
1p FEARS THAT TIE GENEVA COMMISSION WILL
.t= FINE HIM HEAVILY. Il u
From the New York Iffbnue's London Letter
- of Jan. 6thl
Englishmen have been in much distress of
mind since the publication of the American
case submitted to the Court of Arbitration, at
Geneva. They think we want too much They
are amazed to find that our grievance is not
only sentimental-they used to make great fun
of us on that score-but exceedingly practical,
and likely to foot up very round sum in
pounds sterling or gold dollars. They wonder
at the length of our memory and the strength
Of our statement. They cannot conceive why
we should go raking up the ashes of old contro-
versies; why we should still think the conduct
of England during the Rebellion unfriendly
and unfair, and say SO. Did not the Treaty of
Washington inaugurate an EZRA of good feel
ing?" Did not England apologize? Have we
not exchanged great number OF polite phrases
during the six months since the Treaty? l
might fill my letter with a recapitulation of
questions like these and with English denunci-
atoms of the line We have taken at Geneva. 1t
is clear that we have taken John Bull by sur
prise, and he is half inclined to think there is
some trick in the Treaty itself. What he is
fond of calling the Summer view OF Anglo
American difficulties he fully believed dead and
buried. Claims for constructive damage and
indirect INJURIES the loss to our commerce and
the prolongation of the war were abandoned,
he thought Now that he suspects they have
come to light again and been sprung on him
under cover of Treaty, he manifests some
alarm and a good deal of indignation. For the
moment the old opponents of the Treaty have
the advantage of its friends, and are crying out
Justify, we told you SO. And we hear observa-
tions about Punic faith, which, if not original,
are meant to be singing. " l3' ls
Iaa1 f,f toll hat sx-afo
or public, is in the old insolent and discourte
GUS Tone We are reminded how quickly we
yielded in other matters, where our bark was
very fierce, but not followed by bite. The
Trent case is once more paraded, and they
have good right to parade it. That the "Yan-
kee document is all Buncombei is another COM
mon expression. That it is meant to influence
the Presidential election is another l don't
think any American act was ever done or word
uttered which was not readily applicable to the
British mind on this theory. The Times de-
voted it's leading article to this question for
three successive mornings this week. They
were mainly occupied, however, with stating
the British case in answer to the American, and
the absence of irritating remark was very no.
ticeable. Whatever Tory organs may think it
wise to say, no man in his senses really wants
to revive the old animosity between the two
countries. We can afford to pass in silence the
taunts of enemies who have found it expedient
to put their expression of regret on record in
treaty. 81 - .7-t.-l3 lt,s.-- Ell
Nevertheless, it is easy to see breakers ahead.
There has been something like a misunder-
standing in respect to the Treaty. 1t may be
assumed that the Commissioners who framed
it and the two Governments who assented to it
knew tolerably well to what they bound them
selves. But a Treaty is one thing, and the pop
ular impression of it another. In America,
perhaps, shall not be far wrong in supposing,
the Treaty was popularity looked on as a sur
render, by Great Britain, of nearly all the
points she had heretofore contested. The de-
cree of an Arbitration Court and the applica-
ton of er post facto rules of international law
to the acts of the British Government in refer
ence to the Rebel cruisers were looked upon as
a roundabout way of confessing their guilt and
providing for full reparation. The decision of
the Geneva Court was regarded as a foregone
conclusion. In England, on the other hand, it
was considered that the American Government
had abandoned Mr.. Summers ground, and
thrown overheard all claims for remote and
consequential damages by the Alabama as well
as on account of the recognition by Great Bri-
tain of Rebel belligerency.
y Neither of these two understandings is con-
firmed by what has happened at Geneva The
Amt rican case has startled the British public
and, for ought know, the British Govern
ment, by the extent of its demands, not less
than by its argumentative statement Of all our
grounds of complaint. The British reply will,
perhaps, create equal surprise in America In
stead of an arbitration almost formal in charac-
cter, and defendant almost ready to consent
to judgment, we find tribunal perfectly seri-
GUS, and British counsel ready to contest every
inch of ground. We find our whole claim re-
jected, our legal right denied, our statements
of facts traversed, the conduct of Great Britain
justified, and the sailing of the Alabama defended
as either innocent or not lawfully preventible
by the British Government, even under the new
rules laid down by the Treaty. fs-l
AS the Court of Arbitration has adjourned for
the present, there will be plenty of time on
both sides to consider the actual state of
things in the light of the new attitudes which
the two countries hold to each other. Nothing
has yet happened to put the arbitration scheme
in peril The English do not believe they are
really to be fined G200,000,000 sterling, or as
some OF them put it e400, 100000 or G500, 000,-
600 Neither do we expect any such award,
though we expect a good deal more than Eug-
sion of ill-temper will, we may hope pass off,
as the explosion about Mr.. Summers speech
passed off. On our part, we need not be greatly,
...ssrisad to find Sir Ra,sndall -Ralmar,s pro-
dence. He always argued the Alabama case,
in Parliament and out of it on technical grounds.
He thinks he has good case for the jury. A
great many Englishmen think so. Mr.. Glad
stone no doubt thinks SO. But the essential
thing to us is what the arbitrators will think.
So long as we have no reason to distrust their
fairness, we can tolerate one more display of
British feeling. We may be sorry for it. /
was inclined to suppose the Treaty had really
modified the extreme dislike of everything
American which large class of Englishmen
are SO fond of expressing. But we can wait till
they are in better mood.
ihH Recent Publications. j.
The An,ericam Enterprise is gorgeous illus
trated paper published by Lee g. Shepard, Bos-
ton. The first number, published year ago,
great attention here and in Europe
The designs are by Hennessey. The engraver
is Linton and WEIGH, Bigelow & Co. are the
printers Such a combination of talent has of
course produced an agreeable result. The prin-
cipal engraving is an allegorical design repre-
senting the issuing forth of Dana's Sun of
morning. Another represents Edwin Booth in
his character of Benedick. This is from gal
lery of twelve character-portraits, drawn by
Hennessey, engraved by Linton and published
by Osgood & Co. There are many more exqui-
site designs. 'e '. iH
En- KcTto una TYPES Drn1anrfn Drew, a pru-
fessional proof-reader, conveys as much in
formation of a practical nature as is often
found in so small book. He.tells almost every
thing that writers for the press, proof-readers
and compositors want to know. The book NAV
not always be right, but its lapses from accu-
racy are SO infrequent that all but the most
scholarly readers will find themselves profited
by studying it. 1t treats of writing for the
press, proof-reading, style, punctuation, orthog-
'aphy, reading Greek, the technicaLties of the
printing Office and the different kinds of type
Published by Lee & Shepard and for sale by
Loring, Short & Harmony 5s.r{s
Auegories of Life by Mrs. j. s. Adams does
lot contain any one allegory so thrilling as the
Progress, but each of the twenty
hree is good deal shorter than that immortal
work, besides having grace and beauty of its
OWN. (Lee & Shepard, Boston. For sale by
Loring, Short & Harmony .i
1sco Ptu'ages for a Pearl novel by Morti-
ner Collins, has been added to "Appleton's
library of Choice Novels" Illustrated. Price
cents. ID. Appleton & Co., New York For
ale by Bailey & Noyes)
Prof. James De Mile is the most vivacious of
nodern novelists, and The american Baron, his
asst work, is the most vivacious of his books.
,ou can buy it bound in red cloth for S1.75, or
a paper for rs cents. Both editions are pro-
usely illustrated. The first part of Blade
Grass, by Farjeon, which is published serial
in the Bazaar, is issued in paper covers. Il
(Harper & Brothers. For sale by |
'oring, Short & Harmon Hi-l
Heading Without Tears is a little book writ
en- with the amiable design of rendering the
ath OF learning thornless for little feet
steps have been cut in the steep rock, and
overs have been planted by the wayside.
'lctures are those fowers-careful arrange
lent and exact classification are those steps"
he plan may be a somewhat chimerical one.
L. L.. loa.,