The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1872-02-06
The Rumored English Reputation OF the
Treaty Of Washington.

attribute to the British member of the COM
mission desire to repudiate the treaty under
which he is to act, are true, he must have
well earned his reputation. The circumstan-
ces under which this new outbreak OF British
spleen has taken place are these: In COM
pliance with the third article of the treaty of
Washington, Charles Francis Adams, Sir
Alexander Cockburn, Count Sclopis, Baron
d'Itajuba and Mr.. Staempfi, appointed re-
spectively by the United States, Great Brit
ain, Italy, Brazil and Switzerland, met at Ge-
neva on the 18th of last December, to receive
from the two opposing governments their
scases." This business lasted only about
two hours, but it cost several thousand times
more than it would if the "cases' had been
distributed to the commissioners by mail, as
they might have been with safety and dis
patch. The statements of the two govern
ments, included in eleven large printed vol
umes, having been formally received, the
commissioners separated to meet again on the
18th of June for the purpose of considering
replies of the United States and Great Brit
ain, each to the ''case' of the other. These
replies must be laid before the commissioners
by the middle of April.
When John Bull came to sit down to study
the American cease, /" he opened his eyes very
wide with establishment. At length on the
18th of December, an article appeared in the
Morning Post, Tory paper, that gave rise to
the excitement which has now extended to all
classes of British subjects. The following ex-
tracts from the article in the Post will give
succinctly clear idea of what Englishmen
find Objectionable in the American claims:
flour present information is accurate-as we
are inclined to believe it to b., the American gov
eminent has incorporated in the statement of
its demands, if not charge for ''the graves of
its heroes, " charge for all the actual money
expenses incurred by ''the- prolongation of the
war" caused by our alleged fault This does
not tell all the story. tits reported that the $14
100000 claimed as compensation for the loss
sustained by the owners of the vessels and car
goes destroyed by the Confederate cruisers is
perhaps the smallest of all the items in the lit
tie bill presented for adjudication at Geneva
There are, besides this, and in addition to the
item for damages by prolongation of the re-
bellion growing out of the acts of the
Anglo Confederate cruisers" a long list of 9TH
er demands, which may be classified under five
separate heads-to-wit: First, damages for
the destruction of vessels and property OF
Lne u QlteQ states Dy Cne cruisers, second, uam-
ages for the loss of individual property belong
ing to the officers and men on board those yes
sells; third, repayment of the money paid by the
United States government in pursuit Of the
cruisers; fourth, remuneration for the losses in
CURED by the transfer of the American COM
mercial marine to British owners, to prevent
capture by the cruisers; and fifth, repayment
to American merchants of the money tn v paid
as increased rates of insurance during the time
of the ravages of the cruisers Altogether
scarca1v tn tyaf off for Iocc hon,
five hundred millions sterling. We don't ex-
actly see where the money is coming from, I'M
less we could induce the Americans to accept
Ireland, the Canadas, and slice of India in
part payment at a reasonable figure. The ex-
travagant nature of these demands is the best
assurance that the arbitrator, majority of
whom are to make an award which is to be fin
al, will refuse to entertain them. But that
they should be made, when their rejection is
certain, is not a pleasant circumstance. The
chief merit of the Washington treaty has been
said to be the fact that it would forever remove
all causes OF controversy between the two coun-
tries But ifyou bring suit against your debtor
for Ell, 900 and the jury awards you only one
penny, you are not content and even your
debtor is apt to complain that you have subject
ed him to cost and trouble in defending himself
against vexatious and unjust demand
There is doubtless some exaggeration in
this statement, but for a man who expects
bill of $40 to find himself charged with S1400,
with probability that large part of 1t can
be collected in the courts, is very disagree
able experience. Great Britain, expecting
bill of something over $4,000, 900, and find
ing herself charged with a portentously in
definite sum, that must reach hundred and
may reach q thousand times the anticipated
amount, proposes to defy the court. So the
era of good feeling between Jonathan and
John of which SO much was said last sum-
mer is in danger of temporary suspension if
nothing worse. When the British lion be-
came lamb-like, after the Washington treaty,
it was because that course promised to pay
the best. Now that the American people
have shown that they are not to be taken in
by this sort of acting and propose to have
their damages and the whole of them, the
lamb gives place to the traditional lion. 1t is
fortunate that this country is sufficiently pow
erful to demand the respect of Great Britain,
else we might be the victims of forced treaties
like those made with the natives of the coun-
tries in which the diamond fields lie.
1t is evident thatthe purpose of the pres
ent buster in England is to influence the
board of arbitration. Speaking for the Eng
lish nation, these journals practically say:
'sWe have agreed to the arrangement and
each party is to have hearing, but Messrs.
Commissioners, you will understand that I'M
less your doctrine IS perfectly satisfactory to
us, we won't standi$ssiI 10 bsssS.9, u Is
In this juncture Of affairs 1T is not best for
us to talk about war ana foiiew our British
brethren's example of buster. We do not
want war. Ii is always a calamity in every
aspect and we imagine if any are so. foolish
as to demand it, they will be the last persons
to take musket and go to the front. In this
matter we can afford to keep quiet at present
and await the decision of the Board of Ar
bitration, and when it is made accept it. If
our British friends think that is the manly
part to attempt to brow-beat the court,
let them do it; it certainly shows that
they fear the strength and righteousness
of our cause, and reminds. the observ-
er of the rufianly, bully who shakes his fist
in the face of mild judge with threats of
ersonal damage if he is not cleared
THE proposed bafr of the city's credit to
the Portland d Ogdensburg, the Portland G. |
Rochester and 10 the Portland, Rutland, Os- |
wego & Chicago Railroads, amounting in the |
aggregate to IS, $50 900, is the engrossing topic
of conversation and discussion at the present |
time in this city. sEhe PRESS, which has OPP
posed State aid to Railroads, the usurpations
of the European & North American and the |
lawlessness of the Maine Central Railroad, |
cannot, without a wicked sacrifice of principle,
support either of 'these schemes. 1t honestly
believes that their effect, if successful, would
be to increase taxation, impair the credit of
the city and to lay new burdens on the backs
Of the toiling masses. 1t will not feel justi-
fed, however, in excluding from its columns
the views of Others who as honestly believe
that this large expenditure will be just and
wise. An opportunity for full and fair dis
,ussion will be afforded to all, if it is possible
without surrendering more space than can be