Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1872-02-22
The Treaty on the Alabama Claims,
and the ''AmerIcan Case"

The following il the origina! text Of the
most important portions OF the Treaty or
Washington hearing on the Alabama claims:
WHEREAS, Her Britannia Majesty has au-
thorized High Commissioners and Plenipo-
tcntiaries to express, in "A friendly spirit, the
regret felt by Her Majcsty's Government for
the escape, under whatever circumstances,
of the iiabono and other vessels from Brit
ish ports, and for the dcpradations commit
ted BY thio-t- Vessels, now, IN order to re-
move and adjust all complaints and claims on
the part Of the United States, and to provide
for the speedy settlement of such claims,
which are not admitted by Her Brltanic
MajGsi ~ L-+o-ertftrrrrt; tho tnry1 contracting
parties agree that all the said claims growing
out of acts committed by the aforesaid YES
sells, and generally known as the "Alabama
claims" shall be referred to II Tribunal of
arbitration to be composed of five arbitrators,
to be appointed In the following manner,
that Is TO say: One shall be named by the
President Of the United States; one shall be
named by Her Britannia Majesty; His Maj
csty, the King Of Italy, shall be requested
to name one; the President of the Swiss Con-
federation shall be requested to name one,
and his Majesty, the Emperor Of Brazil,
shall be requested to name one.
After providing for filing OF vacancies,
etc, and for the assembling of the Board
of Arbitrators at Geneva, the treaty contin-
ues
They shall proceed impartially and care
fully, to examine and decide all questions
that shall be laid before them on the part OF
the Governments of the United States and
Her Britannia Majesty respectively. All
questions considered by the Tribunal, includ-
ing the final award, shall be decided by a
majority of all the arbtrators. Each of the
high contracting parties shall also name one
person to attend the Tribunal as its agent to
| represent 1t generally in all matters connect
ed with the arbitration.
In deciding the matters submitted to the
arbiIrators, they shall be governed by the fol-
lowing three rules, which are agreed upon
by the high contracting parties as rules to
be taken as applicable to the case, and by
such principles of international law not in
consistent herewith as the arbitrator shall
determine to have been applicable to the
case. A neutral government is bound.
First To use due diligence to prevent the
fitting out, arming, or equipping within its
jurisdiction of any vessel which 1t has rea-
sonable grounds to believe is intended to
cruise or carry on war against power with
which it is at peace and also to use like dill
igence to prevent the departure from its ju'
risdiction of any vessel intended to cruise or
carry on wap as above, such vessel having
been specially adapted, in whole or In part,
within such jurisdiction, to warlikc use.
Secondly. Not to permit or suffer either bel
Hgcrcnt To make use III It's peFts or WdtcTS
as the base of naval operations against the
other or for the purpose of renewal or aug
mentation of military supplies or arms, or
the recruitment of men.
1hirdiy. To exercise due diligence in its
own ports and waters, and as to all persons
within its jurisdiction, to prevent any viola
ton of the aforesaid obligations and duties.
Her Britannia Majesty has commanded her
High Commissioners and Plenipotentiaries
TO declare that Her Majcsty's Government
cannot consent to the foregoing rules as n
statement of principles of information law
which were in force mt the time when the
claims mentioned in Article arose, but that
Her Majestys Government, in order to evince
its desire of strengthening the friendly rela-
tions between the two countries and of max
ing satisfactory provisions for the future,
agree that, in deciding the questions be-
tween the two countries arising out of those
claims, the arbitrators should assume that
Her Majesty's Government had undertaken
to act upon the principles set forth in these
rules. And the high contracting parties
agree to observe these rules as between
themselves in future, and to bring them to
the knowledge of other maritime powers,
and to invite them to acceed to them.
The decisions of the Tribunal shall, If pos
sible, be made within three month of the
close of the argument on both sides. 1t shall
be made in writing, and dated, and shall be