Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1872-05-24
oC.s.-ThaA Alabama Claims.

Washington, May ;, 1911, Is Lhe IlILo Va "
large size octave volume of two hundred
and four pages. 1t presents the American,
or rather the Administration, view OF the
questions growing out of the Alabama
claims, and is in substance the 'IaWyers
BRIEF of the American Counsel before the
Tribunal of Arbitration. The scores
pondence, documents, evidence, &C. re-
ferred to in "the case," constitute seven
other volumes. A brief statement of the
leading points of ''the case' proper will be
sufficient to give our readers general IDEA
of this much veNed question: question
which not only engrosses the attention OF
both Continents, but which may lead to
gigantic war
The Case is divided into six parts.
Part / contains brief reference to the
meeting of the British and American Com
missioners at Washington City, the proto-
col of their conferences, the full text of the
Treaty Of Washington" and a statement
of what the United States will attempt to
establish
Part IL attempts to ''show, by an hlstorl-
cal statement of the course pursued by the
British Government toward the United
States, from the outbreak of the lnsurrec-
ton in the Southern States OF the United
States. that there was on the part OF the
British Government a studied unfriend-
illness or fixed predispOsition adverse to the
United States, which furnished constant
motive for the several acts of omission and
commission hereinafter complained OF as
inconsistent with its duty as neutral"
Part III. indicates to the Tribunal of Ar
btration what the United States deem to
have been "the duties which Great Britain
as a neutral should have observed toward
/ !be United States"
/ Part ~. seeks to show generally "where-
( in Great Britain failed to perform its duties
as neutral.
PATTY. seeks to show specifically where
in Great Britain failed to perform its duty
as neutral as to each of the following
named cruisers, to wit : The Sumpter, the
Nashville, the Florida and her tenders
the Clarence, the Tacony and the Archer
the Alabama and her tender, the Tusca
loosa, the Retribution, the Georgia, the
Tallahassee, the Chickamauga, and thu
Shenandoah.
Appended to this Part is the following
summary of the points maintained by thu
American Minister, Mr.. ADAMS
/. That the act Of recognition by Her Ma
IF ipS11rOoDtS hallip
erents Oh the high seas before they had
single vessel ahoat, was precipitate AM
unprecedented.
=. That it had the effect of creating thes
parties belligerents after the recognition
instead Of merely acknowledging an exist
ing fact.
,. That the creation has been since Ell
tected exclusively from the ports of He
Maiesty's Kingdom and its dependencies
with the aid and cooperation of Her Ma
jesty'S subjects.
4. That d.ring the whole course of tn
struggle III America Of nearly four years i
duration, there has been no appearance {
the insurgents as belligerent on the oceaI
excepting in tie shape of British vessel
constructed, equipped, supplied, manne
and armed III British ports.
). That during tie same period it hs
been the constant and persistent endeavo
Of my government to demonstrate in ever
possible form against this abuse of the neu
trality of this Kingdom and to call upo
her NIajesty's Government to exercise til
necessary powers to put stop to it.
6. That although the desire of Her Ma
jesty's Ministers to exert themselves in tn
suppression Of these abuses is freely az
knOwledged, the efforts which they mad
proved in a great degree powerless, froI
the ineflicency OF the law on which the
relied, and from their absolute refusa
when solicited, to procure additional pow
ers TO attain the objects.
I. That by reason Of the failure to chez
this fragrant abuse OF neutrality, the issu
from British ports Of a number of BIRTHS
vessels, with the aid of the recognition {
their belligerent character in all the port
Of Her Maiestys defendencies around til
globe, has resulted in the burning and de
stroying on the ocean of large number {
merchant vessels and very large amour
Of property belonging to the people of til
United States.
S. That in addition to this direct iniur
the action of these British-built, manne
and armed vessels has had the indirect e1
feet Of driving from the sea large porto
of the commercial marine of the Unite
States, and to a corresponding exten
charging that Of Great Britain, thu
enahli . one portion of the British peopl
to derive all unjust advantage from tn
wrong committed on friendly nation b.
another portion.
9. That the injuries thus received by
country which has meanwhile sedulousl
endeavored to perform all its obligation
owing to the imperfection of the lega
means at hand to prevent them, as well a
the unwillingness to seek more stringen
powers, are OF so grave a nature as il
reason and justice to constitute q Vali'
claim for reparatiCn and naturalization
1t is then declared that the ''United States
with confidence, maintains that every poin
thus asserted by Mr.. ADAMS has been es
tablished by the proof hereinbefore referred
to. IN leaving in the hands of the TRIBU-
NAL this part of their case, they think
no improperly earnestly to call attention
to the magnitude Of the issues to be de
cided.
Many vindictive and bloody war ha