The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-05-17
The English Blood and Kindred Cry
and the Treaty-The Plain Issue
Before the Senate.

VI Before the Senate.
1t is curious fact that the shibboleths of
kindred peoples, christian nations" "com-
mon blood" and SO forth, ad nausea,n, are
never heard between England and America
except at the precise periods when this nation
is asked to make some sacrifice in England s
favor. When the Union was writing In It's
war struggle for very existence the 'com-
mon blood was accounted in England no
thicker than water, and the press OF that
kindred people, in its gloating over the
4 slaughter of our brave soldiers was applauded
by that ssChristian nation" when it said in it's
savagery that ''the Yankees are the scum of
/ the earth" The notwithstanding parsons;
the meddlesome quidnuncs who are ickspittles
|. in one country and ultra Christians in the
other; the tmid business men, whose interests
are on the opposite side of the Atlantic to their
|, nationalities; the amateur dplomatists, whose
genius has never received more recognition
\ than it is worth, all rush in on such occasions
as the treaty difficulty to befog simple ques-
ton with their fulsome platitudes. The harm
which these volunteer owls of politics have
lately wrought on this side arises from an
| adroitness in having their hootings taken for
the time as the voice of the American people.
\ The English Cabinet, press and people, were
\ induced by them to think that we were as
H much opposed to the claim for indirect
damages" as the English themselves. Hence
Granville's encouragement to browbeat and
bully our timid, vacillating Secretary of State,
and hence Minister Schencks piteous wall
ing through the cable.
1t is not at all surprising that the English
organ of the administration here should enter,
con 0more, upon the task of putting British
sugar upon the bitter pill of national humilia-
ton which its directors in the English Foreign
Office and whip-drivers in our State De-
partment ask the Senate of the United States
to swallow. That it breaks out all over with
an eruption of spurious ''Christianity'' is what
might be expected. 1t is, as we have said, the
plea on which America is ever asked to back
down from stand of national honor or con-
cede some material advantage to the CONNER
cial greed of England; and, indeed, that it's
chronic mendacity should find fitting express
sion will not astonish many. From the outset
the HERALD hailed the principle Of arbitration
as set forth in the treaty, and the country with
out any enthusiasm whatever acquiesced in
1T; but the English organ mistakes the Ameri-
can people when it says disingenuously: cit
Will be an intense disappointment to them to
see this effort come to naught because we have
asked too much and now stand by our de-
mands." Naturally this English paper takes
the English view-that we have asked too
much. 1t. however, fails to show where the
''intense disappointment" will come in, and
wherein we have ''asked too much" wherein,
in fact we have asked anything at all beyond
what the treaty clearly admitted-namely,
nothing in the matter of award, but in the
principles Of law to go before the arbitra-
tors. The English organ then goes on to
say that 'the treaty, too as framed, was pecu-
liarly advantageous to this country" The
writer evidently believed for the nonce he
was addressing England His language, un-
fortunately is exactly the reverse of truth
when applied to America England, with the
claims hanging over her like sword of
Damocles, was chained to the rock of inter-
national peace. This treaty would leave
her free to become once more first class
Power in European politics, where she is now
q cipher Its carrying out to the utmost ex-
tent would not matter to America nationally,
one way or the other the value of straw
and it is in the interest of such piece of
generosity to England that the English organ
calls on the Senate to surrender our national
pride and honor to the clustering beggar at
our gates, under the pressure Of Chris
tianity,' common blood and kindred
peoples, aided by ready and INSCRIPTIONS
misrepresentation.
Between two private parties, in the matter
OF business agreement, these by questions of
religion, blood and race are not allowed to
enter. The parson buys his land from Jew
without them. The American quidnunc,
truckle as he may, cannot buy a roll of Eng
fish cloth on the credit of common blood"
and the American business man who maun-
ders about kindred peoples would not
sell bale of middling cotton to Manchester
with his securities in ''the glorious ties Of
Anglo-Saxon origin" Why then. should this
begging the question be allowed to befog an
International dispute?
It may be that the indirect claims ought
never to have been included in our case. but it
is too late to consider that now and at any time
it was question for us alone to decide. Our
government put its decision Enthusiastically on
the record when it included conseque ntial
damages in our ''case,' and, as if to make
assurance doubly sure about what we meant, it
said to England. through our Secretary OF
State:-"Al the propositions by the British
government involve covertly, probably with
out design what this government can never
agree to-the withdrawal from the province Of
the tribunal of what we believe to be entirely
within their competence But the timid and
vacillating Secretary. with these indelible