Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1872-09-27
The Geneva Award.

THE Geneva Arbitration is ended. On
Saturday the result of the labors of the
Tribunal was made known, and the
United States awarded damages to the
amount of $15, 500, 900 in gold. Sir
Alexander Cockburn, the British Arbi-
traitor, refused to sign the award, but dis
patches from London eyince willingness
on the part of the English Government to
comply with the terms of the judgment,
for the sake of peace and for the sake of
this improvement in the law of nations.
The triumph of the United States in
this matter, after so many discouraging
circumstances, must be- source of pride
and qualification to every American.
Party feeling must sink into the back
ground as we contemplate this peaceful
achievement, the crowning glory of Gen.
eral Grants Administration. The press
of the country, without distinction of
party, was loud in its expression of salts
faction at the conclusion oil the Washing
ton Treaty by which this arbitration was
instituted but our qualification at that
initiatory step was little to the sense of re-
lief and satisfaction we feel at this final
completion of the great work so auspi
ciously begun at the Capital.
The aggregate damages claimed by the
United States, before the Commission
were $17, ,129, 900 We are awarded $15,.
800, 600. 1t is rarely that a suitor retires
from court with his claims so nearly sat
isfied. The Judgment shows the justice
of our demands, and the ability with
which they were prosecuted before the
Tribunal by our eminent counsel. Yet
the award is the smallest part of our vic
tory. For years we have been endeav
oring to settle this vexed question of in
ternatlonal law. Our disagreements aris
ing from it were source of ever present
danger. We have been repeatedly on the
verge of war with England growing out
of this misunderstanding and had it not
been for the prudent counsels of the
! President and his advisers hostilities
would have long since begun. The Treaty
of Washington, by which England sur
rendered her long asserted position and
admitted her liability for the depreciation:
of cruisers fitted out on her shores and es
Gaping through want of diligence, was
the triumph of the principle fol
which America has so long con
| tended. The next step was TO give
it a practical application, and this has
been done by the award of the Commits
! sion. What effect this peaceful settle
ment of grave differences will have upon
the future conduct of contending powers
remains to be seen, but it will strengthen
the faith of man in man, and lead us tC
look with higher confidence for the
coming of that brighter, better time when
"nations shall learn war no more" 1t is
the triumph of heart and brain and
Christian sentiment over hatred, material
ism and brutal instincts. And as the It'd
ings of the final consummation of this
great work is flashed over the world
there will go up from the lips of millions
of true men and women that hearty bene
diction, worth more than the trumpteC
fame of thousand warriors: "BlesseC
are the peacemakers."
According to the terms of the treaty
the amount of money awarded is made
payable at the city of Washington within
twelve months after the delivery of the
report of the Commissioners. Our Gov
ernment will have to make provision fol
distributing the gross amount among the
various claimants for damages resulting
from the acts of the several vessels fol
which England was held responsible
| Inter- Ocean,