The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1872-02-16
Queen Victoria and the Alabama
Claims.

In her speech at the opening of Par
lament on the 9th inst, Queen Victoria
referred ~ follows to the Warrington
treaty:
"The arbitrators appointed pursuant
to the treaty Of Washington for the
purpose of amicably settling the Ala
bama claims, held their first meeting in
Geneva. Bases were laid before the ar
bitrators on behalf of each party to the
treaty. In the case 50 submitted by the
United States, large claims are included,
which are understood on my part not to
be within the province Of the arbitra-
tors. On this subject have caused
friendly communication to be made to
the government Of the United States.
The Emperor of Germany has under
taken TO arbitrate on the San Juan wa
ter boundary, and the cases of the two
governments have been presented to
his Imperial Majesty. The commission
to sit at Warrington has been appoint
ed and is in session. The provisions Of
the treaty which require the consent of
the Parliament of the Dominion of Can.
ada awaits its assembling"
The attendance of members of the
House of Commons was unusually large
and the opening session was rather
stormy. Mr.. Disi aeli called the attention
of the house to the paragraph of the
royal speech in reference TO the arbitra'
ton of the Alabama claims. He ami.
madverted at some length upon the
treaty of Washington, for the faults of
which he blamed the Foreign Secretary,
Earl Granville, and Premier Gladstone.
In view of the developments which had
been made by the assembly of arbitra-
tors of Geneva, Disraeli wanted to know
why the government was exultant over
the edification it had given to Parlia-
ment on the subject. The royal speech
was signally unsatisfactory and showed,
in his opinion, that the government still
lacked q proper appreciation OF the
gravity of the question at issue between
England and the United States. The
American claims were greater than
those which would follow total con.
Quest. They were preposterous and I'm.
practical, and, il admitted, would be
fatal to the power and honor of Eng.
land. "Yet," said Disraeli, sneeringly,
"the whole subject is disposed of in one
brief paragraph Of the royal speech"
Mr.. Gladstone followed in reply. He
said that the treaty of Warrington
| itself shows that England il ready to
make every concession, short Of national
honor, to establish friendly relations
with America, and to set an example to
be followed by other nations hence
forth. 1.-THE government" said the
Premier, ais ready to explain every.
thing in connection with the treaty, but
it will not admit that it has unwittingly
made q mistake" The paragraph in
the speech is the only fair and unmis-
taxable Interpretation Of the treaty. He
could, if desired, refer to the preposter.
GUS character Of the American de-
mands, which, of itself, proved their ab'
surdity, for they were such as no people
in the last extremity Of war or in the
lowest depths of national misfortunes
with the spirit Of the people of England
in their hearts, would ever submit to-
[Cheers.l Mr.. Gladstone concluded by
saying the government would maintain
the position it had taken firmly, though
in a friendly manner.
! The following is a summary of thu
claims against Great Britain that arr
made in the American case before thu
Geneva Conference.
l. For the destruction of vessels ant
property belonging to the government
Of the United States, $4,000.
II. For the destruction of merchan
,, vessels, and property sailing under tn
flag of the United States, $17 SOC, 633.
III. For other damages or injuries Il
,, persons, growing out Of the destruction
|. of each class Of these vessels.
FIN respect to this item the lease
! says it is impossible ct present for th
.. United States TO present . detailed state
.. ment, but the amount Of the claim car
not be less than hundreds Of thousand
and possibly millions Of dollars, on y
count Of the hardy, helpless seame
and their families.
". For national expenditures in tn
! pursuit Of the cruisers, 81, 060, 47S.
! v. For loss in the transfer OF tn
= American commercial marine to tn
! British Gag.
lin respect TO this item the Unite
: States ask the arbitrators to estimat
the amount which ought to be paid
them, after We submit statistics in r
!. spect to our tonnage before and afts
: the rebellion.
= vi. For enhanced payments OF II
! surance by citizens of the United State
!. 80 far Is now known, 81 ,l2O, 1876.
VII. For prolo ,gation Of civil wa
: the addition Of large sum to the 60
I thereof, and Of the suppression Of Il
. rebellion.
. las TO this item the United Stat
: claims that after the battle Of Getty
!. burg offensive operations by the insu
Il gents were conducted only at %
= through the Anglo Confederate cruisel
! in the hope of involving the country
Z a war with Great Britain, and that u