The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-04-26

and Southern States could a have :so. .;s a
.ss.M.ssed together there would have boon no
trnmpling upon the American Ang at
Charleston. and tho surrender OF APP
pomattox Court House would not have been
required o. on atonement for that oct. In our
present difficulty, II tho people Of England
and America could stand face to faoe, their
sound sense and manly feeling would point
out to them o short road out Of thoir difficult
ties. Both nations dosire peace and, II loft
to themselves, no disturbance Of their friendly
relations Is likely to OCCUR. Americans
have too recently felt tho misorios
Of war on their own soil to think
lightly Of such calamity. AT the close Of
the rebellion, only seven years ago. hun
dreds Of thousands Of desolated homes taught
US that peace is indeed blessing and war
fearful scourge. But, unhappily, the fate
Of people depends too often upon
nations are frequently hurried into war
through the indiscreet zeal of those who pro-
TESS to be the best friends Of peace. 1t is
against such danger that we now desire to
warn the administration at Washington,
and it is because experience has taught
us to distr,,st the services of oficious medi-
ators that we denounce the attempt of an inter-
ested lobby to lead the government of the
United States into new complications under
the guise of an honorable compromise.
The people of America will be proud
and glad to learn that President Grant
himself discourages these new endeavors to
induce an abandonment Of the American case.
He regards the question as closed so far as our
claims are concerned, and recognizes no other
power than that of the tribunal agreed upon
in the Treaty of Washington as competent to
decide the question Of their validity. This
is precisely the sentiment of the |
American people. Grave doubts have |
been entertained Of the expediency
Of our claims for indirect damages;
but this is no longer an open point in the con-
When the demand was originally
made in sonorous tones by Senator Sumner
many prudent and patriotic citizens deplored
the rashness of the enthusiast. But the Ameri-
can case was prepared with o full knowl-
edge of these facts and in conformity
with our rights under tho terms of the Treaty
Of Washington. 1t is, indeed, doubtful whether
! complete and final settlement of the differ
ences between the two governments
could ever have been reached without the
and decision of this
question of consequential damages, from
the first moment it was clothed in language
by Senator Sumner. AT the same time, the
American people have never contemplated
the collection Of any such amount of
money compensation as seems to be
involved in these claims. Let the decision
Of the arbitrators be what it may, we should
be willing as a nation TO forego every dollar
not strictly the rightful property of individual
claimants But having made out our case in
good faith, and in accordance with our
rights under treaty solicited by England, the
American people will demand with their
President, that it shall 60 intact before the
Geneva Tribunal for its consideration and
Judgment. Should England obstinately
refuse to abide by her own plan
of settlement the Treaty Of Wash
ington must become waste paper, and
the differences between the two nations must
remain for settlement in the future. To this
termination Of the dispute our own people will
not object. They hold perpetual mortgage
against the British government in the Ala
bama claims and have no apprehension as to
the security Of their debt They would not
dream of making the refusal Of present pay
ment cause Of war, and certainly England
could not draw the sword because Of her
own postponement Of the settlement she has
herself sought. Our people are, therefore,
contented to abide the course of events salts
fed with the decision Of the Geneva Tribunal,
should the treaty be carried out in good faith
equally contented to return to the status before
the treaty, should it be torn into fragments
We do not however, desire to conceal or
ignore the fact that the laundering diplo-
macy Of incompetent men has brought
-. 80 - = y-Trts7tl = - " 81
the two nations into an unfortunate
if not critical, condition. Mr. Glad