New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-05-06
TREATY OF WASHINGTON.
VOICE or AN AMERIcAN REsIpENr ABROAD

TO the Ed tor Of The Tribune
SIR: IL is possible that among the diverse
views to the Alabama difficulty, especially that phase
Of IL in which seem to be now vedged fast.
which obtain in the United states, there may
be room TO urge another-that OF the American
who. residing abroad, mostly gets his views on
home matters toned down little and, from the habit
hearing those OF other PERSONS learns the great Lesson
poteto see ourfelves"s others see u.s.
Those OF us who remain at home to read only our own
papers do not conceive what strange lights common
places some OF our official and social antics how
completely all tho extenuatng circumstances evan
when exposed thereto. still less can you
conceive the modification we have at the I'M
preston produced by these grand exposes
which from time to time crop out OF the unTeporeh ana
unknown deadleve Of American existence and impress
all tho world who does not know we'll that Fsks and
Tveeds, and Erie swlndes and Tammanys only the
natural and the only natural fruit American In
sttutons The m0nstrous extraordinary events are
the only which attract the attention Of outsider,
and they are 1t must be said with us, not often OF a
kind TO reflect credit the nation Probably not
exceptional in this and console ourselves by re-
publishing all the sean mag. OF European society and
by and by Of Chinese and japanese when 1t shall have
become necessary to selesteem that we should
| disparage those, our neishbors.
We have however generally succeeded in resuscatina
sefrespectn not In !renewing our prestige with
! our foreign friends by assuring them that these
| things were the accidents OF imperfect legislation
l that our system was induciye OF better results.
| I have often maintained that the Eepubhc
| was, cGerts paribus, the most peaceable OF all
governments and that own In particular had made
greater advances toward an ideal OF International Legs
aton than any of the older monarchca governments OF
the world maintained this because believed IL, and
find from experience that there Is no misfortune whleh
can befal honest advocate like that OF finding his
| cause betrayng his advocacy And this s what has
| happened to US who patriotic in the bounds OF
| op1h hon VI
when It is clearly wrong, and wh0 above and beyond
this desire that may be aud not pretend TO be- liberal
aud lust and civilized. feel from daily contact Win
many nations republicans well as monarchlsts
that the course OF Government In regard TO this
Treaty of Washington hasincted irretrievabe damage
| on odr moral influence abroad on our self-respect
when abroad and put clearly out OF court
! In regard to the question directly involved.
| 40 knows better than do, the
| profound provocation which England gave us by her
In reference TO relations or the malignant
hostility with which certain part Of the English people
sought an opportunity break up confederation
while the entering wedge in. was in the country
during the Trent affair." and heard too many expressions
Of the unmgated satisfaction at our evident doom not
to assured that had few friends here have not
learned since that they have much increased and shall
be much surprised II they have not totally disappeared
| before the Tribunal of Geneva renders judgment.
doubt II had so few friends in England as now.
am certain that in no case was the public opinion of
| Europe completely against US.
heard from the lips OF Bfr. Adams, Minister 10
England, when the news OF the Trent affair reached
England that there determination on the part OF
the Palmerston Government push the question to a
rupture II possible, and secure the overthrow OF the
Union thereby and that when the dispatch demanding the
release Of Mason and Sdel submitted to the Queen
she refused TO sign until the passages which Pamers
| ton had relied to make compliance impossible ana
war certain were erased declaring that in her opinion
| the dispatch, as offered, calculated TO cause
rupture which she would not be accomplice be-
lieye that there is little question, outside Of
| buncombc that If it had come to this pass,
! the Union as then and constituted
| would have ceased to exist. We therefore, with
wise gratitude recompense the Queen by the attempted
humiliation OF her peoplewe put friends to sbame
and justify those who always prophcsed Ill OF MS and
wished destruction There is sort of poetic mean
ness and want OF sentiment in this which, for sent
mental people, is worth studying. was here, too when
the Alabama question in its first phases and know
| that the shopkeeping element dwelt with great
| comIlacency the certain effect to be produced on
Yankee shipping interests by the Confederate cruisers
SIZED from my personal experience at that time
| that public opinion demanded the sailing Of the Ala
bama, and rcoiced in 1t likely to do US much HARM
We had our choice of the mode Of getting satisfaction
for all this and If this course had declaration OF
war; a demand in open and uneguiyocal terms OF in
dcmnty for specified Injuries, whether England had
RECOGNIZED responsibility not should At least have
got for bodness andopen maintenance our rights
and ght have carried large amount ympatlE
with lis in other nations for En- Gland has friends
among the Governments, and there few no would
not rejoice in her humiliation. l do not belize that Mr..
Sumner moderated the uurendness Of En4 IA or the
amount OF injury did lis. and make quest OF the
lust responsibility OF England therefor; bus d. question
OF compensation for that injury should, IA or have
been settled openly and with due dc,erlii itOn to
insist On the form proposed II We ani,n punish
England we had perfect right, and cc case on
which TO do -. Instead of tins GO.cr.l.It mado
smicabe professions and thus, having Ia cd ne En-
glsh 20 make an apology for its gec ld 20 NIT 10
the Judgment impartial tr unal, pr a. itself be-
fore that tribunal with claims which y4cl nj. con-
ditons Of accommodation arrangement nAuli.st an
utterly uncompromsng resolution ON o.r part aud
Aually end, If upsetting the whole treaty, in nc
least destroying all prestige for beray AL civilized
motive which may accrued to from aaugura
ton of serious effort settle international du tes
| by logical and civilized means.
It is needless to discuss the question OF what we be-
ieye or know have been the extent Of the moral re
sponsibilty OF England in the matter Our views on
this point will be adopted by any outside Jury or
tribunal and. proposing to arbrate question which
We might have pushed at our own time and conve
nence to the ultima ratio, gained for the moment
great credit for moderation and sincere devotion 10
| International rights The position in which our Case
has put all impartial and Indifferent people 10
that OF crafty politician who having extoted an apol
oy under false pretenses, renews pretensions which,
was believed (and which he had allowed TO be so be-
leved we're disposed of and the greed and unfrendy
| character of our claims have much than undone
| the good our first efforts at Cancellation had
DONE and attached the disreputabe practices OF
Erie and Tammany to the Federal Government. IL IL OF
| no moment how much how little we deserve this
stigma is beyond question that 1t has obtained and
equally beyond question that we have gained nothing
| .G..e- 49,.