New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-02-24
TIE Treaty CORRESPONDENCE.

TIE TREATY CORRESPONDENCE.
The contents of Lord Granyilles note of
the Sd of February are not yet made public
by the State Department, but it is reported
that it as friendly remonstrance against our
Government including in our Case the claim
for indirect damages. A meeting OF the Cabl-
net was held yesterday in Washington, and the
note of the English Minister and the draft OF
Mr.. Fsh's proposed reply were fully discussed.
1t is understood that our response to the
English remOnstrance will be couched In
equally courteous and friendly terms but will
decline firmly to make any change in our Case,
and will justify from the Treaty and from
the protocol the attitude assumed by the
American Government in presenting its Case
at Geneva. That is to say, the hopes which
some of the more moderate English journals
and public men have pretended to enter
tain will be brought to nought. There
has never been from the beginning any
possibility of our Government Withdrawing its
claim. II is not likely that the English Gov
eminent can give us any new, ideas upon the
subject which did not present themselves to
our Commissioners and Secretaries during the
long period when tho Treaty and The Case
wero preparing. 1t is equally unlikely that
our Government viii be influenced by the posi-
ton which the English press have chosen to as
sumo and which Mr. Gladstone had the weakness
to fall into on the day when he was goaded
by Disraeli into giving utteTance to the i'm
patience and bad temper prevailing In En-
gland. IF any seriously expected this, they
will be disappointed; but it is probable that
most men will be entirely prepared for our
firm refusal to modify our claims before the
Board Of Arbitration. Ii would be u puerlity
equal to that which we criticised in tho En-
glish press and people, for us to permit them
now to tell us how we shall make our own
demand, and to modify our Interpretation of
the Treaty to fit the construction which it
suits the English Government to put upon it.
This difference of construction is not matter
which can now be settled by negotiation be-
tween the two nations. IL ia for the Board
of Arbitration to decide whether it has
jurisdiction over the class Of claims which have
been presented in our Case.
We are not without hope that, with the sub
sidence of the causeless excitement of the last
few weeks, the British Government may feel
strong enough to stand by their agreement,
and permit the Case to go to the Board as it
is now presented. The Ministry have made a
mistake which is well nigh fatal in setting
on foot this clamor against the Treaty,
and then joining in it themselves with
the authoritative voice of Mr.. Glad
stone. The fact which Mr.. Disraei tried
to elicit from the Prime Minister, as to the
time at which the American Case was received,
though sedulously concealed in London, is
perfectly well known i'll Washington. The
Case was delivered at the Foreign Office about
the middle of December, and q sufficient num-
Der of copies were sent to Lord Granville by
Gen. Schenck. For six weeks they quietly
studied it, working industriOusly over their
counter case, and only on the Sd of February
did it occur to them to protest against our
construction of the Treaty. They must either
admit an objectionable ladty of discipline in
the Foreign Office, OF a deliberate attempt to
gain mOmentary popularity by a dis
ingenious appeal to national prejudice.
If they can now safely retreat from the posi-
ton they ought never to have assumed, there
is no reason to suppose they will not do so.
The breach of the Treaty would be to En-
gland at this moment 20 serious disaster
that no cause which does not involve the
national honor would justify the Ministry in
proceeding to this extremity.
IT. however, they see fit TO withdraw from the
Arbitration, our course is clear. No one party
to contract can break it alone. Not only we
are Interested in this matter but every one of
the Powers represented in the Board of Arbi-
tration is party to the Treaty. If England
now refuses to be bound by bargain Of her
own making we should remain and lay our
cause before the Board. and proper regard
for iusticn and their own dignity will douhtless
induce the representatives of Italy, Brazil, and
Switzerland to remain and hear the case of
the Power which Loyalty abides by the Treaty
A verdict in our favor under these circum-
stances would be just. as satisfactory al if both
parties had remained i'll court, and would
tend to discourage future reyolts from treaties
where one of the parties may conclude that
al the advantage is not on its sido.
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UARD TO PLEASE.