The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-06-12
The Last Dish or Treaty Hodge,
POdge-Thc New Proposition OF the
British Government.

British Government.
Lord Granville has addressed another note
to Minister Schenck on the subject
of the Washington Treaty and the
cases before the Geneva Tribunal,
in which he sets forth, in substance
that inasmuch as the American government
refuses to enter into any further
agreement with England until she
shall have signed the supplemental
article as amended by the Senate,
and declines to concur in an application for
an adjournment of the Geneva Court for
eight months, it has been resolved by the
British Cabinet to make such application on
the part Of England alone. To that end the
British agent is instructed to repair to Geneva
on the 18th Of the present month, and to sub
NIT to the arbitrators request for an extern
sion Of time as specified, on the plea that the
difficulties between the two governments
have not yet been solved, although
it is hoped that they will eventu-
ally be removed The agent is further
directed to explain that, inasmuch as the con-
tracing parties are not yet in accord as to the
subject matter of the reference to arbitration,
Her Maiestys government decline to put in
their argument, as required by the fifth article
of the treaty, or to take any other step
in the arbitration at the present time;
ordered in accordance with what England be-
lieves to be the authority and power Of the
Court, Her Majestys government reserve all
their rights as heretofore to retire from the ar
bitration whenever they may think proper to
do so.
This singular course must be accepted as
another proof Of England's determination to
browbeat our government into the concession
of all her demands, or to place her own con-
struction on the treaty and act in such manner
as she may decide without reference to the
opinions or rights of the other contracting
party. When the British counter case was sub
mitted to the Geneva Tribunal it was
accompanied by reservation entirely unau-
thorized and in conflict with the spirit, if not
with the letter. of the treaty. The position
then assumed by Her Majesty's government
was unjustifable in any equitable proceed
ings They appeared as one of the par
ties before tribunal of arbitration pre-
viously agreed upon, and gave notice that
at any moment they should claim the right to
throw up their case, withdraw from the trial
and break up the Court. Emboldened by the
failure of the American government to resist
this singular proceeding they now attempt
a still more unwarrantable violation of their
obligations The fifth article Of the Treaty
of Washington provides that on the 18th
of June the arguments shall be placed in
possession of the Geneva Court and neither
of the contracting parties has any right to
disregard this provision. Yet England in
structs her agent to inform the tribunal
that she declines at this time to
submit her argument or to take
any other step in the proposed arbitration, and
imperiously demands an adjournment of the
Court for eight months, at the same time
volunteering her opinion as to the power of
the Court to concede such an adjournment.
Under these circumstances the duty of our
government is plain. The American people
are weary of this trifing with the nations
honor and self-respect, and will demand that
our agents be instructed to resist this latest
ATTEMPT at violation Of the treaty and to