The Portland daily press., 1872-03-06

LION. FREEMAN ii. MORSE ON TIE AMERI-
CAN CAsE.-Hon. Freeman III. Morse our
Consul-General at London during the whole Pc
riod of the war, has written to the London
Times of the 10Th of February, in which he ar
CUES the American side of the case with much
ability. He shows that there is not line in
our cease that authorizes the statement that
we claim two hundred millions sterling; replies
to the complaints about the length of the docu-
ment by showing that the English "case' is
nearly half as long again; and then restates
from the beginning, by an examination of the
protocols and treaty, the grounds on which
consequential damages have been included in
our plea. He let's it be known that the Ian
guage of the treaty has always been understood
in the United States to cover indirect damages
If we chose to claim them, and makes a new
point in referring to the board of assessors.
The direct claims, he contends, are already
known. The responsibility of Great Britain
being proved, the computation of direct dam
ages is a mere question in arithmetic, and the
assessors are useless:
Strike the claim for indirect damages from
the treaty, and theAghole machinery, provid-
ing, in the event of the arbitrator not being
able to settle on q round sum, in full discharge
OF all claims, direct and indirect. for board of
assessors, with the anticipated labor of two and
haif years before them. is useless trumpery,
foreign from the purpose OF the treaty, without
object, aim or end. Retain it, and the treaty is
harmonious in all its parts.
Mr.. Morse promised in this letter to follow
the subject in another communication. The
Times fastened to give an antidote in the same
issue that contained the letter of Mr.. Morse.
The editorial is most respondent in tone. The
Times repeats and seeks to justify the assertion
thatwe are claiming e2OO, 100000, and goes over
well-trodden ground of discussion on the
words ''aas amicable settlement" Its conclu-
sion is very like what we have read before in
the same journal:
'The treaty signed approved and ratified on
our side is not the treaty set up in the Ameri-
can case. There has been a thorough msap-
prehension on each side of the meaning of the
other, and if Mr.. Morse would realize this
truth and make it plain to his countrymen as
we have endeayored and do endeavor to make
it plain to Englishmen, we shall arrive at a
friendly agreement that the treaty of Washing
ton must either be dropped or reformed, for in
its present shape it does not cover any agree
ment between the two great nations concerned"
Since the re-enactment of hanging, the num-
Der of murders in this State has increased sur
prslngly. The last homicide was on Saturday
last at Dix Island 1t is pretty evident that
murderers do not stop to reason about the law
when engaged in their bloody work-Kenne-
bee Journal.
This is only one of many questions in rela-
ton to which the public will sometime-very
soon, we hope-adopt the same opinions that
have been supported in these columns. There
has been great progress in Maine on the sub
ject of capital punishment and woman suf-
frage since the PRESS began to advocate
those reforms a few years ago.
ALREADY few leading Democrats and
now and then a Democratic journal gives up
New Hampshire in the election next Tues
day, saying it would be much better for that
party to lose both New Hampshire and Con-
necticut in the pending elections. Should
they do this, they think that the Democracy,
for the sake of success in November would be
willing to be entirely passive. Nevertheless
1t does strike us that this expression of in
difference about these states has Just flavor
of "sour grapes" about it.
IT is only the wicked, who have been re-
buked, Mr.. argus, who say that the PRESS is
ill-natured. The inmates of the State insti-
opinion that the public generally fail in be-
nevolence. We have denounced the Legisla-
ture for instance. Our contemporaries very
generally expressed surprise and horror, at
the time, but we notice that they are now
many of them taking the same ground.
ANDREW JoHNsoN's was the last example
We have had of a "mixed' Administration.
1t was very much such one as we should
get from President elected by Democrats
and disappointed Republicans. Under john
sods Administration, during fifteen months,
sxty-seven millions of dollars less taxes were
collected than during the same time, with the
same laws, under Grants Administration.
Do the people like the contrast!
The Republicans of Newcastle, n H.,
carried the town election Tuesday, electing
every officer by majorities ranging from SO to
81. This is the first straw showing the feel
ing in the Granite State. The next will be
the election of Mr.. Straw, the Republican
candidate for Governor. In the spring of
1868, the Republica Is carried the town bv ID
majority.
THERE can be no doubt but what the De-
mocracy of Maine are committed to the pas
sive policy. Not only have the leading party
organs advocated it, but the municipal cleo
tons in Portland, Lewiston, Saco and An
burn afford the most indubtable evidence
that the party is entirely passive, perhaps
hopelessly so.
ONE of of our New England exchanges has
an article entitled: 'Now is the time to look
after gardens" If this matter had to be at
tended to Tuesday, we are jubilant in the
TACT that we have no piece of real estate that
bears that name-or any other, as a matter
of fact.
IT is well said that the New York Ty;bune
is now, barring the tariff, to all intents and
purposes Democratic paper.
The Tribune believes that the Democrats of
New Hamnsbira nv ma kinp war an ,,.o....