Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1872-03-01
From the EMORY BANNER.
THE GENEVA CONFERENCE.

i he AlaDai1d cIdlInS, 1t IS well
known have been cause of serious
controversy between this country and
England ever since the termination of
the civil war in 1865. An investiga-
tiOn into the origin of this great sub
ject of contention can but be instruc-
| tive and entertaining. At the begin.
ing of the war in this country, England
declared herself neutral power, and
sent an official dispatch to both con-
tending parties, notifying them of the
purpOrt of her intentions. In the
course of the war, however, she viola
ted the requirements of internation-
| al law, respecting neutrality and there
by rendered herself amenable to its
penal provisions. This violation of
neutrality consisted in permitting GER
tain men-of-war to be built and fitted
out! in her ports without exercising
due vigilance TO hinder or prevent all
schemes, laid within the bounds of
her jurisdiction, to further the interest
or prOlong the existence of the foreign
| war. The United States claim that
England's assistance to the Confede-
rate States in the way of supplies
of ships and articles of COM
merce, cost the United States govern
ment over twenty-five millions Of dol
lars, direct damages. The larger pOr
ton of this, amounting to seventeen
millions, consisted in the destruction
of vessels and their cargoes, by the
Alabama the Florida" and other
cruising ships, belonging to the Con-
federate States but harbOred and sup
piled by England. To her they attrib-
ute the total damage done, and seem
- 0,-k1 e
| midshipmen of no avail. Seven mil
lions more they would have her
pay to defray expenses incurred, in
persuing and overcoming these So
called piratical ships, which under the
banner of the South, gave them so
much cause of perturbation and Impe-
ded to so large an extent their COM
| lnerce.
In vain did the two powers attempt
to settle their differences through their
ministers at the two courts, and after
five years of fruitless endeavors, they
finally determined that each should
appoint commissioners, and that they
should meet in Washington, during
the winter of 1871, and have all claims
presented to them, each to be discuss
ed until it should be adjusted in sat-
isfactOry manner.
The Joint High Commission met in
pursuance to agreement, in January
1871, and upon the opening Ofthe first
session of the conference, the Ameri-
can Commissioners laid before the
house a statement of the claims of the
United States. They stated that there
were extensive direct losses sustained
in the capture and destruction of a
Io- Of nd hni
goes; in the heavy national expendi-
lures in the pursuit of the cruisers an
indirect injury in the transfer of the
American marine, to the British flag
in the addition of large sum to the
suppression of the rebellion" They
added also, that the amount of losses
to individuals exceeded fourteen mil
lions, already presented, but that
amount might be greatly increased by
CLAIMS Tot yet presented. They agreed
that no estimate WAS to be made, of
the indirect damages, provided that
an amicable settlement was made by
the Joint Hugh Commission raserving,
however, the right of claiming indem-
MITIGATION for them, if no settlement
was concluded upon. The English
commissioners declined to make the
part of the United States.
The Joint High Commission then
entered into negotiations, which re-
suited in a decision to have tribunal
of arbitration appointed, in order that
all complaints and claims of the Uni
ted States might be removed and ad-
justed. and that all claims growing
out of acts of depreciation by cruisers
favored by England should be referred
| for decision to this tribunal. 1t was
| Furthermore agreed that if this tribu-
nal should find that England had by
any act or omission violated any prin-
cipal recognized by international law
il should then proceed to award a sum
to be paid in gross by Great Britain to
| the United States for all claims decided
upon by it.
By another stipulation they arranged
that the President of the United States
the Queen of England, the King of
Italy. the President of the Swiss Con-
| federation, and the Emperor of Brazil
should each be requested to appoint
| one of the arbitrators, and that if any
one of the places should be vacated by
death, sickness, incapacity or refusal
to serve, it should be filled by the same
party as in the primary instance, and
If it refused by King of Norway and
Sweden.
The President of the United States,
at the suggestion of Secretary Fish,
appointed Charles F. Adams; and by
his intelligence, his ability and his
great experience and knowledge, he is
eminently fitted for so high position.
No more suitable man could have been
found in this whole country /; for he
has played all extensive part already
! in regard to the Alabama claims, hav-
ing been Envoy Extraordinary to Lon
don at the very time when the scenes
| of this stupend0us disturber of peace
were first enacted, and stood out in
bold relief, openly prociaiming them
selves utter violations of international
law, and totally regardless of every
principle of the law-binding neutral
powers. To his vigilance, calmness,
and conspicuous forethought, are the
United States, indebted for record
containing most of the data, which
enable them to make out so formida-
BILE a case against England. Truly We
people of the United States should feel
prOud to be able to send forth such a
representative to the first great Confe-
renee of Arbitration, established to
settle difference, which in more un-
enlightened age would have been CON-
cluded only by bloOdshed and carnage.
England may boast of her Coehburn.
sage, prudent, eminent statesman as
he is, but America has the honor of
sending to the Geneva Conference, the
official of broadest intellect, most ex-
pansive views, and with a Judgment
unshackled by the narrow boundaries
and customs of one country. Her
Rritalic majesty named as arbitrator
the Right Hon. Edward Coekburn.
He is descended from line of eonspic-
uous ancestry, and has himself held
every position of esteem and honor,
from a seat in Parliament, from an
humble borough to the exalted posi-
tion of Lord Chancellor of the Queens
Bench to which he was appointed in
1851. He was never suited to common
pleading at the bar-the humber part