Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1872-10-31
The Result of the Geneva ,AFbi-
tratiOn. n.e-l-,..- y r..r-


The Result of the Geneva sAFbi-
sd, aE tratfon. 9suElf2gy bas
1t is the object for which the Ameri-
can Government had all long contended
was attained. A decision by the arbi-
tration of the point at issue was secured.
The additional advantage was also
gained that the Uunited States would
be able to fall back upon this decision(as
well as upon the arguments OF the
British Gevernment) if ever the latter
should present indirect or consequential
claims. Even the Fenian Claims,
which the British Government, had
repeatedly described as consequential,
were now forever barred. AS General
Schenck had well said in dispatch OF
May IA, discussing with Mr.. Fish the
supplementary article, III think the
principle declared in this article for
future observance between the two ma
tions is one which, if settled and main
tanned, must be of inestimsbfe advan-
tage to the United States. With our
chances of being generally neutral
when Great Britain and other Euro
pean states are belligerent, the benefit
of the rule are to be principally and
oftenest OURS, Our continental posi-
ton, our extended sea-coaSt, our num-
erous ports, the enterprising character
ofour citizens, and the difficulty ofres-
training their spirit of adventure,
surely make the rule that would thus
be established move valuable and more
favorable to the United States than to
perhaps any other country. All this
we secure in exchange for the surrender
of certain claims which we were press
ing before the Arbltrators of Geneva,
not with view to pecuniary c6mpen-
satiOu, but only because they wefeai
portion of the grounds of disagreement
between us and Great Britain, upon
which that Tribunal was empowered,
f3r the sake of perfect peace, to make
an award, while we ourselves dfdzhOt
hesitate to admit that it must be to our
gain to have the decision against Us:
This, It will be remembered, was writ
ten more than.a month before the de-
claration Of the Arbitrators. o On the
28thof May Mr. Fish had instructed,
General SchencK. AThe object OF the
United, States in insisting on retaining
the Indirect Claims before the Tribu-
.
81. The right under the Treaty to
present them.s,.,,aai
.'II. To have them disposed of and
removed from further controversy.
"III. To, obtain a decision either for
or against the liability of neutral for
claims of that description. -t., n -tsui.
55r'IV. If the liability of a neutral, for
such claims is admitted in the future,
then to insist on payment by Great
Britain for those of the past. sd. ynlliaII
.ffV. Having a case against Great
Britain, to have the same principle ap--
piled to it that may In the future, be. .in-,
voked against the United States" ii!iHf
After reading theSe eonfidentiSlc Conn
munieations between the statesmen
who conducted the principal negotia--
4 tions on the part of the United States,
1t viii be difficult to say that their alhSsl
were not justi ifabie5 patriotic worthy
of themselves and their country, and
eminently. within the. scope which the
world attributed to the Treaty of w ash
ington when IT was signed. 1t would
be equally difficalt to Show that those
aims were nbt fully attaihed.ui But for
an absurd and unnecessary ciarnor ofthe
London press, the object OF all the orr
pinaT negotiations would have been
reached without i'll yfeelingy without
the ridieulens paroxy ysm iof fright and
fury into which the British nation fall,
and without the chance of a great ma
ton deliberately determining on an act
of bad faith. Il
= The purely diplomatic triumph is as
surdly Americana Tor the decision OF the
Arbitrators is that to which the Ameri-
cans always offered to defer. Mr. Glad
stone announced in the royal speech'at
The propagation of Parliament, August
10: 81 rejoice to inform you that the
which had arisen between
my government and the Government
of the United StatesS in consequence OF
the presentation of ofthesAmerican claims
for Indirect damages under the Treaty |
of Washington has been compOsed bElal
declaration of tie AAr6tro- !
tors" The general British view OF the |
result, as expressed by Lord SCaiFhs, is |
acceptable son this side of the,
Atlantic. When Lord Granville an-
nouneed the decision of the Arbitrators |
TO the. House of Peers, the, ex-Ai iord,
High Chancellor Of England REM narKed:
$50 far as 1 have been able to gather,d
it would rather appear speaking in |
,inple fafiguage, that the result Of the
whele isthatt the "A Arbitrators at Geneva, |
have. decided the particular aud special
point which !; thought we !. had all
agreed they Should not Be Allowed to I
fecirie- e-ffa mefy, Telescope and texteHt +
of the Treaty, andft the question of
what should properly come under theil
BY Virtue s6f. fhat Treaty
A = xiznI5 <yz II cam s,&tl1er the AHi1eriear1