The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-02-09


capital. The Treaty of Washington was the
result Of their joint labors. In that treaty,
as plainly as words could express it, the
United States government was authorized to
present to the Geneva Conference, created by
the treaty, ''all claims and complaints, not
alone for the direct depredations of the
Anglo-C Confederate privateers, but ''growing
out" of their acts. We cannot too often i'm
press these facts upon the minds of our read
ers. This solemn treaty, signed by Commits
soners who were specially charged by the
Queen of England to make the concession the
nation had heretofore haughtily refused, and
to express her sincere regret at the escape ofthe
privateers ''under whatever circumstances"
was ratified and exchanged by the two govern
ments and became binding instrument upon
both. From that moment neither could recede
from 1t without dishonor. 1t Is this treaty
which the English Queen and government are
now urged to repudiate because the Ameri-
can case, as presented to the Geneva Con-
ference, created by the treaty to hear impair
TALLY and to determine justly all claims and
complaints growing out of the acts of the
privateers, does not meet the approval of the
English politicians.
As an interesting and instructive subject,
bearing directly upon our own case, we pub
fish to-day the answer of the British govern
ment to the famous circular of Prince Gorts-
chakoff, in which the intention of Russia to
abrogate of Its own will certain obligations of
the Treaty of Paris, was first announced
to the world, and the comments of the leading
English journals upon the alleged dishonor-
able conduct of the Russians. Earl Granville
ably argues upon the injustice of any one
Power undertaking to emancpate itself from
those stipulations of treaty which it thinks
ft to disapprove. ut is quite evident" he
says, ''that the effect of such doctrine would
be the entire destruction of treaties In
their essence; for whereas their whole
object is to bind Powers to one another, and
for this purpose each one of the parties sur
renders portion of its free agency, by the
doctrine and proceeding now in question one
of the parties in its separate and individual
capacity brings back the entire subject into its
own control and remains bound only to
ITSELF" Earl Russell, the Hotspur of the
Alabama controversy, ys:-''It seems
to me that we ought to stand
as a unit upon the ground that
Lord Granville has taken" The London
Times says it is no excuse because treaty
Is found to be objectonal for breaking its
solemn obligations it is our place to see that
a treaty is such as we desire before we sign it.;
but "to accept the principle that treaty can
be denounced and violated at the will Of
any party to it would be an overthrow Of
public law and the most deadly blow to the
political system under which the States of Eu-
rope have been enabled to maintain them
selves at the head of civilization" We COM
mend the able comments Of the London jour-
nal upon the turpitude of Russia in proposing
to violate an obligation of the Treaty of Paris
to the perusal Of those who are at present
or couuselling the reputation Of
the Treaty of Washington. When the
representatives of the Great Powers met in
London to consider the reconstruction
or modification of the Treaty of Paris
Lord Granville procured on the first day
the passage Of preliminary declaration
'that the plenpotentiaries recognize as
an essential principle in the right of nations
that no single Power can shake off its treaty
engagements, or modify the stipulations of
those engagements, except with the consent of
all the high contracting Powers, obtained after
q complete and friendly understanding of the
merits of the case"
We do not, however, believe that England
will repudiate the treaty. 1t will be too
costly an experiment to her, for it would close
all negotiations forever, and the amount of
our Alabama claims, as they are called, would
then be fixed by ourselves and COL
lected at the proper time without the
abatement of single dollar. Besides,
as our Washington dispatches state,
there has as yet been no direct and official
threat of Withdrawing from the Conference
and repudiating the treaty on the part Of the
English government. We are confident that
the firm position of our governments posi-
ton from which there can be no receding-
will recall England to sense of the duty she
owes to the world and the respect she owes
to herself. The Treaty of Washington is
as binding as the Treaty of Paris, and we
cannot believe that the English government
and the English people will desire to draw
down upon themselves the sharp, clear con-
demnation of Earl Granville and the thunder
ing denunciations of the London Times
THE REvoLUTIoNIsTs IN MEXICO are running
on their mad career with varying fortunes
They appear to be just strong enough to CON-