The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1872-05-16


Ing from sea large portion OF commercial
and marine Of the United States and to
corresponding extent enlarging that OF
Great Britain, and that the inquiries thus
received are oil Of so grave o nature as In
reason and Justice to constitute valid
Claim for rsparation and naturalization"
In the same nOtehe says:
1.-THE very fact Of admitting rise In
the rates Of insurance American ships
only brings US once more back 10 look at
the original cause OF all the trouble"
1t Is difficult 10 imagine more definite
statement Of purpose TO require indemni.
fcatlon.
On the 14th day Of February, 1868
after the presentation Of the above recited
complaints. Mr.. Seward uniting with Mr.
Adams said:
"There is not one member Of this gov,
eminent, and so far as l know, not ono
citizen oil the United States who expects
that this country will waive In any
case the demand that we have
heretofore made upon the British
government for the redress OF wrongs
committed in violation Of the International
law, and again, on tho I'd Of May, 1867,
Mr. Seward writes to Mr. Adams:
As the case now stands, the injuries BY
which the United States arc aggrieved
are not chiefly the actual losses sustained
10 several depredations by the first IN.
friendly or wrongful proceedings, Of
which they ore but the consequence.
His Lordship also admits the mention by
Reverdy johnson in March, 1869, Of the
claim for national losses, which Lord
Clarendon, in paper published IN the
British Parliamentary papers Of North
America, November /, 1870, page IS,
defines national, indirect or constructive
claims. On the 10Th OF May, 1860, l in.
strucied Mr.. Motley that this government,
in rejecting the recent communications,
abandons neither its own claims nor
those Of its citizens.
Lord Clarendon, In dispatch Of June
10, 1860, 10 Sir Edward Thornton, men.
toned that Mr.. Motley had assigned,
among the causes which led 10 the re.
lection OF the Johnson Clarendon treaty,
that the communication was object.
ed TO because it embraced only
the claims of individuals, and did
not have any reference to those OF the two
governments 10 each other on September
25, 1860. In writing 10 Mr.. Motley, l
said that the number OF sloops destroyed
amounted 10 nearly 200, and the value OF
property destroyed 10 many millions Of
dollars Indirectly the effect was to in.
crease the rate Of insurance in the United
States, and to take away from il
its immense foreign commerce, and to
transfer these merchant vessels 10 Great
Britain. We complained Of the destruc.
ton OF our merchant marine by British
ships, but the President is not yet pre-.
pared to speak Of the reparation which
Re thinks due by the British government
for the large amount Of vast national in.
Jury it has inflicted upon us. In the
same Instructions ] also wrote what
seems pertinent 10 the present phase OF
the question between the two govern.
msnts. When one power demands o. an.
other redress for alleged wrongs, and the
latter enterta!ns the idea of arbitration as
the means Of settling the question, il
seems natural TO insist that the arbitration
shxll be qualified or limited one. Lord
Clarendon wrote to hIr. Thornton on the
9Th Of November, 1869, that he was Off,
cially informed BY Mr.. Motley that while
the President Of that time abstaihed from
proDucing OniHdemnitiesf for destruction oil
private property. He also abstains from
speaking Of the reparatiou be thinks due
By the British government, far larger on
account Of the vast national Injuries it
has inflicted on the United States. Lord
Clarendon in some observations on my
note, dwelt at length on my allegation OF
the material and indirect injuries, and
chsracterizing them as claims" and re.
instated them as such, and in instructions
TO Minister Thornton, on the 12th Of July,
1870, he recognizes the papers as relating
10 the Alabama claims. 1t cannot be
denied that these public or national
claims, now called indirect, were pre.
eminently before the Senate Of the United
States when the Convention of the 14th
ofJanuary, 1869, was under advisement
in that body, not that they were subse.
quently ably canvassed before the people
ofboth countries, especially by the press
Of Great Britain. II is equally indisput.
able, that in my note TO Mr.. Motley, Sep.
TENDER 10Th, 1869, 10 which Lord Claren.
don replied, there was presented a repa.
ration which the President thought due
by the British government, for the vast
national injuries it had inflicted on the
United States. The 36th protocoloof the
Joint High Commission, shows that the
indirect losses were distinctly presented to
the notice Of the British Commissioners in
the very beginning OF negotiations on the
subject aud that they remained unchaug.
ed TO the signing Of the treaty. Atevery
stage, therefore, Of the proceedings, from
1859, when Mr.. Adams solicited redress
for national injuries sustained, 10 the date
of the treaty, this government has kept
before Great Britain her assertion OF the
liabilities Of the latter for what are now
termed indirect injuries. The presi-
dent now learns for the first time, and
with surprise, that Her Majesty's Govern.
ment accepted his suggestion that the
proposed Commission should treat Tor the
removal OF the differences which arose
during the rebellion in the United States
and which have existed since then,
growing out Of acts committed by several
vessels which have given rise 10 the
clsims generally known as the Alabama
claims" 10 the full confidence that no
claim would be made by the United
States for national losses which had been
continuously presented. II is not to be
denied that the treaty attests that the
Two governments were anxious to provide
Tor an amicable settlement Of all causes
Of difference, and for that purpose ap.
pointed their respective plenip otert!aries.
II Is thus declared in the outset that
the agreements; which, arc about to
be formulated arc not Intended 10 be
amtcable settlement, but arc Intended on
INC contrary to provide for speedy set.
Element. Tho subject OF submission in
the solemn treaty will be narrower than
that OF the declared objects; the right n
hh accommodated in In r.c.- '5Ue "