Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-02-07

quential damages. Butthis position is manifestly
untenabe, because the conditions attached 10
the proposition have not been complied with.
The treaty was amicable certainly, but it was
not a settlement. 1t only prescribed the method
by which settlement should be reached. 1t re-
ferred the whole subject to the tribunal of arbi-
tration," VIII oh is competent to decide every
question that may arise, and to settle what de-
mands, as well as what evidence in support OF
them it will admit Its well settled principle of
law applicable to private controversies that offers
made with view TO a compromise, shall not be
proved to reduce partys demand, and there is
the same reason for applying this rule TO ma
tional as to individual disputes.
But if the general submission of these claims
10 arbitration did not warrant demands so extern
sive as those embraced in the case presented in
behalf of the United States, there is no excuse
for all this furry of indignation. The treaty
with the accompanying documents, defining
their authority with every express and implied
limitation, is before the arbitrators. If there is
anything in the history of the preliminary nego-
tiations which estops either party from present
ing claims or arguments which the text of the
treaty itself might seem to allow, the arbtra
tors, of whom the chief justice of England is
one, may be trusted TO discover and apply it. If
the claim is absolutely unlounded its pre-
sentation cannot possibly iniure England,
though it might prejudice our whole case, but
we cannot believe that it is concern on this ac-
count which troubles our friends across the
water. They may think our conduct ungener-
Gus, unfair and grasping, but in any conceiva-
bic aspect of it we cannot see that it affords any
excuse for their bluster, nor for the threatened
reputation of treaty obligations. We are will
ng TO let the case 20 10 trial before the tribunal
mutually established Whatever it awards we
shall accept; whatever it refuses we shall try TO
do without
The QUEENS speech, which we publish this
morning, is of course, much more moderate in
tone than the clamor of the newspapers, but
even that leaves the implication that unless the
United States withdraws a portion of its de-
mand, The arbitration may be abandoned. We
have assurance from Washington that our gov
ernment will in no event recede from the posi-
ton it has taken. This may be fatal to the
treaty, but it does not necessarily or probably
imply war, as one bellicose Englishman states
the alternative. 1t would be a cause for regret
if so promising an effort "to naugurate a sys-
TEN of international arbitration" should come to
naught, especially after the peace society and Mr..
Elihu Burritt have taken so much pains to con-
vince us that it marked an important epoch in
the advance of civilization. We suspect, how
ever, that there is no serious cause for alarm.
England docs not want war, and when the Eng
lish politicians are satisfied that we cannot be
| frightened bv their hard words aud affected
RACES, they will discover that it is as much for
their interest as for ours to let the disputed
questions be settled by arbitration, as was
| originally intended
The tenth annual catalogue and Floral Guide
for 1872, which has Just been issued hu-La,s.es
srs-.--7s,e-ur mower and vegetable seeds ever is
sued in this country. 1t is beautifully Illus
tracd and printed, which might have been
looked for in book by Mr., Wick, who was a
printer before he became the great Rochester
foriculturist. Persons interested in the culture
of flowers and vegetables and the ornamental
ton of grounds will do well 10 send ten cents to
Mr.. Wick for a copy of this work.