New-York tribune., 1875-02-03
EARL RUSSELL'S BOOK.
THE "RECOLLECTlONs AND SUGGESTIONS
OF THE EX-MINISTER.

lfRoM TIE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT
LONDON Jan. l3.-Earl Russels "Recollecuons
and Suggestions" published this week by MeSsrs'
Longmans q vol, svo PIP. 49,. contain, among other
remarkable things, his final deiverance on the Ala
bama business 1t is one of considerable interest 10
us Americans For thirteen years Earl husseh mas
maintained that he did right in letting loose the
Alabama At last he is brought to admit that he
did wrong Thrice over in this volume he relterates
his confession, and the three declarations, though
they are similar ia substance, are worth quoting
and comparing. The frst occurs IN the 9TH chapter
on the Foreign Policy of England from 1859 TO the
Death of Lord PalmerstOn:
In single Instance. that OF the escape OF the Ala
bama, fell into error. l thought ddty 10 wall
for the report Of the law officers OF the crown; but
Robert Collier, aud to have given orders 10 deain the
Alabama at Birkenhead.
The reason here given is certainly odd one, and
enc might suspect that Lord Russen-who refers Is
his preface to his failing memory-had forgotten
when he wrote this that Sir Robert Collier was then
counsel for the United States and gave his opinlon
as such. But the explanation of Lord Russeils
meaning is probably to be found IN the second OF
the three confessions. p. 4O4:
Had Lord Granville agreed 70 see me before he sent
ms mission to Washington, should have pointed ouI 20
Lord ChiefJusce COckburn has since done that aidea
had received tho opinion Of sr hoPef' per- snam TH and
that had failed in not oong so during Tue ihtNui 81
four DAYS WllCh ELAPSED before IcCSlf t-N 'Ne"
opinion Of the law officers Of the crown.
The opinion of Sir Robert Collier did, in a certain
sense make part of the p,iaed faoe aud afford
Lord Russell a ground for acting, had he wanted TO
act The interval it should be noted, was really
more than four days. But he VIGOROUSLY did not
want to act, nor did Lord Palmerston his chief.
Three pages further on the confession Of fault and
of Lord Russeu's personal responsibility becomes
still more explicit:
assent entirely to the opinions Of The Lord Cmef-
Justice OF England. that tie Alabama Oueni TO nave
been detained duung tue four DAYS ~ which was
waiting the opinion Of the Law officers But tnuk
that the fault not that OF the Commissioner,
OF Cus,Oms 1t was my fault as Secretary ol state ioF
FOTelgn Affairs.
Lord Russell does himself honor by this nc
knOWledgment. tardy as it is, and pOwcrics5 as he
now is TO repair any partof the great wrong he then
did TO Mr. Adams particular the admission
Lord Russell now makes will be gratifying; perhaps
also surprising The old man takes pleasure in
coupling his confession with the remarllthat "Gcn.
Washington, in like manner had from mistake
allowed British ships to be captured within the
jurisdiction of the United States Aud with refer
ence to the Treaty ID Washington he declares, " /
should have been glad to have admitted that fault
as plainly and explicitly as General Washington
admitted bis mistake in 1882 He assures Us that
L" Had Lord Granville remembered his promise TO
zee before the President Of the Council departed
for Washington | should have advised him not TO
insist on the weak parts of our case" Here again
there is "a slip of mCmoTy-One of many 70 be noted
throughout the book-within three pages. lie bad
complained Just before that Lord Granville would
not agree to see him. The fervor of two pages
more of composition peTsuadeS him that Lord Gran
Vile had agreed and then forgot his agreement
Probably the notion that any advice in the spirit OF
concession was to be expected from Earl Russell
will be revelation to Earl Granville. The English
Commissioners, with Lord RIpOn at their head,
went TO Washington in 1S1 Earl Russell. in 1870,
only few months before, had published his
Speeches and Dispatches" in the intro luction to
which he has argued AZ length and with all his old
hostility Of Tone that the escape Of the Alabama
offered no cause of complaint to the United States
1t was then that he put forth his astounding dCclar
alton that During the discussion of the questions
relating 10 the Alabama and the Shenandoah ii
was the great object of the British Government topye
serve for the subject the security of trial by jury
and for the nation the Legitimate and lucrative
trade of shipbuilding!' Both these objects, Earl
Russell then affirmed, would have been put in jeop-
srdy had the CLAIMS of the United States been
20 much "a listened to-" Surely, Lord Granville
could not have anticipated that Lord Russell wOnld
TenOunce opinions strenuous and so recently re-
stated as these " l am convinced SAID Lord Rus
sell at the same timo-afrer eight years Of time to
think il over" that no country ever held neutral
conduct more hOnorab,y than Great Britain did
during the civil war in America. | trust that the
partisan feeling which has blinded the United
States on this sulicc. Till in no long time and Oh
more deliberate reelection, give way TO more just
appreciation and fairer estimate of our conduct
If this quotation seems 70 point a satire on Lord
Russell himself, so much the more to his credit.
There remain, unhappiiy other passages not at all
10 his credit The CHAPTER on the Treaty of Wash
ington is sprinkled with pctulant remarks and per-
sonal filings. The oft quoted passage in Baron
IIibneEs boOk-tO the effect that Americans regard
the Treaty as q capiuatOn on the part Of England
is once more reproduced This cOnviction,' says
EIrl Russell, in the mind Of nation so proud and
telfsufcient as the Republic of the United States,
Is no dOubt bad preparation for peace" lie calls
the concession made by England "abiect,' and init
mates that it has so pulled up the present Govern
Inent Of the United states that il might demand the
annexation of Canada q" with " the States of tho
Union. which England would refuse and so the
concession in one case lead TO war in another
Elsewhere ,p. AL with an inconsistency not rare in
this volume he pronounces il very improbable
that the honor Of the British Crown beng pledged
10 defend the Queens dominions in North America
with the utmost forces of the Empire, the President
and Secretary Of state at Washington will coolly
contemplate hostile Invasion of the Queens pos
sessions in Canada. Then. inquring whether there
are any inst grounds for ale dOpnion that the
Treaty was an act Of Difference and an acknowledge
rnent of the superiority Of the power of the United
States, be cites three
l. That instead OF suhectng the conduct ofthe British
Government, during the civil war in The Unit States
visions OF the Foreign Enlistment act post fdet0
law invented. by which and by the arbitrary inter
probation Of which, the conduct OF the British Govern
mcnt Tried many years allef the event.