National Republican., 1883-06-08
THE ALABAMA.
Some New Facts About tho Escape TO Sea Of
the Noted Cruiser.
How tho British Ministry Delayed Action
Until Too Late 60 Act.

In "Reminiscences Chiefly Of oriel College
and tho Oxford Movement" by the Rev. t.
Mozley, NJ. A., formerly fellow of 0riel, &C.,
we find tho following interesting and emi-
nently characteristic account Of the how and
the why the confederate steamer Alabama,
built at an English port, succeeded in getting
OFF to sea, by which some additional light is
thrown on tho subject. One of Mozley's
friends Sir John d. Harding, an oriel man,
noted for his talents and learning, was ap-
pointed queens advocate general, which post
he held at tho time the English ministry was
debating tho question of allowing tho Ala
bama to sail.
"The American civil war" writes Mozley,
"took Harding like everybody else-un-
awares. He was about rs little prepared for
its complications as the British constitution
itself, at least it's administrators and inter-
prefers were found TO be. lie was very soon
in difficulties. Thero arose tho question of
the detention Of the Alabama. had heard
on very good authority that the government
complained that Harding would not give
them an opinion. Meeting Harding on the
street / mentioned this. "They won't send
me a case" he replied. AS was unacquainted
with the etiquette and customs of office, /
could say nothing but it certainly did occur
to me that the very critical character OF the
circumstances might not allow time to be
lost in drawing up case which must be the
work of either lawyer or n politician, that
is either professional or unprofessional per-
son, both open to objection. Perhaps Hard
ing meant that..they did not even send him
question TO be answered. He was moreover
at that time very busy with some private
business, particularly with suit Of the kind
more usually associated with doctors COM
mons.
met him again very shortly after the Ala
bama had got away. He told mo that he had
been expecting communication from the
government whole week before; that the
expectation had unsettled and unnerved him
for other business, and that he had stayed in
his chambers rather later than usual on Sat-
urday for the chance of hearing at last from
them. He had then gone 10 his house in the
country. Returning on Monday when he
was engaged to appear in court he found a
largo bundle of documents in big envelope
without even an accompanying note that had
been dropped into his letter box on Saturday
evening. To all appearance overy letter and
every remonstranco aud every affidavit, as
fast as it had arrived from Liverpool had
been piled in pigeon hole till or o'clock
ON the Saturday, when the minister, on TAX
ing his own departure for the country, had
directed a clerk to tie up the whole heap and
carry it TO doctors commons.
The people of the Alabama and their con-
federates among tho authorities of Liverpool
knew very we'll tho ways of her majesty's
ministers, and the ship sailed accordingly
early on Sunday whom nothing could be done
to stop her till the middle of the next day,
The Alabama was now ON the Atlantic, and
there was just chance of catching her or OF
stopping her at some port. There were other
possibilities So here was tho old question
aggravated by fresh complications. Hard
saYiaI Iaf, .l,Nl
AT such o crisis, he ought TO have had q man
ready to receive the papers and bring them
down to the country Yet the mere chance
of their following him might have prevented
him from recruiting his strength and nerve
in. two nights rest.
"But what q specimen of British admins
tration!" continues this staunch Briton
Here was matter intimately and most crit
ically affecting the integrity of a great and
friendly republic, the destinies OF whole
continent, tho relations of the old and new
worlds, the peace of the sea as well as of the
land, and the character of this country; really
such o question as had never been exceeded
in Importance in all history, and is not likely
to be exceeded, flung aside contemptuously by
ministers to their clerks, resting week in {
pigeon hole, then couple of days on thu
floor of some city chambers, and no
so much us looked at until the oc
casion had gone by. Considered a
mere slovenliness and Indifference, not I,
assign motives, this could not be surpassed b,
the administration Of Egypt or Turkey, o
any other country ever heard of. Th,
wretched excuse made by government wa!
that il was bound by the constitutional form
and usages of this country. 1t is almos
needless to observe, England has never onc'
admitted that excuse-indeed it could no
possibly admit it in the case of any injury /
might conceive itself to have suffered iron
another country. 1t has always said in effect
We've nothing to do with your internal in
stitutions, and don't care straw for them
but we will have Justice from you" In n fcv
weeks Harding was out of his mind ant
never recovered his reason till he died.
81 have seen it solemnly stated" continue
Mozley, and in company with many othe
lies, passing into history, that the action o
the government was unfortunately and un
avoidably hampered and delayed by the i'll
ness-that is the insanity-of the queens ad
vocate general. The fact is there was no
one of her majesty's ministers who was no
ready to jump out of his skin with joy whel
he heard Of the escape of the Alabama, an
IL was they who drove poor Harding out @
his mind, and not he who had hampers
them" Now follows piquant sance sea
soned with forcible Saxon English for u
Americans. But" adds Motley with dc
licious frankness, there is something on til
other side that has TO be admitted | al
quite sure that am within bounds when
say that during all the period in which
have had occasion to observe political affair
every American candidate for popula
favor, and every American official havin
to keep his place had found it necessary {
promise to observe neither friendship nc
common justice with British people. Amer
can public men were bound to demand NOR
than their due in every negotiation, TO over
reach in every settlement, and always to 81
cure that there should be something to qual
rel about even after our greatest surrende
They had to make it distinctly known to a
Americans that they had robbed us, insulte
us, and left nest egg for another quarre
This does not, however, justify so gross a
international crime as that told in the stor
of the Alabama"