Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1888-10-05
weIghty words, which | beg leave 10 read to

Il
you:
Believing that treaty thus misconstrued
In it's scope, anu inadequate In It's PROVISIONS,
would not hav. produced the hearty, cord al
sentiment on pending quest ons which alone
Is cons stent with the rela ions which desire
TO have finally esa bllshed between the United
States and Great Britain, regard the action
OF the senate In rejecting the treaty to have
been wisely taken IN the Interests OF peace,
and as necessary step In the direction OF u
perfect and cordial friendship between two
countries"
A sensitive people, conscious OF their pow
er, are more at case under great wrong,
wholly undeserved, than under the restraint
OF settlement which satisfies neither their
ideas OF justice nor the grave sense OF the
grievance which they have sustained.
In his next annual communication Presi-
dent Grant recommended to congress 10
authorize tho appointment OF commission
to take proof of The amounts aud the owner
ship OF the several Alabama claIns on notice
to the representative OF her ina jesty's gov
eminent at Washington, and that authosi ty
be given for the settlement OF those claims
by the United States, so that the government
might have the ownership OF private claims
as well as the responsible control OF all the
demands against Great Britain.
The result, YOU know, was that the British
government proposed joint comm ssion TO
settle all claims between the countries; that
President Grant, unlike President Cleveland
secured the assent of the senate before ap-
pointing commission in return, and the
joint commission made settlement which on
the whole Was satisfactory to both parties.
This was brought about to the honor Of both
nations In consequences of the firm positions
assumed by President Grant Why could not
a like attitude today on the part OF The
president produce like result peacefully
honorably aud TO the lasting advantage OF
both nationsi The truth is, my friends, the
democratic party has never been fortunate In
III at Wit
Britain. The English pariialiiy for the demo.
cratic party is not difficult to explain. IL is
not solely because tile democracy are a free
trade party aud are now proposing to open
our home market for the benefit OF British
manufacturers at the expense OF Americ can
workingmen, but 1t 10 that la every negoiia-
tiOn with the democratic admin stration Eng
land has succeeded In attaining the precise
result which she desired. A great historic
case In point Ia familiar to those who have
studied our history for The sixty years
since the democratic party was first
organized From the administration OF Mr.
jefferson onward, there was a dispute be-
tween the two countries az 10 the rights OF
each, bordering on the Pac fic ocean aud the
question was adjusted from time to time by
our earlier presidents and lastly BY a treaty
made by Mr.. Clay, when he was secretary OF
state under Mr. Adams providing for lint
occupation Of the country for an INDEFINITE
period, neither party losing their rights, but
the cry In the national election Of 1874 that
the whole of what now constitutes British
Columbia up TO latitude "a deg, 40 min, be.
l0nged unquestionably to the United States.
The pretence was pat forth as "A blind in or
der TO show that they were as jealous TO Sc
cure northern territory AS they were bent on
acquiring southern territory. The democrat
national convention affirmed our right 10
ST 80. President Polk made his campaign on
1t. They were ready to do anything 10 secure
- Il tt.ap xaAIf g.. -
Mr. Polk was naugurated the democratic
congress asked that notice be given to Eug.
land for terminating the treaty of Joint occI-
patton. The next thing the country heard
was that Mr.. Folks administration was com
PEELED TO surrender tie hole territory to
Great Britain, confessing that they had male
pretenses which hey were unable to main tain
or defend. Had he not raised their dena-
gogic cry and thus forced the question TO a
settlement. the joint occupation which had
come down from Jefferson to that hour would
have peaceablv continued, aud with our nc.
QUESTION OF California two years afterwards
aLd the immediate q discovery OF gold, the
thousands OF American citizens who swarmed
TO the Pacific coast won q have occupied Brit
ish Columbia, and the final settlement would
have doubtless been In favor of those who
we're In actual possess on, and but for the
laundering diplomacy OF the democratic
party, which prematurely aud without any
reason forced the issue, we should today see
our flag floating over the Pac tc from The
Gulf OF California TO Behring's straits
President Cleveland Is exactls following
the presidents OF his party In his negotiations
with Great Britain, an alienation Of blush
es and surrender, both OF which are equally
incou sistent with the dignity OF a nation con-
scious OF its great powers. We Ger tainly do
not desire continuance of the diplomacy
which, after studying subject for three
years, can radically change the position OF
the national administration between Wednes-
day afternoon and Thursday morning. On
Wednesday the president was still urging the
senate through the entire body OF democrat
ic senators to surrender all our rights In the
fisheries by agreeing to the treaty and on
Thursday be put those senators to shame bv
directly reversing the position he had
strenuously held for three preceding years. I
do not believe the American people viii sub
NIT 10 such ,rifiing with great question. /
believe, rather. that they Will commit the
government TO the great party, which, from
the first day Of Lincoln's administration TO
the last hour of President Arthur's. has
maintained the force OF prestige and right OF
the union against rebellion at home ami az
erosion from abroad, and did 1t without
bravo or buster on the one hand aud
without humiliatipg surrender on the other.
Democratic Inconsistency.
On its merits the treaty should have been
rejected b; unanimous vote of the senate.
IL the democrats had been consistent,
II they had voted as their
consclences, instead Of their par,y's candl-
date, dictated, they would have voted with
the republicans. They were against the
treaty at first against all It's details after
wards. agreed with the republicans when
Mr.. Bayard asked for commission, aud
finally voted for ratification at the bidding OF
the president They were rightly defeated.
and we fancy that they agree with us.-Neo
YORK. Mail AID Express.
Let Thurman Talk.
Let the democrats keep Thurman talking.
Every speech he makes commits bis party
stu further to the British free trade policy;
and that serves the republican cause as well
as anything we could do ourselves. --C,eUe9and
Leader.