The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1888-09-05
Blaine Fals,rying History.

Noone In this country-eXcept, possibly,
the indianapolis JOurnal-can garble
Bpeech or document, or falsify history,
more coolly and deliberately than JAMES
q. BLAINE of Maine. In his recent speech
on the presidents message he says:
In his next annual communication President
GRANT recommended TO congress to authorize
the appointment of a commission to take proof
of the amounts and ownership of the several
Alabama claims. on notice to the representative
NJ her majesty's government at Washington,
that authority be given for the settlement OF
those claims by the United States, so that the
government have the 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 commission TO settle all claims between
the countries; that President GRANT, unlike
President CLEVELAND, secured the assent OF
. the senate before appointing a commission IN
return, and the joint commission made a settle
sment which, on the whole, was satisfactory to
both parties. This was brought about to the
honor of both nations in consequence of the posi-
ton assumed by President GRANT. Why could
not like attitude to-day on the part OF the
spresident produce q like result, peacefully,
bonorably, and to the lasting advantage OF
both nations2
No one knows better than Mr.. BLAINE
that the Alabama claims and the fisheries
question were entirely distinct, and that
as to the fisheries question President
GRANT made another and different propo-
rition. 1t was in these words:
Anticipating that an attempt may possibly
be made by the Canadian authorities in the
coming season to repeat their unneighborly
lcts toward our fishermen, l recommend you
10 confer upon the executive the power to sus-
pend, by proclamation, the operation OF the
Jaws authorizing the transit of goods, wares
and merchandise in bond across the territory
Df the United States to Canada; and further,
should such an extreme become necessary, to
suspend the operation OF any laws whereby
the vessels of the Dominion OF Canada are per-
mitted to enter the waters of the United States.
This is precisely the power that Mr..
CLEVELAND asks now.
President GRANT did not Secure the
assent of the senate before appointing a
commission in return" except by submit
ting treaty to them for ratification, just
as Mr.. CLEVELAND did. That treaty pro-
vided for the arbitration of the Alabama
claims at Geneva, the fisheries claims at
Halifax, and the Canal de Haro question
by Emperor WILLIAM OF Germany. The
treaty was ratified, but it has not proven
satisfactory to both parties. The Hall
fax commission awarded 100000 to
England in the fisheries case, and England
did not deserve a cent. The treaty itself
is the source OF all the present difficulty,
on account Of the manner in which the
rights of our fishermen are defined. 1t is
commonly conceded that our diplomates
were over-reached in that treaty. Presi-
dent CLEVELAND has taken the same atti-
tude that President GRANT took in this
effort to rectify the mistakes OF GRANTS
treaty and secure substantial justice to
our fishermen; and if the senate has the
patriotism e stand by him, he will soon
bring the British TO terms.