New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-12-18
MR.. FISH'S DIPLOMACY.
HIS WORK FOR HIS COUNTRY IN TIE ALA.
BAMA CLAIMS.
Mr.. BANCROFT DAvIs'S voLUME-How TIL
AMERICAN CASE WAS PRESENTED


Sir: volume by Mr.. j. c. Bancroft Davis, en-
titled Mr. Fish and the Alabama Claims: Chap
ter in Diplomatic History" has just been pupished
by Messrs Houghton. Miflin & Co. In IL MT. DAVIS
has set forth the relation OF Hamilton Fish to
the settlement Geneva of the Alabama Claims"
and It's appearance Is most timely Expressions I'M
favorable the illustrious statesman Of New-fork
which Mr. Pierce in the fourth volume OF Me-
moir and Letters OF Charles Sumner, had per-
mtted TO escape from his pen could not long re-
main Unanswered The main purpose of Mr.. Davis
has been to repel the accusation by Mr. Pierce
that what the former had said of Mr.. Sumner was
pure fiction"
He was an eyewitness OF the events he describes.
In many OF them he was the wise subordinate
OF Mr. Fish, the chief actor. He prepared the
Alabama Case" which so excited the susceptible
ties OF England by exhibiting TO Engllshmen their
Partially fer the Confederate Government In the
war OF secession. which Partially tnged the con-
duct Of the Queens Government throughout the
rebellion. and created the Alabama Claims. He
conducted the prosecution of those claims at Ge-
neva az Agent Of the United States under the
Treaty OF Washington He was at Geneva the rep
resentatve OF the United States and the Pres-
dent. To him the lawyers appearing in behalf OF
the United States subordinates. because he.
under the treaty. represented the United States.
Mr. Davis emphasizes his contention that reJec-
ton by every vote In the Senate OF the
Johnson Ga rendon Treaty negotiated on the plan
prescribed by Secretary Seward. hau put the con-
troversy in a condition more perilous in every way
than before the treaty had been concluded. Eng
land was sullen because. having accepted Sew
ards terms. the Senate had by such vote re-
jected the arrangement. Summers speech urging
the rejection innamed with anger many OF the best
English and Scotch friends OF the Union during
our Civil War; and at the time. naturally
inspired OF people TO Insist on terms
which seemed to put another negotiation out OF the
question The work OF the immediate predecessor
Of Mr. Fish in the State Department had. by
the Senate condemnation of It. made really impos-
sibe a successful effort the same lines
The country has. for the first time, and In the
volume before us. clear view of the inception and
progress Of the negotiations which led up to the
Joint High Commission. the struggles and debates
during the deliberations Of that Commission. the
genesis OF the Case" the perils at Geneva and
how those perls overpasse1.
The story has never before been told. and in the
telling Mr. Davis shows whose mind invented the
method OF adjustment and solved the problem
whose solution had bafIled previous negotators. lie
makes 1t plain that. when British emotion against
the American Case pushed the Queens Govern
ment far as to threaten n rupture and tearing
pieces of the treaty 1t was the calm. steadfast
courage OF Mr.. Fish that kept a way open for the
final bencncent result.
Mr.. Davis uncoyers what has not been generally
known. which Is that the late Sir John Rose OF
don the real British negotiator. In cooperation
with Sir Edward Thornton. the British Minister
at Washington The controversial notes published
both sides OF the ocean as leading up TO the
Joint iish Commission. were; as was usual IN
the days OF good. old fashioned diplomacy; written
at one sitting after and not before an understand
ing had been reached. The path pursued by ne the
Fish and sir John. What brought SIR John to Wash
ngton as confidential agent from oar the hona4n
Fish in the Presidents annual message advising
TSat looked ike business" and 50 by the next
steamer sir John was landed in New-York. and
lowed "A Mr.. Fishs dnner-table.
Mr. FISH AND MIR. SUMNER
The bearing OF Mr.. Summers personality on the
negotiation. the friction created by Motleys ex-
cessive confidence in himself. consequent se'fas-
seriIon and silly nsubordlnation. and the immense
addition thereby made TO the load Of solictu1e
and responsibility borne by Mr. Fish, the patience
and unraing tact manifested by the latter are
set forth by Mr. Davis In tone and temper quite
judicial lie puts plainly before his readers who
are lawyers precisely how and why Mr. Summers
speech against the johnson Clarendon treaty. made
without consultation with Mr. Fish. embarrassed
the preliminary negotiations; nearly compelled the
British members OF the Joint High Commission
to close their dispatch boxes In anger. affected
necessarily the form OF our Case" and. In the
end almost tore up the treaty at Geneva One
who reads between the lines OF the volume be-
fore US sees that neither Mr.. Fish nor Mr. Davis
deemed II quite safe either 20 ignore altogether
in the treaty Mr. Summers prcposterous sugges-
lions OF damage. or at Geneva to distinctly assert
and argue them.
The book Of Mr. Davis demonstrates that one
OF the claims to glory which In the Alabama bust
ness belongs to Mr.. Fish. grows out Of the pa
thence. courage and tact with which he dealt with
his own countrymen their newspapers their Con-
gress their Senate. their rival political parties. and
especially Mr.. Sumner Like prudent negotiaor
and practical politician. he very early took into
his confidence leading Democrats Ike Randall In
the House and Thurman in the Senate and they
MIR Davis cuts out by the roots the British
preenson OF 1872 industrously circulated oyer gu
ona ho so GscSses that Mr Fish really wished
Judgment against the sumner pretensions. because
such Judgment would be In consonance win me
true interests OF our great commercial Nation
whose destiny It is to be neutral amid European
wars and to vindlcate the freedom Of The seas
whose policy should. in the opinion Of Mr. Fish not
be the maintenance OF a big sea-gong Navy and
whose docentrallzed Government should reject as
he thought. colonies separated from It's nome pos
sessions.
ME- FISTS EXECUTIVE ABILITIES.
The wisdom OF Mr.. Fish was as conspicuous In
executing as in devising his plan OF negotiation
In the former he encountered the strong person
aty OF the President How he overcame some OF
those difficulties. Mr. Fish described In a paper
written for THE Independent" and signed by him
on the occasion OF General Grants death. Therein
he said in reference to the Presidents readiness
TO yield when his judgment had been convinced:
after the beginning OF negotiations about the
treaty 1t became necessary 10 determine upon
| felt II important that the Commission should not
be partisan and that there should be at least one
Democrat on IL. The suggestion at flrSt did not
strike the President az important. and II was OPP
posed by many Of his confidential friends; but on
presenting the question fully and strongly to him. he
abandoned his position. and decided the question
in favor OF appointing Judge Nelson as one OF the
Commissioners.
subsequently. when an arbitrator was to be APP
DoInted to the tribunal at Geneva, strong oDJec-
lions were urged from various quarters against
the selection OF Charles Francis Adams. which
made an impression adverse to him I'm the mind
OF General Grant-strongly adverse. But upon my
urging upon him that Mr.. Adams was more fami
lar than any other with the incidents attend
ing the escape OF the rebel cruisers. that he had
conducted the Iega ton In London during the Re
bellion with admirable discretion and under great
deal OF personal trial. and was entitled to recogn-
zion General Grant cordially yielded his opposition
and overruled the objections OF many close and con-
ndential political advisers ~,