The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-09-28

UNITED STATES
AND ARBITRATION
President 1soosevelts announcement
that he will invite the nations of the
earth to send delegates to n second peace
conference, whose work shall be supple-
mental to that of the conference at The
Hague, has caused great rejoicing among
all who love peace rather than war and
emphasizes the fact that the United
States government has from the Begin
ming OF It's existence taken a leading part
in promoting international arbitration.
Professor John Bassett Moore of Column.
bia College, New York, has prepared and
published an Instructive paper on this
subject, giving a HISTORY of the arbitra-
tons of the United States. In the early
dawn Of the republic. says Professor
Moore, when tho rights OF neutrals wero
little respected, Thomas Jefferson, as Sec
rotary OF, State under Washington, an
nounced for IT'S guidance certain rules Of
neutral duty so broad and progressive
that succeeding generations have not out
grown them. The first trinl ty tho United
States OF the method Of arbitration, he
goes on, was made under the treaty with
great Britain OF 1924, commonly called the
Jay Treaty" which, by It's fifth, sixth
and seventh articles, respectively, pro-
vided for three mixed commissions. The
first meeting under this treaty. was held
at Halifax, August 3d. 1885, and other
meetings were held from time to time
and a number Of international disputes
settled by arbitration. The most impor-
tant Of the commissions under the Jay
Treaty" was that which sat at London
under tho seventh article The Amerl-i
can commissioners were Christopher Gore
and William Plnckney; the British COM
missloners, John Nicholl and John Anstey.
The fifth commissioner was Jonathan
Trumbull, who was chosen by lot. An
important question Of law arose before the
board in relation to contEaband, the rights
of neutrals and the flnality OF the dcci-
sinns Of the prize courts. Mr.. Pinckncy
especially taking asleading part in the
discussion. Chief Justice Marshall after
wards paid a high tribute in one Of his
opinions to the legal reasoning OF Mr..
Pinckney on that occa sion. The sessions
Of the board were brought to close
February "a, 1904. a
Beginning with the arbitratloEs under
the Jay Treaty. every vexau6us Dues
ton betsccn the United States and Great
srita,o chat uas ,arist,, except the eX .
raordinary complications growing out Of
eAS <ttlSA AS%tAA'Ao
the war Of 1872, has yielded to methods Of
peace. arbitration being adopted where.
direct negotiation failed.
The treaty Of Client of December r.
1914. provided FIR three arb!trationS, In
vol7ing certain islands in Passama-,
quoddy Bay. the northeastern boundary
Of the United States. from the source OF
the River St Croi1 to the River St. Law
renee, and the boundary of the United
1apo bo GRAFT
Lakes. and Of their communications by
water to the water communica ton be-
tween Lakes Huron and Superior. Diff
ferences a,aving arisen later as to Great
Britnins performance Of the obligation
touching slaves. It was agreed under the
treaty OF October %. 1878, to refer the
dispute to the Emperor OF Russia, and
about fora. years later@the Emperor de-
cided that Great Britain had failed to
keep her obligation and must make jim
demnity. "A commission was appointed
to determine the amount to be paid. and
held its last session March 26, 1872, it
having been determined that Great Brit
ain should pay sl,204.960 in full settlement,
of all the claims.
On June 5, 1854 a treaty between the
United States and Great Britain was con-
cluded in relation to Canadian fisheries
and commerce. under which provision
was made for the adjustment of any dis
putes as 10 the exclusive right OF British
fisheries, by a commission to be COM
posed of person appointed By each
government and an umpire. About ten
years later a British-American commits
sion met in Washington under q conven-
ton concluded July !, 1853 to determine
the compensation due to the Hudson Bay
Company and the Puget Sound Agricul-
tn raj Company two British organiza tons.
on certain claims for damages. The
commissioners met on January 7, 1865.
and chose as umpire one of Americas
greatest judges. Benjamin Robins Curtis.
But his services were not required. as
the commissioners la ter concluded With
an award. While this commission was
sitting the relations between the United
disturbed by controversies growing out
of the Civil War the Northeastern fish
cries and the disputed San Juan water
boundary. All these rarnnccs. however,
were composed by The treaty Of WASH
ington in May, 1871. This, says Professor
Moore, is to be regarded as the greatest
treaty Of arbitration the. world had yet
seen. OF the four arbitratiors under this
treaty first in order and importance vas
thai at Geneva. ~ which Charles Francis
Adams acted as arbitrator for the United
States and Sir Alexander Cockburn for
Great Britain. There we're three other
arbltrators. Tho demands pre-
scented by the United States to the trl-
bunal,J arising out of the acts OF Com
federate cru lserst Of British origin and
generally known as the Alabama claims,
were as follows:
/. Direct losses grnwing out of the de-
struction of vessels ands their cargoes.
g. The national expenditures In pursuit
OF those cruisers
ish flag.
d. Tho enhanced payments RI insurance,
5. The prolonga.ion of the war, and the
addition OF a large sum to the costto the
war and the suppression ~ the rebellion.
f On Tho clajrn5 of. the first class the trI-