Year: 1869




Tue AlabanEa Clainss-sumper's Great speech
OOmmented on-what is Thought of it-NO
French Alliance for Great Britain.


From correspondence dated London, the 2sth ult,


The great speech or Senator Sumner IN the United
States Senate on the Alabama treaty reached this
city yesterday but has not made ts appearance this
morning in any OF the London daily journals, al
though one OF them has an editorial leader on the
subject OF the controversy between the Two Govern
ments, which is evidently inspired by that able and
conclusive argument An English newspaper is no
tOrOusly asOw coach 1t has neither the enterprise,
boldness nor originality of a lrst-class American
Journal and instead OF giving birth to ideas or adj
vancing opinions when an important question arises,
it is cOntented TO await the indications OF public
sentiment and TO follow in It's wake in the eleventh
hour.


The Alabama treaty has, however, been 30
thoroughly discussed that it might fairly be supposed
there need be no hesitation in replying 10 Senator
Summers arguments, If it were possible to meet and
Tefute them and hence the failure Of the Times 70
alude, even, to the Sumner speech, while making
feeble attempt 10 break its force indicates clearly
the untenabity of the English side Of the contro
Versy.


clouds that have thus far hung over the Alabama
question. and shows clearly two facts-that the re-
jected treaty was insufficient and that the English
Government must be prepared henceforth to meet
the subject i'm its broader aspect and TO justify or
atone for the injuryit did to the American nation
well as to private individuals by its active sympa
thy with those who were endeavorng TO destroy the
republic. This issue must now be met fairly and
squarely and the conviction is forcing itself upon
the English mind that as Sumner speaks, so Grant
thinks, so the Government at washington will deter
mine, and so Mr.. Motley will be instructed to act.


The London Times this morning, indeed, conceeds
that the discussion must henceforth take this shape,
and states that it is for her Maesys government to
decide whether they Will entertain or at once reject
any question Of Engands right TO recognize South
ern beligerency. 1t is remarkable that the Times
can find no reply to Senator Summers criticism of
the treaty. and confines itself to assault on the
United States Senate for having rejected it. The nego
tfation was it saws the work OF Seward and the two
Johnsons, Andy and Reverdy, who were all duly ap
pointed representatives Of the United States Sew
ard himself "fnally accepted the treaty, says the
Uisa,ao and in mn hn IN
their own Government and disallow its deliberate
and solemn acts" Consequently 'they are bound to
make it appear that their former Government was so
mistaken incapable that the terms it agreed upon
were wholly insufficient for the purposes OF justice"
before they demand the reopening OF the discus
son The faacy OF this reasoning is at once apparent
in the fact that, as the Senate is the treaty making
power nothing couldghave been agreed upon ;Or
accepted as final without its action, and the steps
taken by Seward and the two JohnsOns were only
preliminary to the submission OF their work to
that body. In the meantime the American Gov
ernment may rest assured that the bluster OF
the English journals is OF very little account
and that the English Government will find
itself necessitated not only to reopen the Alabama
question, but to consider it in its fullest scope from
down to the latest admissions made by Gladstone to
Reverdy Johnson 1t will then be shown that Lord
RUSSELL in his assertion that il was ''the policy" OF
England to recognize the South, conceded that it
was not only the object OF the English Ministry to
prolong the war; but to insure its ultimate success,
and the destruction Of the United States nation,
and hence the justice Of the American claim adj
vanced by Senator Sumner, large as 1t is in money,
will be fully established


There is general impression here that General
Grant will strive to inaIgurate truly American
policy and to carry it out to practical result before
the close OF his administration 1t has been thought
that Cuba would be the starting point OF this new
departure, and every day news OF q movement upon
Havana has been looked for, with "a view to a de-
mand for apology and redress from Spain for
the outrages committed upon American citizens.
Whatever foundation there may be for these expecta-
tions it is certain that never was the time for an
American policy more ripe than at the present mo-
ment. The anxiety OF the French government in
regard Antilles
part of England, There is good authority for the
statement that on Monday last Lord Lyons informed
the French Emperor in semi-otficial manner that
public opinion in England was decidedly opposed to
war, and especially to any chance OF war with the
United States, and that her Majestys Ministers
could not for moment entertain the question OF a
foreign alliance for the defense OF the Antilles. So
far as England was concerned Spain must make the
best OF the situation in which she had placed herself
by her own foolish and mpolitic action.