Year: 1878

The authentic statement which we pub


lish this morning from our special corre-
spondent at Washington, will surprise the


country and cause it to regret that any


doubts have been raised respecting the
payment of the Halifax award. 1t is
never wise to repine and cavil respecting
the obligations imposed by sense OF
honor. In this particular case it would
seem that the Nemesis which watches and
Furnishes has taken peculiarly malicious
pleasure in confounding and putting to
shame suggested departure from the paths
of honor. The first impulse of n high
minded nation is to pay, without question
or hesitation, the award of q tribunal to
which it had agreed to submit contro-
versy. Even if it thinks it has been out
witted or overreached it is still more
consistent to pay without complaint or
protest, and be more cautious on fu-
ture occasions. But if nation descends
to controversy in a matter so delicate 1t
ought to be very sure Of its ground. Un-
less it has strong case, supported by un-
impeachable facts. it will cover itself with
the derision which is the penalty OF awk-
ward blunders in addition to the disgrace
which visits O low sense Of national
honor In matter in which no
state of facts that does not prove alb
solute and intentional fraud can be regarded
as an excuse or even q palliation, it is un-
speakably maladroit to set up plea of
fraud against fulfilling an engagement and
then find the plea rendered not merely
ridiculous but contemplate by true ver-
sion of the facts. Such is the mortifying
outcome of the call made by the Senate for
the correspondence relating to the appoint
IN ent Of Mr.. Delfosse.


| The actual correspondence transmitted TO
the Senate seemed to warrant the inquiry
and to justify the suspicious by which it
| was prompted. Mr.. Blaine, in his speech


day before yesterday, asserted on what
seemed to him sufficient grounds that the
documents from the State Department
established the truth of the rumors
on which he had acted in moving
his resolution. The information which


we publish this morning shows how
egregiously Mr.. Blaine was mistaken. In
stead of Mr. Delfosse having been foisted
into the commission against the vigorous,
stubborn and almost angry protests Of Sec
retary Fish, it turns out that he was ap-
pointed in compliance with the urgent re-
quest of Mr.. Fish himself The facts stated
by our Washington correspondence will not
be controverted but in what singular,
what an amazing light do they exhibit
the pretence that the Halifax Commission
was packed by the British government
The implication has been thnt the British
prevent jointappointment within tho three
months allowed by the treaty, and that after
ward by underhand influence it controlled
the choice of Count Won Beust and led
him to appoint man to whom the
American government had persistently
and strenuously objected. greater i'm
position was never practised on the
credulity Of the American public.
When at last, after long delays, it became
necessary that the third commissioner
should be appointed Mr.. Fish himself took
the initiative in overcoming the reluctance
of Mr. Delfosso to serve. He joined Sir
Edward Thornton in pressing Mr.. Delfosse
to accept and wrote him two warm letters
of confidence and congratulation. Mr..
Fish may have had good grounds for
his surprising change of base, but
when the present controversy arose it
was his duty to vindicate Mr.. Delfosse
and relieve him from unjust aspersions.


fro, II or MT frop
Secretary that Mr.. Delfosse was really at
last his own preference, adopted by the
Austrian Minister at London in consequence
of his request, would have spared the coun-
try great deal of unseemly and dishonor-
ing controversy. II, when Senator Blaine
gave notice of his resolution. Mr.. Fish had
written him q frank private letter, stating
the real facts, the Senator would have
been relieved at once of gross lniscon-
ception, and the country would have
been spared controversy which is
serious reflection on its honor. The
ex-Secretary doubtless had excellent
reasons for his change of official opinion;
but what possible excuse can he have for
allowing dishonoring controversy to 60 on
which he could have forestalled by frank
private note to the mover of what proves to
have been q most indiscreet resolution?
The actual facts, as now at length disclosed,
make Senator Blaine and his abettors ridicu-
lous, and they may justly blame Mr..
Fish for permitting them to march
so boldly into error on the false
assumption that his subsequent conduct
was consistent with his position in 1873.
Had Mr.. Blaine been made acquainted with
the remarkable facts which we publish to-
day he must promptly have abandoned his
inquiry respecting tho appointment of Mr..
Delfosse, which has occasioned all this ex-
citing and proftless controversy.


There can be no further question as to the