don
treaty, and had indeed been somewhat offended by the promptness
with which the Senate had rejected that agreement, especially by
the emphasis which the speech of Mr. Sumner had given to the
Senate's action. President Grant remained altogether patient and
composed--feeling that postponement could not be a loss to the
American Government, and would certainly prove no gain to the British
Government. In his annual message to Congress of December, 1870, he
assumed a position which proved embarrassing to England. He recognized
the fact that "the Cabinet at London does not appear willing to
concede that her Majesty's Government was guilty of any negligence, or
did or permitted any act of which the United States has just cause of
complaint;" and he re-asserted with great deliberation and emphasis
that "_our firm and unalterable convictions are directly the reverse_."
The President therefore recommended that Congress should "authorize the
appointment of a commission to take proof of the amounts and the
ownership of these several claims, _on notice to the representative of
her Majesty at Washington_, and that authority be given for the
settlement of these claims by the United States, so that the Government
shall have the ownership of the private claims, as well as the
responsible control of all the demands against Great Britain."

President Grant was evidently resolved that the Government of the
United States should not allow the pressing need of private claimants
to operate in any degree upon public opinion in the United States, so
as to create a demand for settlement with England on any basis below
that which National dignity required. He felt assured that Congress
would respond favorably to his recommendation, and that with the
individual claimants satisfied our Government could afford to wait the
course of events. This position convinced the British Government that
the President intended to raise the question in all its phases above
the grade of private claims, and to make it purely an international
affair. No more effective step could have been taken; and the
President and his adviser, Secretary Fish, are entitled to the highest
credit for thus elevating the character of the issue--an issue made
all the more impressive from the quiet manner in which it was
presented, and from the characteristic coolness and determination of
the Chief Magistrate who stood behind it.

Meanwhile the sanguinary war between Germany an