34 THE TREATY OF WASHINGTON. 



at Geneva, and who, it was clearly seen, would be the 

 effective judges in the cause, were not likely to share 

 the English opinion of the common law of England. 

 And these three Arbitrators were persons outside of 

 the range of the observation, knowledge, or apprecia 

 tion of most Englishmen, who felt undefined distrust 

 of men whom they did not and could not know as 

 they knew Englishmen and Americans. Nay, En 

 glishmen were heard to say, in conversation, that they 

 would prefer a tribunal made up of Englishmen and 

 Americans. We shall fully comprehend how strong 

 this sentiment was among average Englishmen, when 

 we remember that expression was given to it in the 

 House of Lords by the Marquess of Salisbury, who, 

 notwithstanding his high intelligence, and the cos 

 mopolitan experience which men of his rank possess, 

 could characterize as unknown, and, therefore, as ob 

 jectionable, an actual Ambassador in France, an ex- 

 President of Switzerland, and a Senator and ex-Min 

 ister of Italy with fame as a jurist and historian per 

 vading Europe. It was a sentiment which Sir Alex 

 ander Cockburn betrayed in his deportment and 

 language at several meetings of the Tribunal. 



These, however, were but the transitory incidents 

 of popular emotion and public discussion, and of sec 

 ondary significance. 



AGITATION RESPECTING THE NATIONAL CLAIMS. 



But the agitation which soon followed, on the sub 

 ject of certain of the claims set forth in the Case of 

 the United States, arose at once to national impor- 



