ALABAMA CLAIMS. 35 



tance. I nllucle, of course, to ^vllat was fivr|ueiitly 

 spoken of us the question of "indirect claims." 



The expression is incorrect, and, if admissi])le as a 

 popular designation, it must not be permitted to pro- 

 duce any misconception of the true question at issue. 

 It woulel be less inaccurate to speak of them as "claims 

 for indire(it or constructive losses or damages," which 

 is the more common phrase in the di])lomatic pa])ers; 

 and less inaccurate still to say " remote or consequen- 

 tial losses and damages." But, in truth, none of these 

 expressions are correct, and the use of them has done 

 much to obscure the actual point of controversy, and 

 to divert the publif! mind into devious paths of argu- 

 ment or conclusion. 



When, in the instructions to Mr., T^Iotley of Septem- 

 ber 25th, ISGO, President Grant caused the British 

 Government to be informed, tlirougli tlie Secretary 

 of State, of the nature of the grievances of the United 

 States, he employed the following language : 



"The President is not yet ])rcj)arcM] to ])roiK)uncc on tlio 

 question of the indemnities -whieli ho tiiinl<s due by Great 

 Britain to individual citizens of tlic United States for tlio de- 

 struction of their yiroperty by rebel cruisers fitted out in tlie 

 ports of Great Britain. 



"Xor is he now prej)ared to speak of the reparation Mhich 

 lie thinks duo by the IJritisli Government for tlic Jai'irer ac- 

 count of tiic vast national injuries it has inflicted on the United 

 States. 



"Xor does he attempt now to measure the relative eflecl of 

 the various causes of injury, whether by untimely recognition 

 of belligerency, by suflering the fitting out of rebel cruisers, or 

 li)y the supply of ships, arms, and munitions of war to the Con- 

 fcdcratcsi, or otherwise, in whatsoever manner. 



