ALABAMA CLAIMS. 47 



to clian£rG in its discretion tlic. constitution of tlie 

 United k5tates. 



Thus it was tliat, in the matter of the discussion of 

 tliis Treaty, Mr. Gladstone and the otlier Ministers 

 were tossed to and fro on tLe surging waves of pub- 

 lic opinion, and pestered from day to day in Parlia- 

 ment, while solicitously engaged in reflecting how 

 best to keep faith with the United States and at the 

 same time do no prejudice to Great Britain. If, at 

 that period, the Ministers said in debate any thing 

 unwise, any thing not strictly true or just, — ^Ir. Glad- 

 stone did,l)ut Lord Granville did not, — let it not be 

 remembered against them personally, but charged to 

 the uncontrollable di^liculties of their position, and the 

 siiinal defectiveness and intrinsic weakness of the or- 

 ganlc institutions of Great Britain. 



During all that period of earnest discussion on both 

 sides of the ocean, it was to me, as an American, 

 matter of the liighest thankfulness and gratulatlon 

 and patriotic pride, to see the Government of the 

 United States, — President, Secretary of Stalv., Cabinet, 

 Congress, — continue in the even tenor of their public 

 duty, calm, unruffled, self-possessed, as the stars in 

 heaven. The Executive of the United States is, it is 

 true, by its very nature, a thoughtful and selfcon- 

 tained power. Congress, on +he other liand, is the 

 field of debate and the place where popular passions 

 come into evidence, as the winds in the cave of ylv^Ius. 

 But, on this occasion, no more debate occuri'cd in 

 cither House than that least pos.sible expression of 

 opinion, which was necessary to show accord with iho 



