54: THE TUKATV OF WASi: INGTON*. 



nial "llio discoiirtcKUH touu Jiiid jiiiuMlory iiitinuitioiiH 

 of the ^linistiy," iin])oscd on tlic United States a dif- 

 ferent line of action from tliat, wliicli might have been 

 adoj)ted by them in response to a calm presentation 

 by the British Government of its construction of the 

 Treaty. 



In this relation there is another class of facts Avhich, 

 as it seems to me, deserves mention. 



Of the five American Commis.sionei'H engaged in 

 the negotiation of the Treaty of Washington, two, 

 the Secretary of State [Mr. Fish] and our IMinister 

 at London [General Schenck], were oflicially occu- 

 pied in discussing the question on the Amei'ican Case 

 raised by the British Government*. The })ublislied 

 dispatches show uith what signal ability they dis- 

 changed this delicate dutv. iNIeanwhile, the three 

 other Commissioners, "Mv. Justice Nelson, Mr. Hoar, 

 and Mr. Williams, although inipUcdJtj accused on the 

 other side of taking some advantage of the nnsophis- 

 ticate<l innocence and simplicity of the British Com- 

 missioners, yet maintained perfect self-control in the 

 matter, speaking only when oflicially called npon to 

 speak, and otherwise leaving the subject where it be- 

 longed, — in the liands of their Government. 



The conduct, on the other hand, of some of the 

 British Commissioners was less reserved than that of 

 the American Commissioners. Professor Bernard irot 

 completely otY the track of reason and sense in a lect- 

 ure Avhich lie delivered at Oxford. Sir Stafford 

 Xorthcote let off a very inconsiderate speech at E.\« 

 eter. And Sir Edward Thornton made a not very 



