74 Tin: tukaty of Washington. 



nioval of all oljstaclos to tlio free action of the Tribu- 

 nal, ami coniineiitiug on the political relations of the 

 Treaty of AVashiiigton, preparatory to the connidera- 

 lion of the other questions submitted to the Arbitra- 

 tors. 



SKAT OF TIIF AIUIITIIATION. 



And here, Ijefore proceeding, to CNjdain and to dis- 

 cuss' the subsefpicnt acts of the Tribunal, it seems 

 convenient to pause, in order to speak of the scene 

 of action and of the Ti'iljunal, to Avhich the eyes of 

 all nations were attracted, and especially those of the 

 pcoj)le of England and of America. 



It was most fit and proper to select Switzerland 

 as the country, and (Jeneva as the city, in which to 

 hold the sessions of the Trilninal. 



In fact, Switzerland, at the same time that it is tho 

 land of ]iosj)itality, inviting tho fre([uentation of all 

 the world by its picturesque scenery, the beauty /unl 

 sublimity of its lakes and mountains, is also the land 

 of neutrality jntr c<rcellcncc. Xo other country pos- 

 sesses in the same degree these qualities conjoined. 

 In no other coiuitry was it ])ossible to avoid all in- 

 vidious local suspicion, and to be e\enq)t fj'om any 

 ]K)ssil»le political iniluence foreign to the objects of 

 the Arbitration. 



Tlie selection was peculiarly agreeable to tho 

 United States, by ivasou of th(! striking similarity 

 between our institutions and those of Switzerland. 

 lioth Governments cultivate a policy of international 

 neutrality: the one, by reason of its isolation and re- 



