ALABAMA CLAIMS. 107 



The Tribiuifil then autliorlzcd piiLlicity to Lc given 

 to its declaration and to the decLirations of the two 

 Governments, rehitive to the national claims of the 

 United States: after which it adjourned to the loth 



of July. 



Heretofore, either Ly intimation to the Secretary, 

 and to the Agents and Counsel, or by formal resolu- 

 tion, the Tribunal had signitied its desire that the 

 proceedings should not be committed to publicity, 

 unless by the will of the respective Governments. 

 Of course, reporters for the Press, and other persons 

 not officially connected with the Arbitration, were ex- 

 cluded from the sittings of the Tribunal. This re- 

 serve or secrecy of proceeding was inconvenient to 

 the many respectable representatives of the Press of 

 London and Xew York, jiersons of consideration, who ^^ 

 had come to Geneva for the purpose of satisfying the 

 public curiosity of the United States and of England 

 regarding the acts of the Tribunal ; but was dictated, 

 it would seem, rather l)y considerations of delicacy 

 toward the two Governments, than by any reluctance 

 on the part of the Arbitrators to have their action 

 made known day by day to the world. It ^vas a tri- 

 bunal of peculiar constitution and character; its 

 members were responsible in some sense each to his 

 own Government, and also to the opinion, at least, of 

 the litigant Governments; its proceedings were not 

 purely judicial, but in a certain degree diplomatic; 

 and a lai'ge part of the proceedings were in the na- 

 ture not so much of action as of judicial consultation, 

 which it midit well seem unfit to conmiunicate to the 



