ALABAIHA CLAIMS. 47 



to chano-e in its discretion the constitution of the 

 United States. 



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

 this Treaty, Mr. GLadstone and the other Ministers 

 were tossed to and fro on the 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, — Mr. Glad- 

 stone did, but Lord Granville did not, — let it not be 

 remembered against them personally, but charged to 

 the uncontrollable difliculties of their position, and the 

 siofnal defectiveness and intrinsic weakness of the or- 

 ganic 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 highest thankfulness and gratulation 

 and patriotic pride, to see the Government of the 

 United States, — President, Secretary of State, Cabinet, 

 Congress, — continue in the even tenor of their jDublic 

 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 self con- 

 tained power. Congress, on the other hand, is the 

 field of debate and the place Avhere popular passions 

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

 But, on this occasion, no more debate occurred in 

 either House than that least possible expression of 

 opinion, which was necessary to show accord witli the 



