ALABAMA CLAIMS. 65 



Britain to the United States might not be purchased 

 too dearly by conceding to the United States, in con- 

 sideration thereof, indefinite and unlimited exemption 

 from responsibility for wrongs of the same nature to 

 be inflicted in all future time by the United States 

 on Great Britain. 



Further interchange of dispatches on this subject 

 followed, the British Government insisting on modifi- 

 cation of the terms of arrangement proposed by the 

 Senate. 



But Congress had now adjourned. The 15th of 

 June was impending, on which day the United States 

 must of necessity present their final argument or lose 

 their hold on the Treaty. If, at the commencement 

 of the difficulty, the British Government had proposed 

 to the American Government to agree to postpone 

 the proceedings of the Tribunal and take time for 

 negotiation in the usual way, a new treaty might 

 have been concluded as contemplated by the two 

 Governments. Such a treaty, requiring careful con- 

 sideration of phraseology, with discussion and expla- 

 nations regarding the same, could not be concluded 

 in haste by means of telegraphic communication be- 

 tween London and Washington. 



The spectacle exhibited by the two Governments 

 at this time was one of profound interest to the whole 

 world. They were inspired by friendly sentiments on 

 each side. They differed ia regard to the construction 

 of a treaty which neither desired to break. Diplo- 

 matic correspondence had failed to bring them into 

 concord of opinion. They endeavored to reconcile 



E 



