176 THE TRExVTY OF WASHINGTON. 



ments were, indeed, found against some inferior per- 

 sons, but not against the responsible authors of the 

 loss and shame which the Alabama and the Florida 

 brought on Great Britain. Traces occasionally appear 

 in the journals of London of some discontent on the 

 part of tax-payers, who are now called on to respond 

 to the United States for the dishonorable gains of 

 the Lairds and the Millers. Expressions of sentiment 

 in this respect appear in the recent debates in the 

 House of Commons. Indeed, if an account were taken 

 of the injury inflicted on the British people by the 

 actual losses in Confederate bonds purchased in Great 

 Britain, and the profits lost on bonds of the United 

 States not purchased there and sold instead in Ger- 

 many; the losses on British ships and cargoes cap- 

 tured in attem2:)ting to run the blockade of Southern 

 ports ; the payment by the Government to the United 



instance, "papers are presented to tlie Secretary of State by 

 the British Minister on the 11th day of October, 1855, alleg- 

 ing unlawful equipment in violation of neutrality by that ves- 

 sel; the papers are sent to the Attorney-General on the 12th, 

 and on the same day orders are given by telegraph to embar- 

 go the vessel, and are actually executed on the 13th at New 

 York. 



Mr. Fawcett has not without reason called the attention of 

 the House of Commons to this defect in the conduct of the law 

 business of the British Government. The reply that the At- 

 torney or Solicitor General should be allowed to continue in 

 private business, in order to possess competent knowledge for 

 the conduct of the business of the Government, is quite pre- 

 posterous ; it would be just as reasonable to insist that the 

 Lord Chancellor or the Chief Justice of the Queen's Bench 

 must continue at the Bar. 



