The New York Times asserts that Mr. Fish has directed
Mr. Motley to intimate to the British Government that the Administration of the United States would be well disposed to receive overtures from the British Government on the Alabama claims, if those overtures were made at 1Vashington and not in London, i.e., through Mr. Thornton's discussions with the American Government, instead of through Mr. Motley's discussions with the British Government. The reason why what the New York Times calls " our people" would prefer this procedure is not in the highest degree respectful to Mr. Motley. The Americans seem to have lost all faith in the power of their Ministers abroad to resist the fascinations of aristocratic drawing-rooms. They are modest enough to think that Mr. Thornton will not have much difficulty in resisting the fascinations of American drawing- rooms. We suppose the American people should know their own Ministers best, and we must, of course, bow to their decision on so very important a matter,—the rather as it implies a com- pliment to our Envoy at the expense of their own. But we may just confide to the Americans that our people believe Mr. Reverdy Johnson, in spite of his evident liking for English dinners, to have played his diplomatic cards remarkably well, and with no symptom of soft-heartedness. Indeed, it may be truly said that• he took us in, as well as our dinners.
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