The German papers appear to take so strongly the view
that the indirect or consequential damages claimed under the Treaty of Washington are mere buncombe, that some of the papers,—the Prussian Kreuz Gazette, for instance,—recommend our going into the arbitration on the strength of the positive certainty that no such damages will be awarded, arguing that even if they are, we may declare the decision a nullitas insanabilis and decline to pay, and that we should have universal sympathy in refusing to submit to so "unimaginable a decision." This would, in our opinion, be a most hazardous as well as culpable proceeding. There is no mean- iug in submitting to arbitration on the principle of "Heads I win, tails you lose," which, as regards the iudirect claims, is exactly what we are advised to do. And as for the sympathy of Europe,—well, that would be just as it might happen at the moment. No State in its senses would count upon that to cover it. from the consequences of so shifty a proceeding.
Previous page
