§ MR. WHITEsaid, he would beg to ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether looking to the conspicuous good faith and friendly feeling of the Government of the United States towards this country in its recent conduct to the Fenians, Her Majesty's Government is now prepared to submit all claims and matters in dispute between the two Powers to an arbitration mutually acceptable?
LORD STANLEYI agree, Sir, in the opinion which the hon. Member has expressed as to the friendly and honourable feeling that has been shown by the Government of the United States with regard to this Fenian affair. I am very anxious personally—and I can speak for my Colleagues as well as myself—to do anything that is reasonably possible to remove any feeling of irritation or of soreness which may remain in consequence of circumstances connected with the late war. But, with respect to those claims, I am afraid I cannot give him so precise and so positive an answer as he may desire. With regard to the most important of those claims, a full discussion has taken place between the Government of the United States and those who preceded us in office. That discussion was terminated six or seven months ago, and during the very short time I have been in office those claims have not been revived. They involved questions of considerable perplexity and difficulty, and, I need not add, that I have had very little leisure to consider them. In any case it would be premature on the part of the Government to say immediately what answer we should be prepared to give to claims of that kind when they are revived until and unless they are brought before us. Perhaps I may say that, with a view to lessen the probability of such differences arising in future, it is the intention of the Government to advise Her Majesty to issue a Royal Commission to inquire into the working of the Neutrality Laws, and, if necessary, to revise those laws.