Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1830-12-02
FRENCH CLAIMS.
From the Rai'imcrc Republican.
c. F. MERCER.
President ofthe Q. g. o. Canal Co.

LTUH me !'tUtN'it ItPHcttt"t-
II is yer, agreeable to find by various recent
intimations. that the present French government
has manifested becoming appreciation OF our
long standing and meritouous claims to Indem-
uty. arising out of spoIations committed under
color of authority. from the Imperial Govern
ment, without regard to the common principles
which all the world are bound to respect. 1t is
highly creditahle to our present energetic. and
paternal chief magistrate. that the interests of So
respectable and important a class of our fellow
citiZensas the BODY of merchants cOniessedly are,
have been regarded with the deep solicitude which
the amount of their claims and the immutable
principles of Justice upon which they rest, so
justly inspire
The French nation is the debtor: and neither
lapse of time nor change of government. can, in
any degree. lessen the perfect obligation which
originally and ALWAYS marked the transaction
The recent revolution. however. adds something
to this responsibility, since the new government
profess to adopt The principles upon which our
own is founded, and which are at once the beast
and ornament Of an intelligent and happy people
Pr ecfi0n 10 our 0wn pecrR md justice 10 dh
we hold up as the base Of ours, as we desire TO
see it the base of all governments; and while
we witness the moral effect of this principle, up
on the hitherto depredatory governments OF
France. Spain. England. Brazil. and others of
South America and Denmark-who. each in
turn, has acknowledged the justice and policy
of meeting to US decentralization for wrongs com
mitted-and now France ogain-let us BE- quite
sure that nothing remains on or part, to main
tain the efficacy of this salutary. peaceful, and
benignant principle, which we have so many mo-
lives Of interest, policy, and patriotism. for rec
ommending in ITS broadcast sense to the adoption
of every nation.
Is it not true, that the United States received
from France, in behalf of our merchants, thirty
years AFRO, large indemnIhcatIon which has not
been paid over to them? And have not the suf-
fcrers been left to langush, even unto death.
with incessant complaint upon their lips? They
hold the official declaration from the Executive
Department of our government, that - the CLAIMS
from which France was released. were admitted
bv France. and the release was for a rdiNabie
consideration in a correspondent release of the
United States from certain claims on them,' and
the repeated favorable reports of committees, to
both houses of Congress. have uniformly and
most unequivooaly established that the claims
rest upon irceiutabie justice.
A highly respectful and most earnest appeal
was submitted to the President twelve months
ago. having for its object to induce his re ON
mendation of their claims to the favorable con-
Of Congress; tut he was not then,
now thoroughly Informed of the details, and
hence the subject was held under Amusement.
None can doubt that he will be most prompt
aud Jealous in efforts to ctface this stain from the
of our country, and that the time con-
su;ned in the consideration Of the case, will be
more than compensated hy the eff, iencv Of
the means he shall adopt to secure the desired OBJ
Ject