Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1834-12-11

any act OF omission or commission ON IA,
part derive, therefore. the highest "a,
isiaction from beiag able to assure YOU
that the whole course Of this government
mas been characterized by a spirit so con
ciiiatory and forbearing, as TO make il in,
possible that our justice and moderatio,
should be questioned, whatever may b,
The consequences of longer perseyer
ance, on the part Of the French govern
ment, IN her omission 10 satisfy the con
ceded claims of our citizens.
The history Of the accumulated ant
unprovoked aggressions upon our com
merce, committed by authority of the ex
lsting governments Of France. between the
years 1900 and 1917, has been rendered
too painfully familiar to Americans te
make ITS repetition either necessary or de-
sirable. 1t will be sufficient here to re.
mark, that there has, for many years, been
scarcely single administration of the
French government by whom the Justice
and legality of the claims of our citizens
to indemnity, were not, to a very consi.
derable extent. admitted; and yet near a
quarter Of century has been wasted in
Intellectual negotiations TO secure il.
| Deeply sensible Of the injurious effects
resulting from this state Of things upon
the interest and character Of both nations,
Regarded It as among my first duties 10
cause one more effort to be made 10 salts.
iy France, that a just and liberal settle
ment OF our claims was as we'll due TO her
own honor as to their incontestible valid.
ty. The negotiation for this purpose was
commenced with the late government of
( France and nth 81,
success, as TO leave no reasonable ground
to doubt, that settlement of character
! quite as liberal as that which was subse-
quently made, would have been affected,
had not the revolution, by which the ne
gotiation was cut off, taken place. The
! discussions were resumed with the present
government, and the result showed that
we were not wrong in supposing, that an
event by which the two governments were
made 10 approach each other SO much
nearer in their political principles, and by
! which the motives for the most liberal and
| friendly Intercourse were so greatly mul.
I tiplied, could exercise no other than sa.
lutary influence upon the negotiation. AT
| ter the most deliberate and thorough ex-
animation Of the whole subject, treaty
between the two governments was con-
cluded and signed at Paris on the 4th of
July, 1881, by which it was stipulated,
that " the French government, in order to
liberale itself from all the reclamations
preferred against it by citizens of the Uni
ted States, for unlawful seizures. captures,
| representations, considerations, or destruc-
ton of their vessels, cargoes, or o'herpro-
perry, engages to pay sum of twenty hive
millions offrancs TO the United States who
shall distribute it among those entitled, in
the manner and according to the rules 1t
shall determine; I" and it was also stipu-
lated on the part of the French govern
ment, that this twenty five millions of
francs should "be paid al Paris in six an
nuai instruments Of four millions one hun
dred and sxty.sx thousand six hundred
I and sixty six francs and sixty six centimes
each. into the hands of such person or per-
sons as shall be authorized by the govern
ment of the United States to receive it.'
The first instalment to be paid at the ex-
lpiration of one year next following the ex-
change of the Publications of this conven-
ton, and the others at successive intervals
Of year, one alter another, till the whole
shall be paid. To the amount of each Of
the said instalments shall be added inter
est at four per centum thereupon. as upon
the other instruments then remaining I'M
paid, the said interest to be computed from
the day of the exchange of the present
convention"
1t was also stipulated, on the part of the
United States, for the purpose of being
completely liberated from all the reclama,
lions presented by France on behalf of its
| - A. .k,ak Eo 1F william fsv<
, hundred thousand francs should be paid tc
the government Of France, in six annua
instalments, TO be deducted out of the an
! nual sums which France had agreed tc
, pay, interest thereon being in like man
ner computed from the day Of the exchange
of the notifications. In addition to this slip
ulation, important advantages were Sc
, cured to France by the following article
\ viz: 1.-The wines Of France, from ant
: after the exchange Of the notifications o
7 the present convention, shall be admitte,
5 to consumption in the states OF the union
: at duties which shall not exceed the fol
: lowing rates by the gallon, (such as it
= used at present for wines in the Unite
States to wit: six cents for red wines |
!, casks ten cents for white wines in caski
r and twenty two cents for wines OF all sort
in bottles. The proportions existing be
q tween the duties on French wines thu
J. reduced, and the general rates OF the I;
|. riff which went into operation on the FIR
e of January, 1929, shall De maintained,
) case the government the United State
= should think proper 10 diminish those 6
N neral rates in new tariff.
In consideration of,his stipulation, whie
n shall be binding on the Uuited States 1
j. ten years. the French government aba
es dons the reclamations which 1t had iorm
e. in relation to the 9Th article Of the trea
I'd of cession Of Louisiana. 1t engage
of moreover, to establish ON the long STD
sc cottons of the United States, which, all
he the exchange of the ratiGcations OF the p
nd sent convention, shall be brought direc
as thence to France by the vessels oil
Die United States, or by French vessels.
gle same duties as on short staple cottons."
ID This treaty was duly ratified IN
The manner prescribed by the constitutions
the both countries, and the ratification
see exchanged at the city of Washington