Vandalia Whig and Illinois intelligencer. [volume] (Vandalia, Ill.) 1832-183?, 1834-05-29
RUSSIA AND TURKEY.
FRENCH CLAIMS.

The report made to the French chamber
of deputies in March last, by the commit
tee appointed to examine the convention of
July, 1881 between the two nations. has
been translated by order of the state de.
partment, andis published in the Washing
ton Globe. The report concludes with a
Dill for carrying the convention into effect
The French report gives long histori-
cal account of the origin of these claims.
land the various conflicting DEGREES and or,
oers In ncil,-Briiish and French by
which the neutral rights of the United
States were invaded by both belieeren,s.
and under color of which so vast an amount
OF American property was seized and con-
hscated. These incidents are successive
sketched from the convention of 1900 tbro,
the treaty of Louisiana in 1903; the Brit
ish orders in council of ISO4-5-6. The
Berlin, Milan and Rambouillet DEGREES Of
Napoleon, the embargo and non-inter.
course acts of America, to the revocation
OF the French DEGREES in 1911. and the
war of 1912. In all these harsh and re-
tallatory measures, the abstract injustice of
the system of commercial! warfare is frank
~ admitted, and quoting the language of
Napoleon, it is cassed with "the barbar
ism OF the early ages"
10 this follows history of the neeotia-
tons between the two nations for adiustino
the controversy, beginning with that con-
Quoted by Joel Barlow in 1912, down to
the final convention Of 1881, concluded by
Mr.. Rives.
The first official French document rec
the right of the Americans to in
Identification, is the report of The duke of
Vincenza (Caulaincourt,) minister of for
eign affairs in 1914, just before the fall of
Napoleon. The report deserves notice as
containing very nearly the admissions
which were made the basis of the late ar
rangement The claim TO indemnify for
seizures made under the Berlin and Milan
DEGREES was rejected, and the claims of the
sufferers limited to seizures made after the
revocation of those DEGREES in 1910: seiz-
ures made when the vessels captured had
no knowledge of the DEGREES, of vessels
destroyed at sea by state vessels; and the
seizures made at St. Sebas,iani. The
of indemnifcations was nut al
100000 of francs.
Mr.. Barlow's first note in 1912. exhibit
ed the amount at 100000 of francs.
The presidents message in that year, gave
a list of 55s, captured vessels; and Mr.
Rives, in 1881, submitted a list of 4S5.
which he stated to be incomplete, the value
Of which he estimated at Sl4,OOO. 900
about the same amount as that claimed by
Mr.. Barlow in 1912.
The favorable reception of the American
claims by Napoleon is explained by the
report, by his desire to do an act of Justice.
md at the same time "encomage them IN
heir efforts" in the war against Great Brit
lin.
The fall of Napoleon and the establish.
nent of the government of the Bourbons.
hanged the face of affairs. Louis and
Charles set up counter pretensions, which
bowed their determination to avoid the
'ayment of any portion of the claims, ifl'
ossible. Their first claim was one of in.
emnfication for breach of treaty of,
30S-by which French vessels were to
e admitted into the ports of Louisiana, on
he same footing with the most favored ma