Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1834-05-09
CLAIMS ON FRANCE.

carry into effect the CouVehtioH Will A'ioiioo,
being on its final passage
Mr.. MCKAY wished to have some informa-
ton on this subject, from the Chairman OF the
Committee for Foreign Affairs.
MIR. ARCHER replied, that full information
would be had, by reference to the report from
the Secretary of the Commission, which report
was living on the Clerks table; and he caled Tor
the reading Of it.
The report having been read
Mr.. ARCHER adverted to it, and SAID, that
the House would perceive that, with view 10
be economical, two years only had peen gwen
originally to the Commissioners to perform tnelr
duties. But that the claims having proved
more numerous than it was supposed they would
have been, there were many that were yet undls-
nosed of from various causes, but principally Tor
the want of the requisite testimony when was
to be obtained from the records OF the french
Courts: He ought, also, to state frankly 10 the
House. that information had been received, that
the Chamber of Deputies had refused their as
sent to bill introduced by the French Govern
ment, making appropriations to carry into Ell
feet the payment of indemnity to to be award
ed to the claims of those to be adJudlcated
bv this Commission So far, however, was
this circumstance from lessening the necessl-
ty that existed for the passage OF the Dill, IL
seemed to him rather to augment it. For look
inc to the possibility, that this refusal might be
bent on this country to be prepared, not with
loose or vague statements of uncertain amounts,
but with such accounts as had been adudicat-
ed and ascertalned.
Mr.. REED supported the passage of the bill,
on the ground that much of the evidence was
yet in the French Courts.
Mr.. HUNTINGTON said, that he could speak
with some confidence Of the assiduity with
which the Commissioners had performed the
duties assigned them. Under circumstances
that were possibly known to many members OF
the House, many papers connected with these
claims had been, by a resolution OF the House,
sent to the Department of State, from whence
they were transmitted to the French Govern
ment. 1t was therefore, indispensably neces-
sary that the time should be extended, to ena-
BILE the claimants to procure the requisite testi-
mony.
MI. MCKAY said that, if necessity for the
extension Of the time was shown, he would not
object to it; but from the statement OF the Char-
man of the Committee for Foreign Affairs, that
the French Chamber had refused to carry into
effect the treaty on their part, he inquired was
it proper on the part of Congress to go on?
The statement, that some Of the papers neces-
sary to prosecute these claims were in France,
was not new to the House; ii had been stated in
the annual Presidents message long since. Why
were they not procured2 BY one Of the arti-
cles Of the treaty made in 1880 with the French
Government that Government was bound to
furnish these papers. If that Government
thought itself justified in refusing the appropria-
ton necessary to carry into effect the treaty,
might it not also refuse to furnish any strong
ground for the continuance OF the COMMISSION.
He considered the refusal of the Chamber OF
Deputies to make an appropriation to carry IN
to effect the Treaty, to be equivalent TO de
claration that they would not execute any part
of the Treaty. A postponement of the bill, for
dow cat1o ocf p
cessary, that it might be ascertainedt to what this
refusal, on their part, would lead. For, sure
ly, If it turned out that there would not be any
prospect of the treaty being fulfilled by the
Government Of France, there'could not be any
propriety at all in continuing the Commission
beyond its present legal term.
Mr.. burgess remarked, that there was one
fact which would make the extension of the
Commission necessary. The ground upon
which the appropriation had been refused by
the French Chamber was that it was too large,
being 25 millions of francs. The Board Of
Commissioners was appointed to ascertain the
amount Of claims, and he believed that they
would be found, when fully ascertaned to
amount to four times that sum. He did not APP
prehend that there was any just cause to sup
pose that the necessary papers would be with
held. They had not yet been all called for, and,
when they were, he supposed that they would
be furnished.
Mr.. BARRlNGER rose TO express MS concur
renee in the views of his colleague, (Mr. Nc
KAY,) so far as to have immediate action on the
bill postponed. 1t appeared to him, that through
out the whole Of this transaction, wehave acted
prematurely. This Commission had been APP
pointed, and had been in existence, at some eX-
pense to the country, for two years, to decide
upon such claims as should be presented to
them. He believed, however, that they had
not been actually in session one fourth Of that
time, for want of materials to act upon. Whilst,
if contrary course had been adopted, and
the claims had been first collected, and then
sent to a commission for adjudication, much
saving Of time and money would have re-
suited. He should like to have some assur-
ance that, if the Commission was now prolong-
ed, there would be any more probability Of get
ting the testimony, which was deemed so i'm
portant, from the French records, within the
proposed term of extension, than there had been
for the past two years. 1.-The could prescribe a
course, it would be, that after all the claims be-
fore the commission, which they had materials
to decide, were acted upon, the commission
should be suspended by law, only to be revived
when the defective materials were collected;
and, in this way, the whole of them might be
diSnosed of in three or six months He would