Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1835-01-08

From the Committee Of Foreign Relations an the
Senate, on The subject Of the French Treaty. T

FROM me (OUUttcc ~ AVe'5"
Senate, on The subject Of the French Treaty.
In yesterdays Gazette we spoke briefly OF TINS
able Report. The following abstract OF Its con-
tents, is furnished by the National lntelllgenceE
The Report sets out with expressing the entire
concurrence Of opinion OF the Committee win
the President as to the justice OF the claims lot
the payment of which the Treaty between the
United States and France makes provision.
They had their origin in fragrant VIOLATIONS OF
the law of Nations, and of our neutral rights LOT
which the pretence aledged al tne Iih!e anoau
ed no justification. At the period oil those ag-
pressions. the Government of the United States
would have been fully justified had it then appeal
ed to arms to vindicate our outraged rights; ana
il was fact known to those who were CONVEX
SAINT with the history of the times, that the expe
diency of such measure had Deen seriously
considered in the councils OF the Cniteo states.
The selection between the two bellgerents, oy
which another nation became the enemy at that
time. arose not from any insensibllity to the IN
iuries received from France, but from CONSIDER
ations of different nature. Restrained oy pru-
Dental considerations from then making war
upon France, the United States had yet resolved
never to acQuiesce in the wrong and ln)ustice
done TO them, but to persevere in the demand OF
indemnity until it should be obtained. AS ear
ly as 1912. one of our most distinguished cltl-
Zens. appointed Minister to France, was IN
structed to demand reparation for these wrongs;
and the demand had been persisted In, by eve
nv Administration, from that day down to the
conclusion of the Treaty OF 1881.
The report then goes on to say that oil these
claims the amount had not previously to the
Treaty been fully ascertained, and could not be
exactly known until they were finally adJudi-
Gated; but the Committee concur entirely win
the President in the opinion that the amount a.
warded by the Treaty, by way ofindemnlty falls
far short Of the just claims OF our citizens, IN
GLIDING damages. The Treaty had neverthe.
less been received in this country with general
satisfaction, for several reasons, but more than
all, for the reason, that the People Of the United
States saw in it the removal ofthe only obstacle
to perfect harmony between this country and
nation. the remembrance of whose ancient
friendship was always dear to them. 1t had not
been for moment supposed that treaty pc
tween the two countries, being on the lace oil II
a p'rfect Obligation, would be violated ny the
failure ofeither party to perform the stipulations
on its side, &c-and so little did Congress ap.
prehend such state Of things, that they passed
several acts founded upon the Treaty, one OF
which was to provide for the investment OF The
money to be received under the Treaty IN some
productive fund.- for the benefit OF the claimants,
until the adjudication of the claims should be
completed. In consequence OF this last pr"Vl-
sion when the first instalment became due. a
which was the. first notice of the noe-eXecutlon
oftbe Treaty. To the manner in which TINS
draft was drawn perhaps on the score OF lorna
lity or etiquette some exception might he taken;
but the Committee are unanimously OF OPINION
that tn mode adopted, Of drawing for the mo-
ney, was fully justified by the terms OF the Irea-
ty. II is with profound regret, says the Report,
that the Committee have learnt the failure of
the reasonable expectations Of the Executive
and of the country, as to the execution OF the
Treaty.
The Report goes on TO say, as the President
in his message justly remarks that the idea OF
acauescence in the refusal to execute the Urea
ty, can never be for moment entertained
The United States can never abandon their
rights under it. When negotiation for procur
ing the execution ofthe Treaty shall be exhaust
ed. it will then be for the United States to con-
slider what other measures are necessary 10 pro-
cure their rights to be respected. In the oplnl-
on of the President, that period has already ar
rived and he has recommended to Congress to
authorize Reprisals in the event of failure OF
France promptly to make payment, &c. The
President, however, does not present. the course
OF Reprsals as the only one open to Congress,
but by the admission of The alternative OF wait
ing a further time for the action OF the French
Chambers, leaves to the choice Of Congress the
two courses, Of further negotiation, or of a con-
tingent measure which, in its consequence, may
pOSSibIy lead 10 war. AS 10 the IdtteT course,
il the habits, inclinations. and interest Of this
P, ople are opposed to war, when not unavo ada
ble with what added force do not all these objec-
tons amply to war with an ancient ally, to
wards whom the People ofthe United States en-
terrain the kindest sentiments Partaking of
this sentiment themselves, the Committee ex-
tended their inquiry, first into the practicability
and expediency of the peaceful alternative pre-
sented by the message.
The report here proceeds to critical analy-
sis of the correspondence (between our Minis
ter and the French Ministry which preceded
the formation of the Treaty, showing, by various
quotations from it, that, throughout the negotia-
ZION, the King of France evinced the most friend
" feelings towards the United States, and took
an unusual interest in the adjustment of the
question between the two countries. Our Mi
mister had been reminded, over and over again,
of the difficulties which the Ministers would
have to encounter from the Chambers in conse-
quence of the Treaty, &C. To this history of
the negotiation the Committee did not advert
to Justify the omission Of the French Govern
ment to carry into effect the Treaty; the Difficult
Nv now experienced in the French Chambers
being an affair between them and their own
Government, and not between them and our
Government But the Committee had required
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