Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1835-01-19
23d Congress-2d Session.
In SENAU E Ian &

F,y '>oMmttlee on Foreign Relations
M.OHhf rom the Commlttee on Foreign Re
lat'ons, made the following Report:
me on Foreign Relations have. acco,.
o'hS 'oorocr, had under consideration that pnr, of
~ "icSseSe 1.-THE President of the United States
"uen .e'e' lo me present state of our relations
with France and having attentivclv EXAMINE
Inc correspondence which has passed he,
'e Two Governments, communicated TO Con.
gress, and deliberated on the whole sub;ec, with
an earnestness commensurate viii the hioh rc.
sFect que 10 the views Of the Chief Magistrate
ana demanded by the dcllcocy of the que stions.
anu Inc magnitude OF the interests, involved. bey
ieave now to submit the folio Report:
ne committee must, in the first place, express
'he'r entire concurrence with the Presiden, as To
'ne Jusuce oil the claims Of the citizens of The Unit
% olh'es, Tor winch indemnify is stipulated by the
treaty of the 4th of July. 1881. They had their
origin in a series OF mcasures Of The French Govern.
ment, which Frustrated the cleorest principles of
public law, and violated the most solemn engose-
ments consccra,ed by pledges of national fairh.
The veil, by which their enormity was ATTEMPTED
to be covered, of prior nggressions authorized or in.
ficted upon the neutral commerce of the United
States, by the enemy Of France, was too thin TO
create the slightest deception. Nothing, in the con-
duct OF one belligerant, can justify the preparation
- 49, 'J'J Nt'" W. i'''iCSii' kI1fu DhIIY . u
even if an overriding necessity of self preservation
should, in any case, prompt the inalction of such
an injury, nothing could excuse II but an ample and
immediate reparation. Al the period when these
aggresslons were committed, the United Suites
would have stood fully justified in the face of the
whole world, ifthey had appealed TO arms to avenge
their wrongs and vindIcate their rights. And it IS
known to those who are convcrsant with The history
OF the times. that a resort TO hostile measures a.
gainst France was seriously considered and actunl-
ly proposed in the councils ofthe United States. II
was deemed e%xpedlent not TO adopt them, but TO de-
clare war against the other belligerant. This $, lee
lion Of their enemy, by the Gov rnment of he Unit
ed States, did not proceed from any insenslbilily to
The injuries Of France, but was prompted by a con.
viction that a war with France, in the actual con
teal consequences, whist Great Britain, it was be-
lievrj, might b m de to feel the cffccts Of her more
violent and unjust measures.
Whilst, however, thu Government Of the United
States felt i'scif constrained, by prudential consid-
rra,lons, TO abstain from an appeal 10 arms at that
period, against France, II resolved never to acoui.
csrc in The in usrice witch clnz ms of ,he Unl,pd
Stat"s had experienced at the hands OF France, bu,
nnrcmiu,nyi,,, 20 ner~"V"re in demanding thu ,niem.
nifty 10 which they were Justly eHtllei. !; was
due to ancient relations with France, TO the inter
SITS of The two COUNT les, and 10 the ratuIe of the
case, sine the Injuri,s were not resented when
they were fresh, that redress should be first sought
by friendly negotiation. As early us 1912, u dis.
tineulshed citizen OF the United States was deputed
10 France, when the power of her Emperor was az
It's greatest height, to demand satisfaction. His
sudden and unexpected death probably prevented
the accomplishment, Of the object of his mission.
Fror1 that period, down to the signature of The lrea.
~ usder consideration, every American admins
,ration, and every American minister at Paris, with
the exception OF a short period of forbearance, dc
,ated by delicacy and friendly feelings townrIs
France, have earnestly pressed for The indemnity
10 which we are entitled. From the multitude g. the
nature of the aggrcssions committee by France, II
IS difficult, TO ascertain, at this day, their precise a.
mount; and II never, probably, can be exactly YER
fled, even by Judicial investigation, owing TO The
loss of evidence and other causes. But the COM
mltiee concur, perfectly, with the President, in the
npinion he has expressed in his MESA &c, that it is
" absolutely certain that The indemnify falls far
short of the actual amount OF our just claims, indie
pendently of damages and interest for the dctcn-
ton" During he progress Of the negotiation, and
at the moment of signing the treaty, the American
minister, WHO concluded II, had in his possession,
authentic documentary evidence demonstrating that
the measure of indemnify was far below the meas
ure of wrong. The President is, therefore, fully
justified in saying, " that the settlement. involved II
sacrifice, in this respect, was well known at the
time Although the commission which has been
created to decide on the claims, has not yet closed
its labors, enough hos been already disclosed TO es-
tablish that this sacrifice is even greater than that
which the American minister ough. to have known
at The signature of the treaty.
Nevertheless, intelligence Of the conclusion Of the
treaty was received in The United States by the
people and their councils. with general satisfaction.
| Time blunts the force Of injuries the aggressor
and his victim alike fall beneath the uhsparing
scy he and the people of he Uni ed States Saw IN
the treaty at least a partial, though tardy, justice
rendered TO those injured c'llzens, who yet linger
behind, aud to the descendants of those who died
unredressed. Above all, the people of the United
States saw in the treaty the removal Of the Only
obstacle to The restoration Of that perfect harmony
with France, which has ever been near their
hearts.
Never, on this side ofthe ocean, could the people
of the United States believe that a treaty which at
least, upon lis face, after its mutual ratification,
bore all The soicmnities Of q perfec. obligation OF
both parties, was TO be violated on the other side
So confident was Congress of its faithful executions,
that it FASTENED to pass the laws necessary to give
to France the full advantage Of the s,ipulations IN