Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1835-01-29

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Tic o-g:n cf the claims of American ct,ens ,g.tl,
F.aace is generally rndcctooi The decrees of BERLIN
snd Milan were directed agoins, tho United Statrs
neutral nationtat had never committed
tility against France Vessels under our FLAG were cap
tnrcd AMI burnt at without ceremony by the Fnch
aud whole cargoes OF American produce cont;scned for
The benefit "f the French Government. These indien
ties 10y al nsi unparalleled ioearanc part OF the
T. s. were not tnsn rcscned by declaration Of war
II became France then, the argrcssor forward
on me ts r'u@n Il peace IN Eurpe asd to have made
reputation Tor the nrics she had inflicted our com
nlrrce THIS She neglected To do and threw rs anon
-" hi"'' remedy u negotiation And notwithstanding
uie fact; that fcnch Ministry hls had the csFron,rry
to deny the justice OF these claims thr negotiation for
thci has been spun out for upwards ot twenty years
az length by Treaty signed at Peris, The itil luv
1881, the ratification of which exchanged Wash
i'm on on the % February lS:g2 France AGREED 4, ma,
- millions of francs Tor her slo,.on. The sprciei-
ton of this treaty entered into the mode end time CT
paying this sum. The national faith of France was
tiiry pig tedand the IT, States were congratulatinr
themselves that old ally had length after long,
delay put end to Just of complaint against
her This Treaty was not presented 20 the Chamber Of
Deputies an time to make provision for the payment of
the first instamcn that became due in consequence OF
which draft from the Secretary Of the Treasury upon
the French Treasury disiDnorcd The FIRST iro-
ceedings the Treaty took place the 9th April l5:S3
and although the necessity of Immediate ncun upon il
was recommended by the French Minister Of Finance,
II was passed over without farther notice. The Cham
bcr of Deputies met again the llth June 1888 and
adlourned without vote the Treaty. alleging the
paitry excuse that presented late action
with"ut sufficient reason for not presenting earlier
Ii not until the session of 1884 that the Treaty was
taken mp and gavcy considered and gravely rejected
The debt due from France is of twenty years standing
The obligation to pay has been seriously question:
ed new express promise made with all tie solemni-
ty Of National Treaty has been violated and the Poo.
pie of the Union required by submit; without
murlnur to this insulting caprice. Surely unless the
United States mcan to abandon these claims u, toto il
Is Tune To insist upon their satisfaction
There is view of this question which brands the
conduct of the French Nation with ingratitudc as
well as injustice and breach of faith The United
Stltcs was the only nation that refused TO unite
with the Allied Powers against France in 1914 and
10. The Duke dc Broglir in the Chamber of Depu.
s SAID That the Allies who entire power
the restoration, invited the u join their claims with
others which they causing TO be acccpcd but this
offer Indignantly refused by Mr. Crawford then Nil
mister OF the United States at Paris" 1hromoh this me-
dunn our claims could have been satisfied The u. S
adopted more liberal and honorable course and in re-
qul she will not enjoy the pleasure OF being last
served, but perhaps not served at all
When the reasons for refusing 10 carry into effect
the Treaty, as assigned by the French Chamber are
examined, they are paltry, insufficient, and entirely
derogatory To the honor of the French nation The
variety of contradictory positions taken by the men,
bcrs OF the CHAMBER in the discussion of the Treaty and
their frvoy and want of truth, beirny great want of
candour and honesty IN fairly meeting the question: and
a determination not a pay n inst debt Some took tho
ground, that the spoliaons were made under an
(bonararic and that the French government was not
responsible for his acts. Others contendcd that the
breach on the part of the United States ofthe 9Th Article
Oh the Louisiana treaty. caused France sustain loss
tantamoun to the whole of the American claim Others
commended for the low policy Of ying again in order
to cut down the amount that the faith the nation was
pledged to pay, alleging tliat generosity the
virtue of a cabinet"
II alleged, that France owed seventy millions or
nothing Others declared the sum stipulated TO be paid
was too large Some made the groundcss desperate
assertion, that the twenty-five millions covered cight
millions that had been once paid by Spain, under the
Florida Treaty and that the L. $ were seeking double
satisfaction for the injury.
The only objection that deserves our notice H. that the
amount stipulated be paid is greater than the amount
Justly dee: hut IT evident from impartial view of
whole question, that te pss claims Of American CT
tzens wotid De only partially satisfied by the pay
nont of twenty-five millions of francs This is proved
ny the assertion of the best informed members of the
Chamber OF Deputies Gen Lafayette said, that thirty
millions due. Gen Sebastiani late Minister cf
Foreign Affairs in France. declared before the Chambers
- '-e"' r''r"'r'iors hnscd collection of data