Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1835-01-13
TUESD.E ",

reaCe ana friendly intercourse with all nations,
much the desire OF Government as they arc the in
tercs of our people But if it be the policy of the
Unitcd States to practice the greatest moderation and
forbearance towards all nations, and consider
calamity to be resorted to but in extreme cases
what additional force do these sentiment acquire when
applied France orr ancient av and friend for whom
the People of the United States cherish the most CRATE
fu and honorable recollectons associated with stu
gle for independence"
Entertaining these views the committee have consi-
dered to be their first duty attentvely examine the
pacific branch of the alternative presented by the Prcsi
dent to discover whether there any rational hope,
that by the exercise of further patience the hazards of
war might be prevented They have, in consequence,
carefully perused the whole correspondence submitted
by the President to the Senate between the two Govern
ments, to find if they could the causes of the ex-
traordinary delay which has in the execution
of the treaty and whether there was any prospect of
their ultimate removal. They have done more they
@ IL TO be their duty to examine the correspondence
far as it was accessible to them which preceded well
as that which followed the conclusion of the treaty.
expected
1t appears from despatch of Mr. Rives to the Score
ary of State under date the 18th September 1890
his first interview with the French Secretary of Foreign
Affairs after the Revolution which placed the present
King OF France the throne that this French minister
said that he thought that the principle of indemnity
would be admitted, but that the amount of the claims
was very complex question, depending on great
rcty OF considerations and requiring minute detailed
examination; ''that he believed claims would
ter much less opposition with the Government, (meanng
the king and his minsters than with the Chambers that
ne had thought OF the organization of commits sion TO
examine the subject consisting omembers ofboth Cham
m
innate decisions and that he should submit the proposition
at early day. the council In subsequent despatch
OF Mr. Rives of the 9th November $780, he says .the
dispositions of the king, well with regard to this sub
lec 1.-THE American claims, to the general relations
between the two countries every thing could
sire The difficulty exists in the extreme reluctance of
the nation to pay any indeneS and the necessi-
ty which the Government feels itself under of consult
ing the representatives, of the nation and of securing
their appreciation to any arrangement which may be ulti
mately concluded The commission of the formation
OF which, have already apprzed you has grown entire
y out of this feeling"
On the occasion of an audience with the King Mr.
ltives in his despatch of the 18th January 1881 SAYS
that the King in replying to his remark reiterated the
sentiments he had heretofore expressed me-
erred to the he had taken, with view bring
tue differences between the two countries to conclu
SION The King proceeded to say
hat since reading the President message, he had
monstraed against all unnecessary delays in the pro-
secuton OF the business, and assuring that every
thing should be done, his part, to bring the ear
their finances"
The commission appointed to examine our claims.
made their report The majority of four rejecting
claims, growing out of the Berlin and Milan DEGREES
as well the Rambouillet and other special decrces
timated the sums which they supposed the u States to
be fairly entitled to, according to MIR. Rves between
ten and fifteen millions OF francs and the minority of
two, admitting claims rejected by their caleauues
at thirty millions. In interview between the French
Minister of Foreign Affairs and MIR Rves, described in
his despatch ofthe 2Sh april 1881, the minister spoke
preventative government increased the present
stance by the almost unanimous report of the
In dnother interview, with the President
Council of Ministers, described in the despatch
OF Mr. Rives, Mr.. Perricr said: He felt all the i'm
portance of culhvatng good relations with the Uni
ted States and that he sincerely DESTROYS of adj
Justing this ancient controversy but that their nan-
ces, as | saw, were exceedingly dcranged, and that
there would be great difficulty reconcinp the Cham
Der of Deputies additional charge on the enfceblcd
resources OF the State, for claims too, which had
arisen from any wrong done by the present Government
OF France. In the same despatch Mr.. Rives reports
the King expressed he has always DONE very cordial
sentiments for the United States; said he had frequently
called the attention of his ministers the necessity of
settling our recamation that they had always objected
the embarrassed state of the finances but he hoped they
would yet find the means of doing justice.
In despatch of MIR Rives of the 9TH of Nav 1891
communicating the otter of twenty millions of frances
full satisfaction of claims and his declining to ac-
cept it, he states the French Minister to have epIied
hat the offer he had just made was one of extreme IL
bealty; that 1t would subject the ministers severe
responsibility before the Chambersthat he had been al
ready warned from various quarters that he would he
held to strict account for his settlement of this affair
In the DESPATCH Mr.. Rivcs details conversation
which he had had with the President of the Council re-
speeding the amount of our claims, in which ne said,
"that it particularly hard that the burden their
adjustment should fall upon the existing Govern
nent IN the present crippled state OF ts and
when all OF its expenses upon the footing; and
that it certainly not the interest of either country to
make arrangement which the legislative authority
here might refuse TO carry into execution"
In another despatch of Mr.. Rives, of the Doth May,
1911 he relates conversation in interview with the
President OF the Council.-That Minister, Mr. Rvcs
s1tcs then said that but for the Chambers there would
be less difficulty in arranging this question: but that he
appchenueda very serious opposition to II their
which might seriously embroil the relations
OF the two countries, by refusing carry into execution
any arrangement which should be made" lie added
THAT two months, later, could be of much
Importance in the settlement Of this question: and asked
me It there would be any objection adiourning it's
decision till the meeting of the Chambers, when the
ministers could have opportunity of consulting some
of the leading members of the two ouscs This post
ponement objected toby Mr. Rives, and was not in
sisted upon.
During the progress of the negotiation the principle
ofindemnity early conceded The French minister
first offered fifteen millions of francs Mr. Rives de-
manded forty. The French minister advanced to TWEEN
y, TO twenty four, and finally with extreme reluctance
10 twenty five At the point of twenty four Mr. Rves
down to tlny-twoas the medium between the two
proposals. AT that of twenty-five the French ministers
announced it as their ultimatum and in a despatch of
Mr. Rives of the 18th June 1881 lac reports the French
minister to have said, tha it the opinion of the most
enlightened and influential men, members of both Cham
bers, that the offer Of twenty -four millions heretofore
made, greatly too much that --,---
and other leading members of the one Chamber or the
other whom hc mentioned, had already expressed that
opinion to him, and emphatically warned him Of the
serious difficulties to which this affair would expose
ministers"
Thus, It appears that throughout this whole negoGa-
ton, the King manifested the most friendly feelings to-
wards the United States; that he took a decided interest
and excrted an unusual agency in the conduct Of the
negotiation; that the principle Of indemnity having been
acknowledged. the difficulty lay in the adjustment Of its
amount but that by far the greatest difficulty from
the apprehension that The Chambers consequence Of
the rcpugnance Of the nation to the payment of any
more indemntcs, would not make the necessary appro-
pratons to carry the treaty into effect that Mr. Rvcs
reminded again and again by more than one French
minister, Of this anticipated obstacle that he was told by
the President Of the Council that ne apprchendcd tho
opposition from the Chambers might be such serious