Litchfield enquirer., 1835-12-10

soemnly admitted by France herself The
antiquity OF these claims, their high justice,
and the aggravating circumstances out oil
which they arose, are too familiar TO the A
merican people to require description. II is
sufficient to say that, Tor period OF ten years
and upwards, our commerce was, with but
little interruption, the subject Of cons tant ag-
gressions on the part of FIance-aggreSsions
the ordinary features of which were condem-
nations Of vessels and cargoes under arbitrary
DEGREES, adopted in con'ravention. as well OF
the laws of nations, as Of treaty stipulahons
burnings on the high seas and seizures and
confisca'ions, under special imperial recr'pts,
in the ports of other nations occupied by the
armies. or under the control Of France. Such
il is now conceded, is the character Of the
wrongs we suhered-wrongs, IN many cases
SO fragrant, that even their authors never de-
ot these injuries, some conception may be
formed from the fact, that after the burning
OF a large amount at sea, and the necessary
deterioration. in other cases, by long deten.
ton, the American property go seized and
sacrificed at forced sales, excluding what was
adjudged to prvaleers, before or without
condemnation, brought into the French treas
ury upwards twenty iOur millions OF francs,
besides large custom house duties.
The subject had already been an affair OF
twenty years. uninterrupted negotiation, ex.
cept for short time, when France was over
whelmed by the military power of united Eu.
rope. During this period, whilst other ma.
tons were extOriing from her, payment OF
their claims at the point Of The bayOnet, the
United States in,ermitted their deman nd for
Justice. out of respect To the oppressed condi-
! iion If q ual,ant neonle 10 whom thev felt
! under obligations for Cra,ernal assistance in
their own days of suffering and'of peril. The
had effects Of these pro,racied and unavaIling
! discussions, as well upon our relations with
: obvious: and the line of duty was to INV mind
I equally 40. Ills was. either 10 insist upon
The adjustment n, our claims within a reason.
able period. or 10 aba ndon them altogether
I could NOT doubt. that ty this course, the in-
terests and honor of both countries would be
best consulted. Instructions were therefore
given in this shirt ~ the Minister who was
semi ont once more Ia demand reparation.-
JTron the meeting of Congress in December,
1900 I I'll. !, INV dutv IN sneak IF these claims
and the DELAYS Of France, in terms calculated
IN call the serious attention Of both conn ries
To The subject. The then French Ministry
took excent,on 10 the MESA ge, on The ground
of its containing a menace, under which Il
was not agreeable 10 The French government
! 10 ncgo,in,e.
The American Minister, Of his own accord,
retuied the construction which was ATTEMPTED
TO h. nut upon the message, and, AT the same
time. called to the recollection of the French
ministry, that the Presidents message was
communication addressed, not to foreign gov.
ernn,ents, but 10 the Congress Of the United
States. IN which II was enjoined upon him,
by the constitution, To lay before that body
information Of the site Of the Union, com.
pretending its foreign as well az its domestic
relations and that IT, in the discharge oI his
duty, he felt IL incumbent unon him to sum
mon the attention Of congress, in due time, to
what might b. the possible consequences Of
existing difficulties with any foreign govern
men', he might fairly be supposed to do so
under sense Of what was due from him in
frank communication with another branch OF
his own government, and not from any in'en-
ton OF holding menace over foreign power.
The views taken by him received my apnro.
baton, the French g0vernmaf, was satisfied,
and the negotiation was continued. 1t term'
nated IN me trea'y OF Ju,y ., 1851 rec".n',
sing the justice Ofour claims. in part, and