Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1835-03-07

low, about l5 600 900 francs might be consilcrcd %
Let II be remembered, then, that this is an er-parfe es
inmate, made entirely without the concurrence of the
Claimants, or even of MIR. Barlow who ON the contrary
rated the losses Suffered by American merchants M
Iooooooo francs that 1T does not include the Antwerp
cases. perhaps the strongest OF ALL that il is concssedly
low estimate, derived from official returns of forced
sales and where every nducement existed to underrate
inc value OF the property for the sake of cssenng the
amount of dnes payable and finally tInt II - -
debt acknowledged to be due twenty years ago
ahc on which, consequently, fair claim for In
teIest exists, Vtsolf amounting for twenty wears
to II O0OOOOf let all this be remembered and who will
deny that twenty five millions of francs PAYABLE nj this
@ very moderate, not to say inadequate remedy
On principles acknowledged to be by the French
government: If, TO all these considerations bc added
mat me captures aud condcmnaons under the Berlin
ana Milan decrees were, under the law of n,tions to
the iul as unwarrantabc the destruction of property
at sea- who can deny that the American Government in
accepting 800 COO, by the treaty of 1881 gave sgna
proof oil moderaon and if liable TO in any GUAR
ter was on the part of the claimants receiving so small
portion of their just demands?
The downfall Oft the French empire orcourse arrested
ne progress die negotiation with the United States
II was resumed with the Government the Restoration
ir. Haiaun, our minister at that time in France was in.
S.ruccu TO urge The claims on the French ministry
France was at that time severely burdcncd bv the
amount oil the indemnics which she was bound TO nav
by the treaties contracted with the allied sovereigns o
Europe The minister of France at this time the Due
oe haheeu appealed TO the considcrate fengs of the
American Government not TO press its claims when they
wouu De peculiarly onerous to France and this appeal
was successful 1t has now recently been pretended
against the force of the precedent OF decentralization sol
py inc payments to the great European Powers the
restoration oil the Bourbons that they of the charac
ter ct military contributions made to Government and
pore no resemblance to the reimbursement claimed by
cltzens OF the United States That they NAV have Lce
IN part Of the character thus pretended is moi denied
but that provision also made for the pavment oS
claims OF character identical with those for which in
communication has so long and niurously been with
neld rom American citizens might if the limits of this
report admitted be proved by specific instances
AT the earnest request of of the French minister The
american claims, as has been Observed postpon-
cd 1t was understood, however and stated by the mi
nster that this postponement considered by him
as rcecuon AT length, after four years delay and
when France had recovered from the exhaustion of En-
ropean indemntcs the American claims were modest
ly preferred. They were sustained with eor,i 49,
Verance, skill and force BY MIR. Gallatin in his cores
pondcnce with several persons who successfully filled
the place OF minister of Foreign Affairs OF several of
ms applications no notice taken; to some of his let
ers no answers were returned and his efforts seemed to
have been wholly unsuccessful though marked with an
aDihy not surpassed IN diplomatic history. The first
pea was positive inability This backed by the
neral argument Of not being responsible for the acts of
tue Imperial Government. When the former excuse
mad happily ceased to have foundation i'm fact and the
latter had been demonstrated TO have no warrant in publ
law, the claim for indemnies was most unusy attach
ed 10 Tie controversy relative to the commercial inter
course between the two countries that being dis
posed Of the construction of the eighth article Of the
Louisiana treaty was brought up still more effective
BY the Sth article of the Louisiana t&eotv II WINS st;
lated that French ships should forever admitted into
the ports OF Louisiana the footing of the most favored
nation AT period when in consequence of series of
duties, all-bu prohbitory American vessels in France
similar tonnage duties laid on French vessels i'm
America, France set up the extrayarant preiension
tha her ships should be admitted free of TONNAGE d
y IN New Orleans, because English vessels were so
admitted there, in all the other ports of the Uni
ted States in virtue of the Commercial Convention
between America and Great Britain, by which the
discriminating duties both sides were abrogated =
Inc extravaganza of this preension-apparent on its
iace-beconcs more when is reflected that at the
same time it brought forward it would have driven
al! the trade between the two countries into French ves
scls and into the single port of New Orleans The I'M
w Ich A huch np,.
the satisfaction ofhe claims is seen in the consideration
that by the commercial convention between France and
inc United States of 1922 France actp.iy enjoys this
favor Qi purchased exemption be called on
the same terms which Grpn' ;ntan and all other nm
uons ENJOY It, it nsy De further added, in illustration
OIL the spirit with which this obstacle has been thrown i'm
the way of the settlement of the controversy that the
stpualions in favor ofAmerca by the 9TH article of the
convention of 1900 have as has been already stately
manned unsatisfied by France TO this day
Nevertheless, this monstrous pretenson WIS fastened
on the question OF payment of indemnity and could not
Oe shaken OH At length, in 1927 by the operation of
the commercial convention between the two countries
the discriminating duties both sides expited A. n
Pr9cuca question, nothing remained but the amount of
indemnity TO which the French navgatos might be en-
utied Tor the burdens laid their tonnage for the few
preceding years and, question Of abstract RIGHT il
seemed difficult to make n serious affair out of lie die
terence between abolition Of discriminating duties I'M
der the treaty Of April 80 1903 or the convenon of
June ~ Ic2 Weary of the obstacles which this cues
oh hrew IN the way of the justice due our citizens
1t was determined by the President of the United States
lMlr Adans) to make effort remove IT, bv an OF
Vi " submit tne question, tius narrowed down arbi-
rauoh Oh ths new basis, the negotiation resumed
by Mr. Brown. On the return of this gentleman TO mo
Tlca, the attempt again made by his successor MIR
Klves, basis substantially the same to brine tho
french Government to the performance of its duty Tho
negotiation carried by this minister with greot
ugence, perseverance and vgor, and brought in his
judgment, to state promising speedy and satisfactory
arrangement. The Prince dc Polgnac at This fine tl
head OF the French ministry, stated by Deputv in The
debate IN the French Chambers the execution of tho
treaty to have cautioned his successors after tie rcvo-
luton OF July, TO beware how they paid the American
claims inasmuch " he had Investigated them and
found nothing was due" Whether this discrcdtoLIc
sentiment is to be ascrbed merely to perturbation Of
mind and confused recollection, Gas charaby intmated
by the French Minister of Foreign Affairs in rcnIv IN
the statencnt) whether the Prince dc Polionac had
really been guilty Of dupcity towards minister thc
undersigned are not called TO decide At all events
inc revolution Of july 1880, found the American claims
unsalisicd.
OF INC negotiation presented itself but not unncum
bcred with difficulties.
The Government Of July admitted the obligation of
france to make indemnity orhe wrongs done under the
Government OF Napoleon. As Government founded
on popular choice, IL felt sympathy with that of te n
States, not TO be expected on the part of the fallen f
~ BESIDES this, great influence was possessed i'm The
new Government, BY individuals supposed to be animal
ca ny friendly sentiments towards the United Stacs-
uch was Dceved TO be the the part Of his Ma
Jesy INC hing Of The FRENCH SUCH Of course was the
case with General Lafayette But ON the other hand
portion Of the Government # July maintained the vail
dy OF the Berlin and Mon DEGREES; although the tnes
or chapters OF the law Of nations which give tc spht-
est shCuon 10 those outrageous dccfees have never
Deen pointed out France, at this period reprcscnted
hcrc embarrassed IN the Of her finances and her
popular institutions alleged to create obstacles 10
dcns. ~
Such were thc difficulties as well as the facilities *.
10 ffs cf..ft, a.