Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1835-11-13
POLITICAL.
REPORT
Of the Committee If the French Chambers, the 4meri-
can CIaisn2-iCoxrIHuED.
REPORT

Jackson had been made President anu ms election had
been promoted by the PROMISE made in his name that tile
negotiation with France shord be brought to Terminal
ton. Meetings had bern held at NeS York, probably
with the sanction of the President for the purpose of in
sistng upon an extraordinary mission to France IN be-
half Of the American clumants- Letters from the net
ing Consul IF France at " Y tn the Minister Of Foreign
lbars, datcd qpra %, 1899; and from The Consul Gene
raj Of France to Tie Minister If FoTrign tairs n April
q, 1922, md October 81 lS27 At these meetings. the
claims defended with degree of force which had
somewhat the appearance Of menace. The President
himself in his message of December g. sl spoke with
much bitterness to Congress the SUBJECT and while
uttcring some cnncatory words respecting The GsTern
:eit then existing in France dc at the tc spoke
Of these unjust delays. being likely produce COL
lIslon between the two powers.
MIR. Rives had been France on an cxtraordnu-
~ mission, and had TO treat with NJ &c Pnkgnac. Hc
began the 18th Of January, 1890, by requesting the
French Minister TO fix positively the limits OF tic rea-
ration which he disposed TO offer In second et'
ter of February 9Th, 1S0 he reminded ~ de Eo!1Enac
that they already in accordance with respcco the
vessels and cargoes not dcintirey condemned or de-
Stroycd al and he promised to send him pro set Tor
arrangement, BY which the views manifested BY him
self might be rrconced with the just rights of Asc
subjects. This project communicated to u; e
Polignac in March, lGID.
Its first article ensured the citizens OF the Emitted
States compensation for all losses sustained either from
captures representations, in all in which there
had been dcfnvc condemnation by the Council Of
Prizes from the illegal destruction of vessels and car
goes at
The second article stipulated that Naturalization
should be made in the following cases, where cundem
nation had been pronounced.
!. Where condemned contrary to the Convention OF
| 1900;
=. Where not condemned BY regular Prize Council
3 Where the proceedings had not been conducted ac
cordlng to the forms prescribed by law for obtaining
| Just decision. by hearing both parties
L. Where the sentences Of condemnation gave re-
troactvc effect the DEGREES, virtue OF which, they
had been given
D. Where the condrmna,ons. though based upon the !
DEGREES, had been pronounced after their repeal: !
e. Finally, in all in which the condemnatlons
for any reason Whatever would give cause for ndemn
lcaton: in the opinion Of mixed commission, the com
position Of which, well as lis powers aud mode OF pro-
cceding, were specified in the project.
This project submitted to Commission. which ,
reported OH the 3st Of May, l.}O After stating aud adj
hitting, that the principle Of the Kings Government
being responsible for the acts Of preceding Govern
mcnts, was objection To all the calaiS The !
commission entered into the examination Of the clasScs
presented by Mr. Rivcs; Of which but three seemed To
be admissible. viz
l. That Of vessels and cargocs not dchnitlvely con-
demncd;
= OF vessels and cargoes destroyed at sea;
g. Of vessels and carg"cs SEIZED and cpniscatcd sfr
the repeal of The DEGREES of blockade. /
The Commission then indicated, as possible means
of compensation the surrender oil the claims OF frF7cr.
Of the noncxccuton OF the treaty o Crss"
of louisiana.
But NJ de poignac in the negotiation which hr HIM !
self was CARVING with Mr.. RIvcs made the IouiSI-
ana claim shall Sec separate question, and The
Of s the OF 10
cling the receipt Of the project Of the tIcay
March 18th, 1880, NJ dc Pognac says, that he not
prcpared 10 express an opinion On It's prorsons but
Judging from the disposition of the American Govern
mrn, as expressed by Mr. Rivcs 10 do justice to the
claims Of France and particularly to those founded on
the 9Th article Of the Treaty OF Ccssion OF Louisiana, he
ro9id bit hope for specify and h"pPy determination
| Of this long agitatcd question:
| On the next day, MIR Rivrs thanked M. dc Polgnac
for the speedy md hcppy determination, which he knd
| 4 cppT,,rc
order that he might explain himself at length with re-
card to the Louisiana question. NJ de Polgnac onihe
2d March, 1880, insisted that the 9Th article OF tho LOU
isana treaty could longer be subject of doubt that
the admission of the French Interpretation was lndiSRr7-
sable preliminary To the nrgotlnton and that all
that remained, was, TO determine the method and the
amount of the NATURALIZATION I" which rance was Gu
titled Mr. Rvrs, in his reply 2Gth and 9th slasch, re.
pccd this pretcns!on, which he considered as now rst
.rard and would 60 farther in concession, than to
a.Icc arbitration relative to question IN Which the
| opinion of his Government was steadily liked
| So formal 4 dissent point important, rendered
all further negotiation impossible unless ne opposing
preensions could be reconcd by reciprocal
compromise then attempted; but IN order that Tue
PRINCIPLES sustained by each party should NJ! BE placed
in jeopardy IN this should not be effected the "l'
cial correspondence continued on the same grounds
while confidential correspondence Indicated The condi'
tuns of an amcablr arrangement.
Mr. Rivcs made the first oycrlures IN private Iecr
Of Nav 49, 1880 he proposed substituting The reduction
nf the duties the entry Of French wines INTO all ports
rf the Union tor the privileges WHICH
n n,r,s of Louisiana ONLY NJ. de- Pognac in Ills re-
uly of MAY ls before he admitted the proposed e9uiV
cnt wished to know whether the reduction would be
perpetual and rrcvocabe, or whether 1t might De repeal
cd at any moment without the participation OIL France
il being only III the first that he could admit the pos
sbiitv examining the intrinsic value OF the proposition
Mr. Riycs REPLIED on the I'll Of juno, that the Ecduc
ton would be obligatory during the PERIOD Tor when us
duration should be agreed but that the Prrpctuity OF
anv uiycn rate of duties would be- incompatible with the
! liberty Of making its own commercial arrangements
which each nation reserved TO itself NJ. de rotghac
m the 18th of june appeared satisfied with ms c1Ria
,,,on and declared that enabled him to examine the
propostion to which related in all lis bearings Every
thnr was thus tending towards speedy tcrmiAat'oh;
when the revolution OF July took place -,
Il is proper sce TO what point the restoration I'd"
conducted the nrgutiaon, at the period when lM 70
ycrnmcnt of the Revolution of July had to take II up
The restoration had contested tie Legitimacy OF
the American claims; urging in objection 10 lhem ohiy
lis own responsibility and that too rather as means OF
lrsscninn The demand, than OF rcrelllnS IL. A.
~ evadrd settlement but j, formally refused one
and in the examination resumed at sc'fto' Pellou,
mcd without difficulty; the three most laPoilin'
rorcs of the four which had been admttrd oy t'c 'n
prc. In urging with perseverance, inc INJURY
| hv France from the -execnlion OF the LSais,''d
treaty it did pretend to place the Claims ouhueu W.
:, 49, cornternoisc 10 those Of the American; and w'le
if WAS insisted that they should both be proSde" ''' "
the same treaty. they were kept aPa''' ''' IN tHe
of examinations and in arranging the rout o. e'nF'
lion In word the principle transmitted IRON. lN iI"
wv; ., ,L Restoration was To reduce the American
rrI,;ms to classes for which ndemnhcatIon could be
nndr and to determine upon fixed sum Ss inc an c
Of that ndcmnitication Inc pfncP.t Ira IS
tho RESERVATION to the Government OF The Revocation OF
Ill, ,,s 10 obtain compensation by commercial adTah-
tages for the violation OF commercial convention:
On the 25th of September, leu, MI ltVes teques'e"
cn, MoIr then Minister Of Foreign Affairs, TO resume
the neroia,on which had been interrupted by the re-
ron,i6n of July The Government could not
avoid taking itself the responsibility for the nets OF the
nnerial Government, without forfelne its honor, and
80, rl,;ms of origin Count Mole convinced that the