The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1838-01-16
From a Dlich Journal
THE QUESTION BETWEEN THE UNITED
STATES AND BELGIUM.


STATES AND BELGIUM
America seems determined to have a settlement OF
accounts with the dleren. Powers Of Europein success
sion First, Naples was obliged 10 make compensation,
next Ffance, and comes tho torn OF Belgium, Inc
nasnder in which the question was treated 10 rtsnes
must still be fresh in recollection AZ hrsl, no suen
thing as decentralization was TO be thoaghi Of pu'
America persisted in the claim The Chambers reject
ed every proposition on this subject, and nothing Duh
expected. However, the French goSeil,i'sns
did not wish TO be placed IN state Of hostility WIN 'ne
Repubc Of the United States, aud by dex1eroas mat
agenent the sanction OF the Chambers was ~ iasl oo
tanned to The treaty by which the required indemnity was
granted The figures in the financial account were
forgotten, while the honor Of France was placed IN the
foreground The national honor, was alleged, would
be stained the Chambers TO continue TO refuse the
government the Of fulfilling the treaty which had
been concluded Il this consideration which chiefly
induced the French Deputies TO vote the grant necessa
nv 10 make good the indemniicalion Of the American
merchants
but what is 10 be done in Belgiuml At presen' lit
tie disposition is there shown to satisfy the demand On
tie other hand the United States will yield the point
and the demand Belgium will, il possible, be insist
ed on more rgilly than that on Flance. Indeed u
cannot be expected that any prorac!ed delay VIII take
place in the present case seeing that the Republic has
Infinitely less opprehend from hostility on the part OF
Belgium than Of France,
Meanwhile Belgium asserts that the damage sustain
ed in the bombardmGnt OF Antwerp in 1881 was ocea-
stoned by the Dutch; it Dutch balls that did the
damage the United States ought therefore 10 look to
Holland for compensation, The American Envoy re-
plies that the merchandise destroyed or damaged by Inc
bombardincnt was warehonsed lr Antwerp, that that
city continues in the possession OF Belgium, and that
consequently Belgium must make good the loss.
The circumstance that final settlement OF the
Dutch Belgc question has yet been to- IS not sui
cient induce the Americans to refrain from pressing
their claim With the diplomatic arrangements of Bel
GUM they have, they observe nothing TO do In the
case OF faa arrangement being made, the Belgian
government may ncide that smount Of the compensa-
ton fixed in it's account against Holland.
How then is the Belgian government TO act! II may
protest and manifest all the reluctance possible but
finally il must follow the example Of Naples and France,
ard pay down the money.
However, Belgium may probably take the hint given
by America and having paid the indemnihcaton, place
it TO the debit Of Holland and this course seems TO al
ford the weighiiest argument the Belgian government
can employ 10 induce the Chambers to vote the sum
necessary for the compensation.
Here we have complication of the question be-
tween Holland and Belgium Holland cannot assent 10
the demand for she maintains that the bombadment OF
the city of Antwerp was nstihabe in defence OF her
rights, and Belgium will not conclude tnal adjustment
until the decentralization bereimburscd How will the
dispute end
This is question Of some difficulty However, when
consider the respective positions Of the parties,
help entertaining the apprehension that shall
at last have to pay the reckoning.
In truth, situation of that nature, that the
cessy ola final arrangement IS on our part most urgent;
aud il will perhaps, be found impossible for us TO
exist whou adjustment. On the contrary Belgium
nothing about the matter for that state has not,
like us, direct interest in settlement.
Belgium stands indebted to US in considerable sum
Of capital and interest Rentes paid since 1880 for the
share Of the national debt which falls upon that part Of
the Netherlands, On an eventual arrangement aud re-
endorsement Of this part OF the debt shen will that bel)
Belgium will deduct the amount Of the American ndem
nhcation which will certainly make very considerable
difference. Indeed, Belgium will be able to take pay
ment, IN kind and shall probably find ourselves obg-
ed submit the sacrifice Of great part in order TO
obtain the remainder.
But what will foreigners say of US Just what they
have always sad--namely, that have acted like fools
delay the adjustment Of the Belgian question, by
fuslng some OF the territory we were to receive IN ex
change for Luxembourg TO be incmde, in the German
Confederation; and SO in the present they would
call it acting insaney refuse 10 give up few
thousands for that important object. Thus shall
have to make sacrifice after sacrifice to attain settle
ment without which is evident we cannot much longer
exist.
Who does not herein perceive another necessary
sequence Of the torpid and nnwse policy OF govern
mem Had set value on the mschicvous system
OF perseverance, had acted with decision and
been more disposed to measures Of concliaton-in a
word had adopted the "a articles relations with
Belgium would have long since been adjusted and our
account closed. Then should not be obliged TO
spend millions during state OF burdensome expendl-
ture whchis yet no war, and can lead TO no Then
disastrous stdta quo would not for so long time
have required extraordinary Of credit, would
have been made pretext for Of severity Then
might America have demanded and obtained indemnif-
cation from Belgium, while the latter could easily
have demanded Of U.s. at least could have hoped
to make good the claim so easily, Now, however, the
future appears under entirely different aspect. We
venture to assert not without good foundation, that
whatever compensation may be paid by Belgium to A
merica, will either be refunded by us, if not,
the decision of our differences must take
and undergo long procrastination
HORRIBLE AFFAIR.