The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1839-11-30
FTUm THe lSdItW Ud-tfH.
THE OLD CLAIMS ON FRANCE.


We hope the approaching session Of Congress will
not be suffered to close, without the passage Of law
TO the sufferers by the French spoliaons
prior to 1900. These spoliatons were acknowledged
and ample satisfaction was made for them by France,
10 our government, many years ago Bot our govern.
ment has paid cent TO those citizens to whom
| the property actually belonged
The history Of the transaction is simply this At the
| commencement Of the Revolutionary war; in treaty
of alliance with France the United States came under
obligations to the French to render them assistance in
maintaining their possession OF the West India Islands,
and under such obligations Nation held that in
| the event Of war between England and France, If
the United States were at peace with England, we
should have been compelled either TO break the treaty
enlist in the service OF the French to protect their
| West India Islands.
Between the date of independence and the close
| OF the last century spoliatons were committed upon
The commerce. Of the United States by France, to the
amount Of about twenty millions of dollars, agreeably
1 to the best estimates.
| The spoliatons became so grevous in the year 1898
that war in disguise, quasi war. took place on the
| part OF the United States BY an act Of Congress-
dated May 2sh, 1898, the capture, by public vessels
OF the United States, of all armed vessels Of the repub
| lie Of France, found harborng the coast OF the
United States" fully authorized. In June, of the
same year. another passed, suspendng intercourse
with France under penalty OF forfeiture of vessels
carrying such intercourse" also. in the month";
further act passed " authorizing American mer
chant vessels to oppose searches &c made by Franch
vessels to capture the sggessos, and TO re-capture
vessels taken by the FRENCH &c In fact what
fsmiarly termed the Short French War;" took place,
| When Messrs Marshai. Pickney and Gerry in
Paris the informal negotiations carried there,
the justice Of the claims admitted and commits
sion proposed be established to quidate the amount
to be paid by the United States loan to France. In
all the subsequent negotiations the claims for spoa-
tons were admitted by France to be valid, and finally
| in the second article of the convention between the
United States and France they are spoken Of as in
IDENTITIES due, =
II was finally agreed, by treaty between France and
the u. States, that government should be relieved
from the obligation Of protecting the French West
Indies on condition Of the withdrawal of all claims
France for the spoliations above referred to
| 1t is plain therefore, the abandonment by the
United States Of the "vaid claims" Of her citizens
against Francefor the cruel dfpedaiions Amer6i-
caa Commerce, which, according 10 the report Of the
Secretary of State OF January 18th, 1899 brought
distress multitudes and ruin many Of our citizens,
and occasioned total loss Of property to the United
States of probably than twenty millions OF dollars,
besides subiecting fellow TO insults, stripes
wounds and Imprisonment was the valuable conside
ration" (agreeaby to Mr. Madson,) by means OF which
she alone procured her release from obligation
so pressing and onerous that her ministers had
cd her readiness TO purchase immunity thereirom, by
the payment Of large in part OF the indemnity
due from the French government to the claimants, be-
sides leaving unimpalred their claim against France
for the residue 1t equally plain that the govern
ment Of the United States, not being competent +, take
possession Of and appropriate to its own use the pro-
perry Of lis citizens nor to abandon without authority,
their claims against foreign government, did, by It's
abandonment in the treaty Of 1900 Of their "vald
claim for the purpose Of national interest, leave them
without redress against France necessarily follows.
that our thus virtually assumed the respon.
sibty Of France the claimants well under those
recognized principles Of natural justice which civilized
nations are accustomed to respect under that article
Of the constitution which expressly provides that
"private property shall no, be taken for public use,
without just compensation"
Yet for those spoliatons not cent mas ever oeen
maid to those who have by their property purchased the
peace and prosperity which the nation has since realized
although many OF them were by those losses reduced
from aiiuence to comparative poverty. II the spoa-
tons were such as make national claim which was
acknowledged and paid why were not the claims OF
,ndipduas equally Just on our nation and promptly
maid