Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1843-12-21

" BEnJ. T.. HowARD, at Md. ". Prs
II CuARLEs MAcALEsTEH, "f Pen.
\ FRAScrs sALTUs, of n. York.
ii', n'snp b ps.""rr.., mgss.,, arcrsr7rio.
The following Address was unanimous
ly adopted
TO the People Of the U. States
/ Fellow CITIZENS Some Of those
persons who have claims upon the
Goyrrnmen Of oar country, eaIsiing
from The comine nc emrui Of tins century
have assembled together for the purpose
oi mutual consultation, and determined
Ia address you upon the subject. The
original claimants are moi numerous al
this meeting. Their ranks have beer
The origin Of their cla,ms. Many n
claimant has sunk Into the grave, with
hopes protracird until the heart became
sick and often, owing to the uncertain
ties al business, the evening oI his liir
has been cl"uded over by povorty his
legacy Ia hiswidow and children consist
ing chiefly IN h's pending appeal TO the
Justice oi his country.
These helpless females or infant chill
dren have been unable To be present n,
our meeting /; but their anxious eyes
are nevertheless directed To ug, N the
hope that our consultations may evenlu-
ate in expedring that congressional in
qulry INTO their case, which they feel
assured ~ all that is needed to afford
them the hong delsyed relief This is
no fancy sketch. We should Gespise
ourselves if by any exaggerated repre-
sentallons we could impose upon your
Judgment. Many OF us are familiar
with instances like those we have depict
ed, and every meeting which takes
place disc loses vacancies ia the ranks,
from which the aged claimants have
gone down to the tomb, with the gloomy
feeling that if our Republic is not un-
grateful, IL IL, in this ease, unjust.
10 the great tribunal OF public opinion
we make our present appeal
The origin OF these claims may he
known to IA portion OF The public, bui re-
quires explanation TO the great mass Of
this nation.
In i778, "A, the darkest period Of our re-
voutionary struggle, when even the heart
of WAsHINGToN became faint, France
entered into the celebrated treaty which
secured our indepe ndence az nation.
For this, however, she required us To enter
into a guaranty to make common cause
with her jorerer, in defending her West
India possessions and required also a
stipulation, that her armed vessels should
be permitted to bring their prizes into
our ports and to Try them by French iri-
bunals, To be established here by thai
government.
Such "nerous, and you will say i'm
practicable, concessions appear at this
time OF day incredible but such they
were, and a release from them was pur-
chased, as we will conclusvely show
by a surrender, without compensation
OF private merchant property, captured
by the French, IN consequence Of the
efusal on the part OF The American
Government TO perform their treaty stipu-
lalions That private property belonged
to those in whose behalf we now address
you.
\ For nearly bali a century have we
been invoking Congress TO listen to our
complaints and invesiigat their merits ;
and only once have we been able Ia
obtain the definite action Of either branch
Of that body. Upon that occasion, our
case underwent the severest scrutiny in
the Senate of the United States, by the
highest .alebts Of the nation and q
bill passed for our relief AT all Other
times, the real or imaginary pressure OF
other business was too great to allow Us
to be heard. 1t was said by the Ameri-
can Minister in France, about the year
1910 or 1911, when speaking Of claims
upon that governmen nj subsequent In date
to ours, that "thcir very magnitude rem
dered them hopeless )" aud yet the
stern md continued reclamations Of our
government ut last obtained satisfacto-
ry adjustment of them. Can it be, as
some have feared, that the representa-
tives of The hig minded American peo-
pie are deferred from awarding justice
IN consequence OF the magnitude OF the
amount, whep that coDside ration, so un-
worthy of u nation, has been found TO be
no jmpcdimont IN the way Of our de-
mands upon other governments We
are reluctant TO believe, and viii not be-
lieve, that any Of your representatives
would be censured by you for pursuing
toward your own fellow citizens the same
rule Of action which we, as nation,
exact from other nations.
\ II is stated IN a report made by the
committee on foreign affairs TO the House
'of Representatives, IN 1888, that sixteen
reports had been made To one or the 9th
er branch OF Congress, upon the subject
Of our claims and that "iwelye were in
favor of the petitioners and four against
them" That report itseli was favora-
ble, aud since that time another com
miitee has reported 10 the same effect.
There are now fifteen reports IN our Ia
vor and only four against US. These
four with ono exception, a statement by
an individual member OF n committee
were made nj az early day, before the
true history Of The events upon which oor