The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1846-08-21
Another Veto.
WASnINGTON, August s. h

70 THE SESATE OF TINS usITRp STArEs
! return TO the Senate, in which il orr.
ginated, the Bill entitled +" An act TO pro.
vide for the entertainment and satisfaction !
Of claims Of American citizens for spolia-
tions committed By the French prior TO the
3lst Of July, 1901" which was presented |
10 me on the 9th instant, with my oblec
ilous 10 lis becoming law.
In attempting TO give the bill the care.
ful examination II requires, difficulties pre-
scented themselves 10 the outset, from the
remoteness Of The period 10 which the
claims belong, the complicated nature Of
The transactions in which they originated,
aud the protracled negotiations 10 which
they led between France and The United
States. The short time intervening be.
tween the passage Of the bill by Congress,
and the approaching close Of their session,
as well as the pressure Of other official du
ties, have not permitted mo 10 extend my
examination Of the subject into its minute
details. But, in the consideration that
have been able TO give 10 il, find ohjec
For the satisfaction Of the claims pruli
ded for /, is proposed to appropriate FIVE
millions Of dollars. | can perceive no le
gal OF equitable ground upon which this
large appropriation can rest. 4 portion Of
the claims have been more than half cen
t1ry before the Government, in IFS ESecu-
tive or Legislative departments, and ell Of
them had their origin in events which oc.
Cured prior 10 $500. Since 1902 they
have been from time 10 time before Con.
gress. No greater necessity or proprIety
exists for providing for these claims a, this
time than has existed for near half q cen.
fury; during all which period this ques.
tlonabe measure has never until the pres.
ent lime received the favorable considera.
ton Of Congress. IL is scarcely proba bic
If The claim had been regarded as obiga
tory upon the Government, or constituting
On equitable demand upon the Treasury,
that those who were coniempofaneous with
the events which gave rise to il, should not
long slnce have done justice 10 the claim
ants. The Treasury has often been in a
condition 10 enable the Government to do
so without Inconvenience, It the claims had
been considered Just. Mr., Jefferson, who
was fully cognIZant Of the early Gissensions
between the Government of The {. States
and France, out Of which The claim arose,
in his annual message 10 lsOS advetted 10
the large surplus then in the Treasury, and
ITS probable accumulation, and inquired
whether It should lie unproduc.l,e 10 the
public vaults )" and yet these claims, tho
then before Congress, we're not recognised
Tor paid. Since that the public debt OF ,he
revolution and OF the war Of 1912 has beer
ex!ingulshed, and at several periods sinct
the Treasury has been ia possession o
large surplus,es over the demands upon i
10 1886 the surplus amounted 10 many mil
lions Of dollars, and, for want Of proper OBJ.
jects 10 which to apply il, IT was directed
by Congress TO be deposited With TIE
States.
During this extended course Of time
embracing periods sminenty favorable for
satisfying all just demands upon the Gov.
eminent, the claims embraced in this bill
met with no favor 10 Congress, beyond The
| reports OF committees, 10 one or the other
brunch. These circumstances alone are
calculated 10 raise strong doubts q respect
10 these claims aud especially as Gil infor.
nation necessary 10 g correct Judgment
concerning them has been long before the
public. These doubts ere strengthened in
my mind by the examination have been
enabled 10 give 10 the transaction 10 which
they originated.
The bill assumes that the United States
have become liable 10 those aucient trans.
actions 10 make reparetion TO tho claimants
for injuries committed by Franco. Moth.
ing was obtained for claimants BY nepo,ia
ton and the bill assumes that the Govern
meni has become many ways responsible
for these claims. The limited time allow.
ed me, before your adjournment, makes it
Impossible 10 rclteTale the facts and argu
meqts by which, in preceding Congresses,
these claims have been successfully resist.
ed. The present Is period particularly
uniavorable for The satisfaction Of claims
.ot so large an amount, and, to say The least
- N''~'''I - ~ ADNAttu VI u IAIlaELGEs NpIH
IS 60 surplus IN the Treasury. A public
debt Of several millions has been created
within The last few years. We are en-.
gagged 10 foreign war, uncertain as to its
duration, and involving heavy expenditures;
to prosecute which war Congress has, at
Its present session. authorized a further
loan. So that, in effect, the Government,
should this bill become a law, would have
to borrow money aud increase the public
debt to pay these claims. It true that
by the provisions Of the bill, payment is
directed to be made in land scrip instead
OF money, but the effect upon the Treasury
will be ne same. The public lands con.
stlute one Of the sources Of public reye
nue., and If these claims be paiJ in land
scrip, It will, from the date Of the issue, 10
great extent, cut off from the Treasury
the annual income from the sale Of public
lands; because payments for The lands sold
by Inc Government may be expected to |
be made IN scrip until 1t is all redeemed. |
II those claims be Just, they ought to be |
paid in money, and nothing less valuable.