The New era. [volume] ([Portsmouth, Va.]) 1845-1847, 1846-08-18
FRENCH SPoLIATIoNs-yETo

oy 'he president for Withholding his approval
thereirom The following is the Message
WAsHINeToN, August 8. 1886
10 The Senate Of The United States:
return TO the Senate. in which it originated,
me Bill entitled An act TO provide for the
talnment and satisfaction of claims of American
citizens for spoliaIi committed by the French
prior tn the 3lst of July. 1901" which VAS pre-
scented To me on the 9th instant with my ubjec-
tions 10 it's becoming a law
In attempting to give the bill the careful exam
ination II requires, difficulties presented them.
selves in the outset, from the remoteness of the
period to which the claims belong. the pcat ted
| nature of the transactions in which they urgnat.
ed, and the protraced negotiations tn which they
| led between France and the United States The
short time intervening between the passage of
the bill by Congress. and the approaching close of
their session, as well the pressure of other Off
cia duties, have not permitted me to extend my
examination of the subject into its minute details
But. in the consideration that have been able 10
give to it. find objections of grave character to
| its provisions
For the satisfaction of the claims provided for
it is proposed TO appropriate five millions of dol
lars can perceive no legal or equitable ground
upon which this large appropriation can rest. A
portion OF the claims have been more than half a
century before the Government, in its Executive
OF Legislative departments. and all of them had
| their origin in events which occurred prior to
| lSOO. Since 1872 they have been from time to
time before Congress. No greater necessity or
pr0Prlety exists for providing for these claims at
this time than has existed for near half a century
during all which period this questionable measure
has never until the present time received the IA
vorable consideration of Congress 1t is scarcely
probable. if the claim had been regarded as obli
gatory upon the Government. or constituting an
equitable demand upon the Treasury, that those
l,uhp 49,,
gave rise to it, should not long since have done
justice to the claimants. The Treasury has often
been in condition to enable the Government IN
| do so without Inconvenience, il the claims had
been considered just. Mr. Jefferson, who was
fully cognizant of the early dissensions between
| the Government of the United States and France.
out Of which the claims arose. in his annual mes
sage in 1908 adverted to the large surplus then in
| the Treasury, and its "probable accumulation. !"
and inquired whether ii should lie % unproduc,iye
in the public vaults; % and yet these claims.
though then before Congress, were not RECOGNISED
or paid. Since that The public debt of The revoln
ton and of the war of 1912 has been extnpuished.
| and at several periods since the Treasury has
been in possession of large surpusses over the de-
mands upon it. Ia 1886 the suplus amounted to
many millions of dollars, and, for want of proper
objects to which TO apply it. it was directed by
Congress to be deposited with the States
During this extended course of time emara-
cling periods eminently favorable for satisfying all
just demands upon the Government, the claims
embraced in this bill met with no favor in Con-
| gress. beyond the reports Of committees in one or
the other branch. These circumstances alone are
calculated To raise strong doubts in respect to these
claims; and especially all information necessa-
ny to correct judgment concerning them has
been long before the public. These doubts are
strengthened in my mind by the examination I
have been enabled to give to the transaction in
which they originated.
The bill assumes that the United States have
become liable in those ancient transaction to make
reparaton to the claimants for injuries committed
by France. Nothing was obtained for claimants
by negotiation and the bill assumes that the Gov
eminent has become many ways responsible for
these claims. The limited time allowed me- be-
fore your adjournment, makes il impossible to re-
iierate the facts and arguments by which, in
preceding Congresses, these claims have been
successfully resisted. The present is period
particularly uufavorabe for the satisfaction of
claims of so large amount, and to say the least
of them, of so doubtful character There is no
surplus in the Treasury public debt of seve-
raj millions has been created within the last few
years. We are engaged in foreign war. uncer-
tain as to its duration, and involving heavy expen
dItures 10 prosecute which war Congress has, at
lis present session, authorised further loan So
that, in effect, the Government, should this bill
increase the public debt to pay these claims It
is 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
the same. The public lands constitute one of the
sources of public revenue, and if these claims be
paid IN land scrip, il will, from the date Of the is
sue. to great extent. cut off from the Treasury
the annual income from the sale of public lands
because payments for The lands sold by the Gov
eminent may be expected To be made in scrip IN
I'll it is all redeemed. If those claims be Just. |
they ought To be paid in money, and nothing less |
valuable. The bill provides that they shall be |
paid in land scrip. whereby they in effect to be
mortgage upon the public lands in the new
States-a mortgage, too, held in great part. if
not wholly, by residents Of the States in |
which the lands lie, who may secure these lands
to the amount Of several millions of acres. and
then demand for them exorbitant prices from the
citizens OF other States who NAV desire 10 purchase
them for settlement, or they NAV keep them out of
the market. and thus retard the prosperity and
growth OF the States in which they are situated
why THIS unusual mode of satisfying claims upon
me treasury has been resored to does not appear.
IL rs not consistent with a sound public policy |
If it be done in this case. it may be done in all
DINERS. IL will form precedent for the sstisfac
ZION OF all other stale and questionable claims, and
would undoubtedly be resorted TO by all claimants
who after successive trials, shall fail to have their
claims recognised and paid in money by Congress.
The bill proposes to pay FIVE millions Of dollars
TO he paid in land scrip, and provides that M
claim OF memorial shall be received by the com
mssioners'' authorized by The act, "unless az.
compsnied by release or discharge of the Uni
ted States from all other and further compensation
than the claimant may be entitled to receive nm.
der the provision Of the act" These claims are
estimated 10 amount to much larger sum than
FIVE millions Of dollars, and yet the claimant is re-
quired to release to the Government all other