The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1851-02-04

zens-inlures which il the solemn duty OF our gov
enment 10 redress at any aud every hazard 10 project
SUBJECT from the OF foreign powers is one
OF Inc rs duties OF every government and is one oil he
returns Which the supreme power OF the Stale IS ever
pound 70 make for the allegiance OF lis clzens bu IN
ihis case there only this general obligation but
very special one resulting from the faith OF the govern
meat expressly pledged, will appear from the follow
nE e1uact from The circular OF MT JEFFERSON, addfe
TO the merchants OF the United States dated August az
1893:
having been made the government Of the United
nted BY privaee of the powers
war and being possible that other instances may have happened
charge from OF the United
Be- paid suas. Ssy may susl on the high
s" as se sorS s aT Sh, 81 s %
Se same proper proceedings will be adopted Tor "e re-
The obligations both general and special, thus i'm
po.sd, were greatly enhanced by the vast interests at
stake There exists nowhere in our public archives an
authentic statement OF the number OF vesssls seized hy
e rsnch nor OF the amount Of the iosses su-tnr BY
our citizens. 10 the report submitted by Mr. Holmes TO
the Senate (21 session 10th Congress there Is appended
letter from Mr. Clay then Secretary OF State, transmit
ting list OF 444 vessels captured between 1893 and lS00
Of which he observes that il is believed to be essentially
deficient as to the number OF existing claims for the
period which it comprehends" No doubt il is SO.
have seen list OF such vessels prepared by gentle
man residing in this city. intimately acquainted with the
whole subject, specifying in most cases the names OF The
vessel ter, and claimants, and the port TO which she
belonged according to which the whole number was two
thousand two hundred and thirtywo vessels! from
which deductions should be made as follows Q,) ves-
sells paid Tor under special aretes, (soOn after the ag
gressons commenced) OF which there were IA (2 yes
sells tor which payment was made under the convention
OF 1903, usually called the Louisiana conventions viz
embago l0a, captures H. and contract vessels 1893
and 3 vessels accounted for by Spain under the Flor
da treaty. 73; and this will leave balance of 735 ves-
sells and their cargoes wholly unprovded for The four
Of captures compensated BY the Louisiana con-
venon those OF vessels not dehnltvely condemned
the date OF the convention OF the 30th September 1900
which France bound herself 10 restore; but the l735
vessels just specified belonged the fourth class already
adverted to; in other words, they vessas which
had been dehnyey condemned al the date OF the con-
venuon OF the 30th September and they renamed un,
compensated to this day. 1t is believed that the aggre
gate OF property lost by the condemnation OF these yes
sells and their cagoes could have amounted to little less
than $4,000 900 and how far this immense sum VIII be
augmented by the unknown cases. which will only ap-
pear the organization OF commission, is uncertain
We may rest assured however, that the amount pro-
posed by the bill will fall far shor, OF making full
pensation to the claimants.
II is remarkable fact that our government has not
made the slightest effort to obtain indemnity at the hands
of France for this class of since the convention OF
the 30th OF September And here would observe that
this derecton on the part OF the United States Is not TO
ties committed by France, will appear from the ex-
tracts already submitted from the reports OF the Secrea-
OF State OF the 2ls June 1897 and 18th of January,
1899, and from the instructions 10 Messrs Ellsworth,
DAVE and Murray of the I'D OF October, l7o9uor 10
any lndisposition felt by the American authorities to
prosecute the just claims OF citizens for injuries re-
and complete indemnity. No government on earth has
been more resoue and vgilant Than ours has been IN
asserting the rights OF citizens IN this regard Since
the date of the convenon Of the 30,h OF September
1900, the United States have negotiated no less ihan SIX
teen treaties and conventions with foreign powers hav
tfngs obiec, in view-the last being with the govern
ment OF poruga--and have obtained ndemnties TO the
amount OF many millions OF dollars We have entered
since that date nte two conventions OF that character
with Fance-ihe first, the convention OF the Both oil
April 1903 and the second, of the 4th OF July. 1881
the former being usually called the louisiana, and the
latter Mr. Rves's Convention. By the hrsi we obtained
ndemnes the amount OF 2000o0 900 OF francs, and by
the second TO the of IS o00 aud both failed
to make any provision for class No. A. Nay the con-
venon of the 3oh OF April, 1903, supua'es in express
should be applied in satisfaction OF the fourth class, or
which had been prosecuted TO hna condemna-
on at the date OF the convention OF the 3oh OF Sepiem-
Der, 1900 Here invite attention to the following ar'i-
cIes OF the conveRtSn OF 1903:
A. The d.t. due BY France % citizen. Of hs United
republic toh september 1901 according the FOL
with n m per 9s" 10 e
comprised the conectursl note annexed he
and ~ w WIN s e as
note which fall within the exceptions % Of The following articles 'ha
principal neres, Of the said debts shall be
% ON @ shall be payable
after the exchange Of Iahauons Of the treaty. and hs
of France to those Of the United
Asr T. expressly agreed that the preceding articles
but such due citizens OF the
made which
properly lodged within the time mentioned In the
convention 9Th Vendcmiere ninth (oh September
hrr aTbe preceding apply only To captures
the council OF prizes shall have ordered restitution being
the claimant have recourse TO the
had
republic and only OF nsucency Of the
eapor. ID The debts
Nendemiere s 3oth Sept
which has been heretofore claimed OF the
o. Frame and for which the red" have
comprehend prizes whose has been or nn De
i htmed.n
The 900 900 Of francs be paid by the United States
part OF the purchase money Tor LOUISIANA, and he
paymen OF the debts claims mentoned therefore, was
in effect made by France The words Of exclusion con-
tanned in the 4h article Intended to embrace the alh
class already named, captures dehnivcly condemned
on the 30h OF September, 1900, and this exclusion re
rated by equivalent language in the 9th article The
utter abandonment OF this class OF claims by our govern
ment sOO and the great pains taken TO cut Them on
from all participation IN the iund provided by tne conven
ton of Is03 would considering The pabe character OF
the wrongs committed by France and the unquestonabe
right Of citizens to redress. be lnexplcabe were mol
the dfculty susceptible of easy solution by recur
renee to the spulaons of the convention OF the 3oh OF
Sep,ember 1900 To this end it will be material to refer
only to The following articles:
plenpotcnay Of the parties not being
the treaty OF alliance OF 9th feb
the
convention Of 4h Of November l7s the ndemnbes
until they have agreed upon
convention shall have operation
relation, Of the countries shall be regulated follows
The public ships which have been taken on one part
other which be taken before the exchange OF n
| 6cauons, shall he restored"
AsT Property captured, and dcdnitvct condemned,
or before the exchange Of rshcAtons
enemy. port etoep'ed shall be mu
I,. the Of