New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-01-25

The reciprocal guarantee declared IN that article
should have its full force and effect the moment
such rapture should break out and II such rup-
ture should not take place, the mutual obligations
of the said guarantee should not commence until
the moment Of the cessation Of the war then ex.
istine between the United States and England
should have ascertained their possessions
Hardly: The Treaty called tie Consular Con
senfton concluded on the 18th Of November, lies,
containing the following articles: -.,.,
Arr g. The Consuls OF Vice Consus shall exercise 20,
nce over ell the vessels Of their respective nA1ons sho
shall have board the said vessels all power and aro
ton In civil matters In all the disputes when may ueiS
arise They shall entire inspection over me saa
vessels, their crews, and the chsnges sha - -
therein 10 be made for which purpose ihey h ~ %
boNd the said vessels whenever they may Jnase neoS
cary ,.ro..... - .n,. between the subjects
OF the Most Christian King 10 the United States or between
the citizens OF the nited States within me commons OF
live \, he and terms Of engagement OF Of
their respective vessels and all the dheences OF wha
~ hs ssd crews or between captains Of different vessels
Of Their nations shall be determined BY their respective
% herein or take any part whatever in the mat
ter and The appeals from the said consular sna
be carried before the tribunals OF France or Of the Uned
The French Revolution began in 1889, and in
1898 it became a general European war, IN which
France while treading continually upon the ferc-
est internal fires, barred her head to all the thun-
derbolts of Despotisn.
Washington, BY the serene tranquility and ma
=
iestic Justice Of his character, repressed the
sympathies Of the United States for France and
the Republican cause, and sent forth his memora-
BILE proclamation: Whereas" said the Presl-
dent, sit appears that state OF war exists pc
tween Austria Prussia, Sardinia Great Britain,
and the United Netherlands on the one part and
France on the other, and the duty and interest OF
the United States require that they should, win
sincerity and good faith adopt and pursue con-
duct friendly and impartial toward the oeHigeI-
&Lora II.
presents to declare the disposition OF the United
States TO observe the conduct aforesaid" =,
No less a character than Washington coold
have assumed neutrality in such Crisis: nor
could even he protect 1t In that herce conhct VI
armed opinion which ragged throughout Europe,
as il all its separate and widely different STATES
had been one entire yet distracted common
wealth. The cost of supplies rose two, three and
four fold, under the demands OF the belhgerent
nations The United States put in motion, for
once. and all at once the three wheels of indus
try Production, Manufacture, and Exchange,
and wealth flowed in upon them like spring
tie. The combatants, relapsing into the NOR
atty Of the Barbary Powers, seized and conhs-
Gated neutral ships and their cargoes. American
commerce was thus suddenly checked, and the
revenues it yielded rapidly declined. Jefferson,
then Secretary Of Estate, met the emergency with
declaration
have 1t In charge from the President 70 assure the mer
chants Of the United States CONCERNED 10 foreign commerce
or navigation that attention will be paid to any injuries they
may suffer the high seas or In foreign countries contrary
% Che law Of nations OF 10 existing treaties ara snS Es
proceedings viii be adopted Tor their ree
The American merchants, thus stimulated, pro-
secuted more diligently than before trade which
yielded enticing profits, while its risks seemed to
have been underwrtten by their country. The
maritime injuries suffered by Americans at the
hands of France in the course of the war were at
the time classified as follows:
FIRST Spoliations and nal treatment ofthe yes
sells of American citizens at sea, by French ships
ofwar and privateers
Second: A long and distressing embargo, which
detained many American vessels at Bordeaux IN
1898 and 1894.
Third The dshonor OF bills and other eviden-
ees Of debt due to American citizens for supplies
furnished at the request of France, to herselfand
to her West India islands, in period Of famine
and civil war;
Fourth The seizure or forced sales Of the car
goes Of American vessels, and the appropriation
Of them to public uses
Fifth: The non.performance of contracts for
supplies, made by the French authorities with
American citizens.
Sirth. The condemnation of American vessels
and cargoes under marine ordinances Of France
incompatible with treaties.
Seventh Captures, in violation Of the provis-
ions OF the commercial treaty, of American yes
sells laden with provisions, bound to the ports of
the enemy.
On the 9th of May, 1898, France authorized
armed vessels and prvateers to arrest and bring
into her ports neutral ships, laden wholly or in
part either with provisions belonging TO neutral
nations and destined to an enemy's ports, or with
merchandise belonging to an enemy, and declared
that such merchandise should be lawful prize,
while such provisions should be paid for according
10 their value at the place Of destination, aud just
naturalization should be made for the treights
and the detention of the ships. This decree was
alternately rescinded Us TO the United States re.
stored, rescindedsagain and finally restored and
left In full effect.
American vessels known and confessed, but
found without passport or certificate In the exact
form prescribed by the 22d article OF the Teaty OF
Amity and Commerce, were, by q decree Oh the
Sd of March 1897, declared lawful prizes
On the cd of july 1896, France decreed that
abe would treat neutral vessels, either as TO con-
Haoations, searches or captures, IN the same man
ner that they suffered the English to treat them
"a decree that punished with violence the en-
durance of aggression committed by another,
while il coLhded in the discretion OF the second
corsair to determine who, by becoming victims OF
the first, had offended against so extraordinary q
code.
On the Goth Of October 1893, France decreed
that any native of an allied or even of a neutral
country, found wearing hostile commission, or
serving in al enemys crew. should suiier as q
pirate without being allowed to allege duress, by
violence, menace or otherwise.
Beside one hundred and three vessels which
were detained by the embargo at Bordeauxt there
is q list Of six hundred and nineteen which were
captured and plundered before 1900. The true
number of spoliations is said to have been three
times greater. Contemporaneous expositions by
the authorities of the United States placed the ag
gregated damages sustained by the merchants at
more than twenty millions of dollars. OF these
damages portions amounting to about ten millions
OF dollars, were adjusted and paid under the con.
sention of 1900, finally carried into effect by the
Louisiana treaty in 1903. The exact amount of
damages due, however, is not now in question
The bill before the Senate, confines itself to I'M
adjusted claims to be actually proved, and awards
only FIVE millions without interest, in satisfaction
of all that shall be established.
The United States diligently nrosecuted the