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

United Ststes tafeIed sway their private claims in ex
change for the national CLAIMS OF France and thus OBJ
tanned for them full and valuable consideration.
1t Only for me TO examine the objections which
have been heretofore urged IN opposition 10 thus measure
and will doubtless be reiterated the present occasion
They are forth in due form in The minority report sub
mlted by the honorable senator from virginia al me last
session OF Congress- from the select committee OF which
have the honor to be chairman. As We have reason TO
expect that my honorable friend will address US before
this bill disposed OF, shall by replying 10 Tue obec
lions stated in that report give sufficient answer 70 any
remarks which he may make from The ma hre oil the
they can be little more than an amplihcdton and
reteraon OF the report itself observe then, that OPP
position has been, aud will continue TO be- made TO ms
bill on The ground OF
THE ANTIQUITY OF THESE CLAIMS.
In The minority report this objection s stated, and ex-
pressed at considerable length as follows!
b., how come these claims here are, lapse Of ss my
DO justice parties. How are We TO
government against mistakes lapse Of
for iu and fair sasiaaaoa ,hs usse Those
e. sns s VI s o S the
case susceptible until mere pesumpnons will sace TO charge
frauds 70 are We @ pa.
and how are their relations 10 the claimant % b
e S :. 70 Re % asS T ss s
Of the claim and leave him e ssls the rights Of The parties
e
self claims assgnsss and
the There certainly ognt TO be some Limitation As TO time
show upon chances, any
III. nine hundred and mas the claim not
deisad bur fit passes the housandh trial il paid Where
limitation There few who feel deep
preserve evidenee Protect it, private
ss, induce. " what in their favor Evidence
alive becomes sufficient merely because that which conadicled
such real between
their several titles to the claim would be very diheu
& Ie e,saoIa who are often the persons really ensd
claims Hopeless originally claim,
woad Be Of limitation.
payment barred less time
Sass sssn seq
thu s, 70 ss" u and I s
the creditor who was really entitled, bu. Of the original claimant
To the objections thus stated answer:
l. There would be some propriey in assuming this
ground, this were The first appeal made by these par
otherwise The claimants have been necessarily pc
ionng Congress for redress for nearly hall century
They commenced at the very first session after the rah-
cation OF the convention of the 3Oih OF September, 1900,
and have continued their solicitations to this day. The
claimants have not only used due diligence but all pos
sbe diligence This is an appeal to the pubic conscience
that OF justice which must be presumed TO be ever
present with the authorities OF civilized and christian
nation. II the honorable could prove that Con-
gress has delayed long and SO wantony that the pub
lie conscience has become " scared with hot lron"
that would be why justice should not probe IT
TO the quick The claimants in this obliged to
address themselves TO the party in interest," the party
which is TO pay Is the party to Judge. The public Is
Judge IN It's own case and when ltis many headed bu.
nal called HE public. has procraslinated for near halt
century, all The while refusing 10 act dehnitvely on the
subject, srn round and plead the statute OF lima-
ons-set up its own derelicllon OF duty defence
But here the case Is much stronger Whatever action
there has been vnacaes and the equity OF these
demands Committees almost without number declare in
favor OF their validity the Senate frequently asserts the
public liability, while the House remains mute; but al
The end OF forty fifty both concur, and then the
Executive dissenis, that nothing is concluded Now
il is discovered that the bar OF time has taken full effect.
Were not the parties entitled TO yea or nay within
reasonable time To procrasiinate in the manner Con-
has done IN this isl great wrong and the pub
lie, more than Individuals take advantage OF It's
own wrong. The minority report assumes that this is
case OF rePndated ciamsa rejected over and over
again by Congress:
to show, Gays the sen.tor upon the cacu
amer year, without to rejected
dred and mint times The sem Is not defeated but II passes
Very sensible Blu, the remarks have no application TO
the before The truth is, the equities OF the
have been strengthened and increased by tbs delay An
equiv alent for the indemnity proposed by Mr. Lvng
in 1880 would require appropriation Of SlI ,3oo.
900 in other words, less than S2,5D0,ooo IN 1880
would have been better Tor the claimants Than s. 100000
An equivalent for tue 81 900 900 voted by the two
houses ia 1916 would at this time be 50 0,0oo Con-
gres, by lis natenlIon and neglect has not only done
to these parties but has no incon
siderable pecuniary advantage TO the public. We have
had the OF large OF money for many Years, TO
the prejudce OF own citizens; aud told
that The cold indifference and hearess procrasnaton OF
those whose duty u was to act, bghtng the hopes OF
thousands and carrying most OF them penury TO the
grave have all at become defence under the bead
OF lapse Of fmei
2 But this objection have application TO the
gene raj equities OF the These be Just we'll
appreciated they could have been the day and
hour OF the transactions out of which they arose They
depend facts and considerations which matters OF
record They deduced from the solemn acts of The
two COVE msnts in the form of DEGREES, laws ant trea
ties. and illustrated proved by extensive dplo
matte correspondence, accessible TO and the whole
country. They now before precisely they have
existed in the public archives for half century, and
be jus, as well understood and Judged OF now they
could have been by any OF predecessors recent
mote
3 In respect to any difficulty which may result from
lapse o time, in approaching the justice validity Of par
ucular claims II is sufficient TO say that they all 10 be
referred TO board OF commissioners who will Judge OF
their merits On the trial, each claimant will take
himself the burden OF proof and II be has lost his evi
dence, in whole or in part, that he cannot makeIu
IL is not TO be assumed that the Commissioners will allow
claims excsp, such satisfactorily proved. The
question is whether shall pay those claims which
be proved. IL this class do not amount to IS 100000
then the money will remain IN the treasury Besides
this objection hardly consistent with another taken in
much exceed The provided by this bill. and that
balance will remain which we must ultimately pay. But
is believed that little difficulty will be experienced in
making out the equities OF the dIviduay for the
that the proofs collected in the day and time
OF these transactions and put into the hands OF our
government in conformity with the susgesions of Mr.
Jeesons circular OF I7g3 and they to be found
in The archives either OF the United States France
g. But the minority report not only deals with the gen
eral equities OF the subject and with the equities Of the