The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-02-23
From the Union.
French Spoliations.


Mr.. EDIToR: The bill pending in the Senate
to indemnify our citizens for spoliations commit
ted by the French prior TO 1900 will, az i'd under
stood on all sides, be aiorty voted by both Houses
OF Congress, and, without doubt approved by the
President. The claims extend TO nearly two thou
sand vessels and cargoes Time has greatly OBJ
scufed the character of these captures and the mo-
iyes and conduct that led to them are almust be-
You'd belief ut this day.
france, then In a state of ptyenzy, vindic lively
ordered these captures, on the alleged ground that
tue United States had acted 'perfdiously" to her,
and violated the treaty Of 1878, by concluding with
her enemy (England) Mr.. jays treaty Of Novem-
Der ~, lI94. Ii was purely government quarrel
France never alleged that the captured vessels be-
longing to our citizens had committed any offence
but, on the contrary, all occasions when the
SUBJECT was discussed officially, prolessed a will
Ingness to pay for them.
An official report from our Secretary Of State,
communicated by the Presidents message to Con-
gress OF January u, 1893, furnishes q lucid exam
pie OF these captures (being some Of the identical
vessels now claimed for) at single French port
81 Domingo; and the like practice prevailed at all
her own ports, and also in Spanish and other ports
where she had placed French officials to carry into
iull effect her designs Said report after describ-
ing several preceding DEGREES, adverts to that of
January 7, 1884, which declares all neutral vessels
bound to or from English ports to be legal PRICE
and adds the following:
" From these facts, and the tenor OF the decree
itself, we can form but conclusion that il toas
framed in such Indefinite terms purpose to give
j
for unlimited oppression and peration. But, with
out waiting for this decree, the commissioners of
the french government at st. Domingo began
their plracles on the commerce Of the United
States, and in February 1872. wrote to the Minis
ter OF Marine (and the extract Of the letter APP
peared In the official journal Of the Executive Di-
rectory OF the 9Th OF June) that, having found
no resource in finance and knowing the unlriendly
Imposition OF the Americans, and To avoid perish
ing In distress, they had armed for cruising and
that already eighty seven cruisers at sea- and
that Tor three months preceding the administra-
ton had subsisted and individuals been enriched
with the product OF those priest that the decree
OF the I'd OF July was not known to them until five
months afterwards But (say they) the shocking
conduct OF the Americans and the indirect know
ledge OF the intentions of government made it
our duty to order repri5als, even before had
received the official notice of the decree They
lelicltate themselves that American vessels were
daily taken, and declare that they had learned, by
DIVERS persons from the continent that the Ameri-
cans were periidious, corrupt, the frends of Eng
land, and that, therefore, their vessels no longer
entered the French ports unless carried in by
iorce.'o
After this recital before the Council of Five Hun
dred, Pastoret Gone of the most prominent mem
bers) makes tho following remarkable reflections:
"On reading this letter, we should think that we
had been dreaming; that had been transported
into savage country where men, still ignorant of
the empire OF morals and of laws, commit crimes
without shame and without remorse, and applau
themselves for their robberies, as Paulus Emilius
nent service rendered to their country. Cruisers
armed dgdnst friendly nation Reprisals, tcher
u IS tcs ourseices trho attack! ReprisaIs against a
nation mat mas not taken single rsssei Of ours
hiches acquired 6y the con fscation Of The ships of Il
people TO tobom united by treaties and tpionl
no declaration Of had separated from usn'
- ne whoie discourse OF the agent may be reduced
to these few words: Having nothing wherewth TO
buy, seize; make mysef amends for the property
which want by the piracy which enriches me; and
then Islander those whom have pilla ged!" 'This
Is obbery, justified by sel6shness and caumny."
Yet Santhonax, one of these "robbers," and the
chief oil those dirocora agents, continued in office;
and, gong few months afterwards from ST. Do
mingo TO France, was received as q member into
one Of the legislative councils.
Pastoret ALEC adverts 10 letter from Merlin, !
then Minister of Justice, and now a member of
the Executive Directory, 10 Mr. Skipwith consul |
general OF the United States, which also appeared
In the journal OF the Directory, and quotes the fol-
lowing passage: "Let your government break the |
inconceivable treaty which il concluded on the Ia
oil November, 1874, with most i'm placable enc
mics, and Immediately the French republic will !
cease TO apply IN its own favor the regulations in
mat treaty which favor England TO the injury of
France, and warrant you that we shall not zee
an appeal to those regulations in any tribunal TO
support UNJUST prstensions "Have j, ;" says Pas
oret Tread this rightly! Unjst prelensions! Could
1t be possible that they should thus have been char
scterized by the minister who ID himself their agent
and deiender,-( American State Papers, Gales & \
sections reprint, vol. Z, page 234-5)
Mr.. Marshall, one OF the ENJOYS TO France, (af-
forwards Chief Justicc,) wrote 10 MIR Lee, our At.
torney General, dated Paris, October 49, 1897:
Merlin, when Minister Of Justice, received four
thousand louis from the of privateors for the
direction concerning the role 'equDage; and ii is
said publicly by theAn that money influences the
tribunals However this may be, / am entirely
persuaded that the courts, even in the last resort
political, and will carry into effect the will of
tho Directory without any respect to its legality
ms IL insured by the nice appointments made
since the last revolution. The members OF the tri
bunals, who Judge in the hrstinstance are, gene
rally speaking, Themselves the captors. The gov
ernment is consigning TO the merchants the ma.
tional chips Of war for the purpose of cruising -
Isenate Docs Is, scss 18th Cong, vol. s. p. 400