Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1854-01-27
COMMUNICATED.
THE GENERAL ARMSTRONG CAsE-MR.
CLAYTON,

The Union of yesterday morning contains a
very able exposition of the General Armstrong
case, now pending for forty years, in which the
national honor is deeply involved This is not
by any means an ordinary claim The armed
| brig Armstrong was attacked and burned by
British cruisers in the neutral port of Fagal in
!S4S. The British government has constantly
Interfered to prevent the Portuguese govern
ment from paying the idemnity they owe to the
| owners. At last, after Mr.. Clayton, who in
this matter took high and dignlfed position,
sent fleet to the Fagus to back up his demand,
the matter was referred to the President Napo-
leon by Mr.. Webster-contrary to the wishes
| of the claimants, who rendered nm unjust and
unfavorable decision. We make these remarks
but in justice to Mr.. Clayton, who in speaking
OF the Armstrong claim as the oldest case of
wrong, and the most remarkable and in allu-
ding to the wrongs and grievances 80 long
borne by our countrymen, said " It is under
these circumstances that the President has
resolved to make one more attempt to procure
satisfaction for American claimants, and to
assert the national honor, You will impress
upon Portugal this idea, that, upon entering
upon the duties of his high office as Chief Mag
Istrate of the United States, the President
determined that he would assert the rights of
MS fellow-cltizens upon foreign governments
proceeding upen the principle often avowed
by our government, to make no demand not
founded In justice, and to submit to no wrong
further delay will be construed into denial
1t Is in contemplation to lay before Congress
the result of this final appeal, at an early
period OF the next session. Should it happcn.
unfortunately, that satisfactory answer be
denied, or withheld until the arrival of the
period for making The proposed communication.
the subject will then be submitted to that BODY
as 1t shall at the time stand and the Portu-
guese government may rest assured that any
measures which Congress in their wisdom NAV
decide upon, as due to our citizens and country,
will be faithfully carried out by the Executive
In carrying out these instructions Mr. Hop
kins, in his letter, dated Libson, June %, lS49,
to Count TOTAL, the Portuguese minister of for
eign affairs, after concluding an unanswerable
argument in behalf Of the claimant saws:
:. The President Of the United States sincerely
desires to cultivate peace with every nation and
people, but he will never compromit the digni-
ty of the republic, nor abandon the just rights
OF his fellow citizens to attain any end
Again; on the 10Th June, 1850, MIR. Clayton,
in reply TO Mr., Figaniere's trumped-up and
obsolete reelamati0ns on this government, as a
set off against this and other claims, says: " In
conclusion, sir, beg leave to repeat to you the
assurance contained in my note of the 30th
May last, that the just claims of the citizens
Of this country upon Portugal will lose none of
the merit which characterizes them, nor any
portion of that protection which this govern
ment has determined to extend to the claim
ants, by the resuscitation Of such unfOunded
preientions -