Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1855-03-01

tion in our power, and consign the wrong, as
far as may be, 10 forgetfulness.
But no such heavy sentence of condemnation
should be lightly passed upon the sagacious
and patriotic men who participated in the
transactions out of which these claims are
supposed to have arisen and who, from their
ample means of knowledge of the general sub
ject in its minute details, and from their
official position, are peculiarly responsible for
whatever there is of wrong or injustice in the
decisions of the government.
Their justification consists in that which
constitutes the objection to the present bill
namely, the absence of any Indebtedness on
the part of the United States. The charge of
denial of justice 10 this case, and a conse-
sequent stain upon our national character. has
not yet been endorsed BY the American peo-
pie. But, if it were otherwise, this bill, SO
far from relieving the past would only stamp
on the present a more deep and indelible
stigma. 1t admits the justice of the claims,
comedies that payment has been wrongfully
withheld for fifty years, and then proposes,
not to pay them, but to compound with the
public creditors by providing, that whether
the claims shall be presented or not, whether
the sum appropriated shall pay much or little
of what shall be found due, the law itself shall
constitute perpetual bar TO all future de-
mands. This is not, in my judgment, the way
to atone for wrongs, if they exist, not 10 meet
subsisting- obligations.
If new facts, not known or not accessible
during the administration of Mr.. jefferson,
Mr.. Madison, or Mr.. Monroe, had since been
brought TO light, or new sources of information
discovered, this would greatly relieve the sub
faf p,,H e Al. =
nature has occurred.
That those eminent statesmen had the best
means of arriving at a correct conclusion, no
one will deny. That they never recognized
the allegation on the part of the government is
shown by the history of their respective ad-
ministrations Indeed, it stands, not as mat
ter of controlling, authority, but as fact of
history, that these claims have never since
our existence as nation been deemed by any
President worthy of recommendation TO Con-
gress.
Claims to payment can rest only on the plea
of Indebtedness on the part of the government.
This requires that it should be shown that the
United States have incurred liability TO the
claimants, either by such acts as deprive them
ot their property, or by having actually taken
1t for public use without making just COM
pensatlou for it.
The first branch of the proposition-that on
which an equitable claim 10 be indemnifed by
United States for losses sustained might rest
requires at least cnrsory examination of
the history of the transactions on which the
claims depend. The first link. which in the
chain of events arrests attention, is the treaties
OF alliance and OF amlty and commerce netween
the United States and France, negotiated in
Rty fhAS
were secured to the armed vessels of each of
the contracting parties in the ports of the 9TH
er; the freedom of trade was greatly enlarged !;
and mutual obligations were incurred by each
to guaranty to the other their territorial pos
sessions in America.
In 1892 3. when war broke ont between
France and Great Britain, the former claimed
privileges in American ports which our gov
ernment did not admit as deducible from the
treaties of IT'S, and which it was held were
in conflict with obligations to the other belig-
erent powers. The liberal principle of one of
the treaties referred to-that free ships make
free goods, and that subsistence and supplies
were not contrahand of war, unless destined To
a blockaded port-was found, in a commercial
view, TO operate disacvan:ageously to Frapce,
as compared with her enemy, Great Britain,
the latter asserting, under the law of nations,
the right TO capture, as contraband, supplies
when bound for an enemys port.
Induced mainly, il is believed. by4hese con-
sderations, the government of France decreed
on the 9th of May, 1893, the first year of the
war. that the French people are no longer
permitted to fulfil towards the neutral powers
in general the VOWS they have SO often mani
tested, and which they constantly make for the
full and entire liberty of commerce and naviga-
ton : and, as counter measure to the course
of Great Britain, authorized the seizure of
neutral vessels bound to an enemy's port, in
like manner as that was done by her great
maritime rival. This decree was made 10 act
retrospectively, and TO continue until the enc
mics of France shorld desist from depredations
on the neutral vessels bound TO the ports Of
France. Then followed the embargo, by
which our vessels were detained in Bordeaux :
the seizure of British goods on board of our
ships, and of the property of American citi-
Zens, under the pretenee that it belonged to
English subjects, and the Imprisonment OF
American citizens captured on the high seas.
Against these infractons of existing treaties
and violations of our rights as a neutral power,
we complained and demonstrated. For the
property of our injured citizens we demanded
that due compensation should be made, and
from 1898 to 1897 used every means, ordina-
ry and extraordinary, TO obtain redress by ne
COLLATION., In the last mentioned year these
efforts were met by refusal to receive min.
lister sent by our government with special in
structions TO represent the amicabe disposition
of the government and people of the United
States, and their desire to remove jealousies
and to restore confidence by showing that the
complaints against them were groundless-
Failing in this, another attempt to adjust al
differences between the two republics wa.
made in the form of an extraordinary mission
composed of three distinguished citizens, bu
the refusal 10 receive was Extensively repeated
and thus terminated this last effort to preserve
peace and restore kind relations with our early
friend and ally, to whom debt of gratitude
was due which the American people have new
er been willing to depreciate or to forget
Years of negotiation had not only failed to So
cure indemnity for our citizens and exemption
from further depreciation, but these long-con
ilnued efforts had brought upon the govern
ment the suspension of diplomatic intercourse
with France, and such indignities as TO Presi
dent Adams. In his message of Nav l6. 1897
to,Congress, convened in special session, Il
present It as the particular matter for lhei
consideration, and TO speak of it in terms o
the highest indignation. Thenceforward, th'
action of our government assumed characte
which clearly indicated that hope was no long
er entertained from the amicable feeling @
lasuce OF the government of France; AM