Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1855-02-22
LITICA
TIE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE .ED IHE
FRENCH SPOLIATION BILL.

THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE AED LIE
FRENCH S~POLIATION BILL.
The President returned the French spoliq'inn bi
70 the House Of Representatives on Saturday, LIT
inst, with his reasons for declining to give 1t his NJ
proyaI. The bill thus returned is rs follows:
BILL 10 provide for the ascertainment and sat-
faction of claims Of American citizens for spoli
tons committed by the French prior to the thirty
6rss day Of July, one thousand eight hundred an
one.
Be II enacted kv ne Senate and House Of Rrpr
s~entatires Of the United States IF America IN Con
eress assembled, That satisfaction shall be made, q
hereinafter provided, to an amount not exceedingly
millions of dollars, to such citizens OF the Unite
aates. or to their legal representative, as had van
claims TO indemnity upon the French ~govcrnmrn
arising out of illegal captures, dctentiops, f"rciol
seizures, Illegal COMBINATIONS, aud conhscatinn'
committed prior to the ratification of the convention
between the United States and the frenem Iepaoms
thousand eight hundred, the ratihcations OF whicl
were exchanged on the thirty. first day OF July tol
loyipr: PROCEEDED, That the provisions OF this nc
shall no, extend 10 such claims as ART stipulated 10
and embraced in the convention between the Unite
States mud the French rrpabllc, concluded on tn
thiriisih day Of April. Que thousand eight hundte
snd three, and for the liquidation and paymen
whert OF provision is made i'll the said convention; no
TO suc:, claims as were allowed and paid, in whole o
in part, under the provisions OF the treaty betwee'
the Cuited States and Spain, concluded on the TWEEN
.y.second day of February, one thousand eight hun
dred and nineteen: nor 10 such claims a: were al
lowed, in whole or in part. under the provisions OF IN,
treaty between the Cnlted States and France, con
cludod on The fourth day of July, one thousand eigih
hundred and thirty-one: dnd pr0:t6cd W.o. ihn' IL
all cases Of transfer or assignment, no claimant snai
le entitled to receive an amount beyond the cOiis'd-
Grafton paid, and interest thereon, provided me same
do not exceed the amount 70 which he worid De en-
fitted il such assigne. were the original holder.
SEC. 9, dnd Be - further enacted, That for the par
nosc NJ CARRYING into effect the provisions of this act,
and 10 ascertain the full amount and validity o! said
claims. three commissioners shall be appointed by lhe
pres!dea:, by and with the advice aud consent of the
Senate, who shall meet at the City OF W astlnStor, on
or before the frs, Monday in October next. and,
within tho space Of two years from the time OF their
Hrst meeting, shall receive, examine, and decide upon
the amount and validity OF all the claims included
within the description above mentioned; and the Sc
cretsry of State is required, forthwith after The pas.
sage OF this not, TO give notice of said meeting, 20 be
published in three newspapers in Washington. and IN
such other papers US he may think proper. Inc sad
commissioners shall take an cath or atiirlnatiol,' 10 DC
entered on the record OF their proceedings, for the
faithful and diligent performance OF their duties; anu
in case OF the death or resignation of any shch COM
missioner, his place may be supplied by appointment
as aforesaid, or by tho prosidei!t dnripS .he teGes. OF
the Senate, of another commissioner i'll his stead. The
as;d commissioners shall be authorised To hearaii ek-
anime all questions relative 10 the said claims, and TO
receive oil suitable testimony, on oath or afilr1ni:tio7'
and all other proper evidence ana documents Cpi'
corning ia, same; and the rules for the dec'.'"n Of
sad commissioners shall be the principles OF Juice,
tho law OF nations, and the former treaties nr W ecu
the United States and France, II wl' the treaty oil
aui;y sni commerce Of the 9TH al February. one
thousanS seven hundred and srvrnty-eight. the treaty
OF alliance Of the same dnte, and the consular conren-
ton of the l4.h Of November, one thousand seven
hundred and eighty eight. Their decisions shall be
in writing, and filed with their Secretary, and the IN
tiv!arai. interested therein, shall, OH demand, have
q copy thereof, and the PRONUNCIATION OF the decisions
OF said commissioners shall be in public. The said
commissioners shall not, at any one time alter the
i0t day OF December next, adjourn for u longer pc
nod than ten days, without the consent OF the Pre-,
sicent otthe United States, in writing, first had anu
Obtained.
SIC ). ARe &c IL further enocic!. That the said
commissioners shall be, and they are hereby. author,
lied 20 make all neediul rules and regulations, moi
coptravening the lava Of the lard or the provisions o.
this act, for carrying their said commission into iui
and complete effect.
SEC. 4. And be 1t farther enacted, That II shnii OF
The duty OF the Secretary OF State to procure. within
the shortest time utter the passage OF tins act through
the American minister at Paris, or otherwise, all srct
evidence and documents relating to said claims as cai
be obtained from abroad; which, together with thu
like evidence and docu.aents on file in the Depart
men, of State, or which may be filed in the said do
par;ment, may be used before said commissioners b,
the claimants interested therein; but the same Shai
not be removed from the files OF said commissioners
SEC. 5. And be u further enacted, That the award
Of all such claims as may be admitted and adjusted
by the said commissioners, 10 an amount not exceed
Ing Eve millions of dollars, shall be paid pro rata: ant
tina. tho Secretary Of State, acting upon that primer
pie, shall ascertain and fix the amount TO DO pnlt
upon each award.
SEC. 6. And be ii jurtker enacted, That the record
Of the proceedings OF said commissioners, and tht
documents produced before them, shall, nftcr thu
commission 10 closed, be deposited in the Department
Of State.
SEC :. And be IL further enacted, That so soon al
said commission is closed, and The records Of proceed
iugs OF the commissioners are deposited in the Dc
partment of State, the Secretary of the lrcasui.
shall, on the application i'll writing Of any claimant
hls lawful attorney, executor, administrator, or rs
sienee, forthwith sign und issue to the pcrs"" ,i''l;le
thereto, certificates OF United States fve-p-r-'en'
atook, in such sums as such applicant shal! c'".rv. 10
less than two hundred dollars in encll certi!.ca'e, I'LL
Iees the award DO for a less sum, for the full pro rat
amount aw arded 10 such claimant; and such certlh
oates Of stock shall be redetmable, at the pleasure G
the United States, a. any time after twenty ycW
from tho date of the termination of said commission
SEC. :. And be II further enacted, That the fres1
dent Of the United States Is hereby authorized to tax
any measure which he may deem eXpedlent Tor ui
ganiiius the said board OF commissioners, ana Tor IN
purpose appoint, with the advice aud consent OF u
Senate, n secretary well vcrScd i'll the French nm
Spanish languages; and the said comm!ss ionOrs sha
have power 10 appoint Il clerk, and also a mcssen
ger.
oepsar;cn Of the respective officers, Tor whose Gppoiu,
inept provision is made by this act, shall 10, excec
The following sums, which shall be puid out Of an ~
preparation hereafter (" be provided:
TO each commissioner, ut the rate, by tho year,
three, thousand dollars, for two Years only. No con
pensstjon shall be allowed them for n longer pcrlo'
To the secretary of the board, ut the rate, by tn
wear, Of two thousand dollars.
To the clerk. Mt the rate, by the year. of one ,ho'
sand dollars; and to the messenger. at the rate. by III
wear, Of FIVE hundred dollar: frcridcd, That IL
whole expenses OF tho commission shall not cxccc
sfty thousand dollars.
SEC. 10. Ind be az further enacted; That during Ia
continuance of said commission, I'LL documents an
communications having relation t" said claims, who
shall be addressed to or from the said secretary, sha
DO free from postage.
SEC. IL. And be IL tnrtkcr enacted, !hat the sum
ave millions of dollars, herein specified, shall be
full discharge ": all claims for compensation for III
cless Of Gases provided iur III this uct: ana ilat "
presentation Of any claim or memorial TO the comml
s!oners, for adjudication under this act, shall be takp
10 be a releuse md discharge Of the United STATE
from all other and further compensation that he, SIN
or they, may be entitled to receive under the prov
sIons Of this act.
SEC. IL. And be Il further enacted. That an alto
uey 10 the said board shall De appointed Uy tho Pres
dent, by aud with the advice and consent Of the Sch
ato, whose duty it shall be- to resist all unjust claims
and to protect the interests OF the luited States al
Of the fund that may DO appropriated to carry this al
into execution; aud, TO this end, he shall have powt
70 examine witnesses aud To cause testimony to b
take n, and have access to all testimony befo'
tho commission for the purpose Of examining II, nm
right TO be heard in all cases. Tie shall DC sworn
the faithful performance Of his duty as attorney, nu
shall BE- entitled 10 the same compensation H. one
the commissioners.
The reasons on which President Pierce declined
approve the foregoing are stated with clearuers ar
oi,inetDess In his message, which is as follows:
SPECIAL MESSAGE.
To the Hou.e Of Representatives.:
have received and carefully considered the bill e.
: titled IAN act to provide for the ascertainmept
claims Of American citizens for spofations comml'tt
By the French prior TO the thirty.hrst OF July, on
charreo OF a duty inperatively enjoincd on me by I'll
constitution, / return the same with my objections