The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1855-03-03

RETIRED STATESMAN
From the Hsri.sur, psuns
THE PRESIDENTS VETO OF THE FREscR spcll.
ALTON BILL.
II is not TO be doubted that many OF the Representatives
and 10 Congress who voted for the vetoed h 1a
so under the impression that the BILL without rccogns,
the validity of the claims transferred them from the v
ative department to sen.i-udcia tribunal TAi, =.
confess impression but critical anal,a, a
the bin convince any mind that the question Of rss,
naly passed upon by Congress, leaving the eoa.
mission power except discriminate between spurious
and bona d claimants and to ascertain the 10 i
respectively awarded II supposed that the ,rbuaa
10 be created by the bill would be invested with the pov
Of court, but II is evident that il would Be N
to exercise only the functions OF jury--C oagps
disposes Of the law, the commissioners Of the taes
Now IL is inoonrovertible 4srsult Of recen, ssd
experience that all commissions us constituted Ar
in the last degree dangerous s,tngs in secret
and their decisions final and without appeal Had ,hs
Gardiner frauds been submitted to sscrany Of Congress
or to court Of justice should in All human probability
been spared the infection OF that stain upon our n
ona character Whether consider the social position
of the claimants in that notorious case the ability aud M
cmnence OF the counsel engaged the responsibility a
agents employed the fact that juries differed and aoalt
ed in regard to IT, and that justice only obtained at
last after the most perscvering efforts and protac,ed
we should pause before committing five millions Of the pc
pies treasure to tribunal cmnently anomalous and e
sponsibc It is not be doubted that if the vetoed a
had contained provision suhjectng these claims to ts
revision Of Congress- to the scrutiny Of Judicial ri.
bnnal the President would have sanctioned it. Would not
those gentlemen in Congress who voted for this bill und
an evident Misrepresentation ~ s effect have voted agan
it had they supposed that the commission raised under
excluded from all power TO pass upon the Obligation
Of the government to pay these claims
These important considerations TO be render
Cd still important by events Of almost daily
renee 1t required some such demonstration MS this
arrest the alarming practice Of class Legislation This
an evil Of growing magnitude 1t meets upon esey
hand. Ii inctes to combnationy Of the most dan
geroas character, and, If permitted to 20 unchecked
viii open the way to course Of legislation which mus
produce the disastrous results. The large and
sant yincreasng Of the government eonsias
gtlerng prize the skiful and the INSCRIPTIONS a
nce to every imaginable scheme Congress Is thus a
with organized and imporunats claimants. The dput
ments overrun with tbs class Of men. To rsS
to delay these demands requires energy and sr
lance That many Of these claims just there
doubt; but experience has shown that too much aa
scrutiny be exercised in order to protect the
Of the people S
The elaborate and logical review Of tho whole case b
the President In his veto message, and the conclusion
which he arrives have been expected by the country Mar
that has been doubtful in regard TO these claims nov
made clear. Many points suggested, and h
whole argument Is conducted with much candor and
good temper that those who voted for the bill which
has been returned the House. with the objections Of the
President cannot fail to that the veto is The result Of
careful investigation profound reflection and patriotic pur
poses.
From the Porlsna a. e. Anus
THE VETO MESSAGE.
By treaty with France negotiated by Hon. Rive
during the administration Of Cen Jackson concluded on
the 4th of July 1891 fire millions of dollars paid to
the United States by the French government An ndem
MITIGATION for claims arising out Of illegal captures &C.
committed against the United States prior 70 July 81 1891
who sustained the losses Several bills have been ber
Congress providing for distribution Of this money anon
the sufferers by the French spoaaons but the bar
been in some way defeated before they could become
law.-Statc NJ Name
This is the worst Of editorial ignorance we haH
Considering the Importance Of the subject an
the length of time II has been under discussion such
bnder is contained in the preceding statement A.
most unparalleled in newspaper history The treaty q
1881 for class Of claims wholly distinct from ho
embraced in the bill just vetoed and the money has long
ago been paid Not dollar is in the treasury me
United States for French claims prior to 1900 The eisu
ants alleged any such thing On the contrary t3
base their demands upon the alleged fact that the en
States relinqused the French Chains prior 10 1900 By M
treaty of 1900. The whole story IL in nutshell in
French had claims against growing out OF treaties
778 and 1888 by which agreed 10 guaranty Their VS.
India possessions &c and the United States had ccun
claims in behalf of citizens for Illegal captures Ih
claims according the allegations Of the claimant
mutually renqushcd by the treaty Of 1900 " has ~
been argued, that inasmuch government relnqan
ed the claims for valuable consideration, ought 20 F
them itself On the other side it is alleged that the eiai
whatever they were) released, and even 'b9
were that the whole transaction AT best mere oa'
Of dead claims which could have been collected %
either side
This Is The whole story. The paragraph Of The Sn~ !"
Maine only shows the ignorance Of It's writer ana ~
upon this basis il goes abuse the President Np
stint What is the value of praise ceusure from sS
source
II Is idle TO deny that there ssdes 70 thus ga
tion and thai may honestly maintain either ons
them The question whether the Presidents reasouins
his veto IS conclusive is one thing but the qucuo
whether be hae gcted 10 the from sense o. guy
quite another thing. SO, too IL IL folly 10 dsnosI
State paper ppsriie simply because DO not ooncaf
its conclusions Whatever may be SAD OF u In cfhd
specis the late message Of Presden, PeiSe Is certainly
genuous and well-written.
LisKL sUfrs--A libel snt was commenced on Taesd&
New York cty--Edward II. Fletcher Charles N
-. u t4fnN