The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1855-02-21
THE PRESS AND THE PRESIDENTS VETO.

Ind nnuence 10 serve Their friends and constituents
THE PRESS AND THE PRESIDENTS VETO
From the Philadelphia Argus OF Monday.
The President Saturday returned the French spoia
on bin to the House of Representatives with his
s declining TO give il his approval The ground taken
y President In this action is that of high and
sentious duty and even those who may differ with
him will confess the force Of his reasoning and the honesty
81 the motives which have governed his conduct
From New Sunday Auas.
The President has vetoed the French spoliaton bill and
thus doing, has, think, met the expectations Of al
tho acquainted with subject which, for the last forty
rs has been pressed the attention and consideration
d Congress Personal interest might induce perhaps
wish to this famous bill pass and become law
But believing that understand its character origin
and legitimacy of claim about well anybody candol
@mpes TO say that its passage would impose unjust
charge the treasury Of the country The bill has passed
Senate and House of Representatives any time these
thirty years. being lost in body after il passed in
other 1t has twice passed both bodies and twice has
been vetoed 1t WILL suppose be revived the open
| ag of the next Congress
From the New York Journal OF Commerce.
storm win be raised against the President on account
db Veto though no can doubt that it is in pursu-
e Of his conscientious convictions Of duty He has been
Uniformly and decidedly hostile to the recognition of these
Claims and il could not be expected that he would
Undertake to say that they valid claims against the
government and to admit that he, and those with whom
acted, had for many years, denied justice TO the
iaimants
From the Baltimore Evening Argus of Monday.
THE FRENCH spoLIATIos BiLL-As readers well know,
have always been opposed this measure and Presi-
Pierce when in Congress spoke against it and cast his
against it We are therefore, not at all surprised that
returned the bill to the House where 1t originated de-
afr;ra tn and ~.
sons for it, For those who sustained losses from French
poiaions prior ls00 we cherish no other than the
most friendly feelings and have express regret that
hey failed to receive this indemnity from the government
hat injured them France the party at whose hands
hey suffered and to that government they should have
BOXED for redress Our government acting the
nave and friend of these claimants did urge the settle
en of these claims by the French government but was
used by that power the ground that fair notice was
to all the world that they would seize and appropr
to their all vessels and their cargoes Of every
on, that they caught in the act of carrying supplies
heir enemies 1t was contended that these claimants in
segarding this proclamation or public notice Of France
ased at game Of hazard and willingly the risk
osing or winning, as the cards might turn up.
During General Jackson's administration ambassa
Tor to France mr. Rves) succeeded in inducing the French
government to pay for spoiatons committed since the
500 and the treaty then concluded between France
he United States ratified by the Senate If PEG
lie had any older claims than these acknowledged b.
lst the duty of the President and the Senate
ave returned that treaty to the American ambassador
nth directions to include the spoliatons prior 1900
make treaty at ALL In not doing this they neces
y decided that the claims provided for in the bill which
be President has disapproved not valid and just
lot worth the cost of having any difficulty with Franc
bout If any wrong done to the claimants interest
it was done Mt that time Not being provided for il
hat treaty. and the treaty having been ratified and ap
roved without including them they thought TO b
hen put to rest and forever disposed Of
We free to admit that the claims intended to be paid
the bill recently passed have been advocated BY man,
the master minds of country in the ranks of boti
ares and that its advocates have largely increased with
the last few years. Whether this change has beer
brought about by the lavish expenditures the ne claim
n's in the persons of who had bought them up a.
rom hive to ten cents in the dollar is more than we car
Jay and prove at the time but Judging from wha
eain appliances accomplish in these latter DAYS ove
legislative bodies, rather inclined to think tha
ge fees had made the bin many friends who would
naer different circumstances have been found among ii
pponents
the claim for the five millions be good and valid ther
bill vetoed should have provided for paying the inter
as well as the principal The losses having been sus
ned more than fifty years ago the interest will add some
Or fifteen millions to the principal and thus make pref
heavy sum for Uncle Sam pay. In emitting 10 provide
payng the interest well the principal Of the sun
money said to he due the authors of the bill pronounce
claim rather shy say the least of it, for whereye
principal of debt acknowledged to be Just the in
tfs should always be paid.
The message Of the President assigning his reasons 70
ihhoding his sanction from the billwill be found a,
and interesting document and TO that paper we cal
Sbic attention.