The Feliciana Democrat. (Clinton, La.) 1855-186?, 1856-11-22
Joint British & American Commission.


joint commission for the settlement of the
claims Of the citizens and subjects of the
United States and Great Britain, upon each
country respectively. The commission was pro.
vdcd for convention between the two Gov.
crnmcnts. Its jurisdiction was to extend to
all claims whatever, presented against either
Government, by citizens or subjects of the 9th.
cr, which had remained unadjustcd since the
treaty of peace in 1914. Their decisions
were to be fnal-thc two Governments agree.
ing to give full effect to them, and providing
that all claims not presented should be treated
as settled, and no longer admissible.
The American Commissioner was N. G.
Upham, of New Hampshire, the British Com.
missioner was Edmund Horribly. These had
power, in case of disagreement to select IN
umpire. They selected Joshua Bates, of the
house Of Barring, Brothers & Co., Of London
Before this commission upwards of three
hundred claims were presented and disposed
Of The aggregate amount Exclusive of some
large claims, involving great public questions
specially referred to- was about two millions
of dollars The amounts awarded were to
American claimants, 1929, 1874 l6, and to Brit
ISL claimants, $277, lO2 SO The number Of
cases was sevcnty-Gvc for British and forty
for American claims. The commission dis
agreed in about twenty cases, which were set
tied by the umpire.
! Among the cases thus decided were those
which relate to the Florida Territorial bonds,
those which relate to the Texas debt and
those which refer to the claim Of indemnity
for the slaves of the Creole, which were libcr-
atcd in ls4l by the British authorities of
Nassau.
In the Florida case the holders Of III. bonds
issued by the Territory for Banking purposes,
were presented as valid debt against the
United States. The Commissioners disagreed;
the umpire decided that the United States
, were not liable.
: The British holders Of the Texas debt also
I made claim against the United States, Oh the
: ground that the annexation Of Texas and the
absorption Of her revenues into those of the
: United States created a responsibility on the
part of the United States Tor the debt of
5 Texas. The Commissioners disagreed the
/ umpire decided that the United States are not
t liable.
The Creole case is one Of great interest to
: the Southern people. The Creole was bound
4 for New Orleans from the Chesapeake, with
: slaves in 1871, when the slaves rose in mutiny,
: killed the captain and passenger, and forced
Y the mate to take the vessel into the harbor of
Nassau, where the authorizes proclaimed TO
/, the negroes that they were free, against the
rcmonStranccs of the American Consul and
t refused to deliver up the mnrdcrers, although
! fully identified This case has been long a sub
jet Of negotiation between the two Govern
mcnts. Great Britain maintained that she
/ was not liable because slavery, being abolish
S ed by law, within her possessions, she could
not recognize the state of slavery there at all;
and that all persons, no matter how brought
;. within her boundary were free.
e On this, as on all slave questions, involving
: the same questions, the American and British
Commissioners failed to agree. They were all
: referred to the umpire, and he decided every
). case in favor of the American view of the re-
e sponsbity of the British Government for the
: forcible liberation of slaves on board of vessels
= which. going from one port in the United
i States to another, are driven by stress Of
Il weather, or other causes, into British ports.
Y These are just decisions, and will go far to
n settle important principles.
d The convention has now completed its task,
1t and has closed up finally a large mass OF de-
o ferred complaints, which have been subject
IS of complaint between the two countries, for
: more than forty years. We begin again with
'. IL clear record, as between the two Govern
x mcnts. 1t is to be hoped that henccforth
ID every case will be decided promptly, as it ari.
s ses, and that there will be left no such arreara
ges of litigation and dispute for another gener-
alton to be vexed with.