Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1858-12-22
THE AMIsTAD CLAIM.

President Buchanan, in his recent message,
has again urged the payment of the old Amis-
tad claim, first recommended by President
Polk, in l847, and repeated twice since in Pres
idential messages. Perhaps Mr. Buchanan
may have called attention to the subject at this
time, merely to keep before the people one of
the new issues on which his party is in future
to go before the people for support AS enough
Democrats from the North have always here
tofore been found in Congress, to act in concert
with the opposition, in defeating the passage of
any appropriation for this claim, whenever a
bill for the purpose has been introduced, this
circumstance has prevented the introduction of
the Amistad test as an issue, hitherto, by "the
democracy" in our elections. But now, af-
ter the party has become so far sunk in de-
generacy as to endorse the Lecompton infamy,
and kindred enormities embodied in the bred
Scott decision, we cannot see how an open
advocacy of the Amistad claim, by every
supporter of the administration in the next
elections throughout the Union, can well be
avoided.
The Presidentsa in his recent message:
81 repeat the recommendation made in my
message of December last, in favor of an APP
preparation ito be paid to the Spanish govern
ment for the purpose of distribution among the
claimants in the Amistad case" President
Polk first made similar recommendation in
December, 1847, and it was repeated by my
immediate predecessor in December 1858
l entertain no doubt that demnity is fairly due
to these claimants under our treaty with Spain,
of the 9th of October, 1885; and whilst de-
handing justice, we ought TO do Justice. An
appropriation promptly made for this pur-
pose, could not fail to exert favorable in
fuence on our negotiation with Spain"
So, one of the chief arguments on the
strength of which we are urged to pay claim
as unconstitutional as it is wicked and unjust
is, that by so doing our government may be
enabled, the more easily to get possession Of
Cuba, and thereby extend the "area of sav
cry in this Republic.
John Quincy Adams, better authority than
any other person as to the justice of this claim
made speech on the subject in the House
March2, l847, in which he sustained the posi-
ton, with great boldness, ability, and truth
that the Spanish minister had never demand
ed the negroes as slaves, but as freemen, al
they had been declared to be by the Supreme
Court, and that they should be delivered up a
assassins; that, if they had been delivered up
they would have been executed at Havana, il
which case all claim of Ruiz and Montez t,
them must have been forfeited; that there wa
not even the shadow of a pretence for tn,
Spanish demand Of indemnity; that such to
tai perversion Of the whole subject as was mad,
by the Spanish minister and the Secretary o
State, had never been witnessed that the dc
mand, if successful, would be perfect Iobberl
committed on the people of the United States
that neither their shareholders, nor the Span
ish Government on their behalf, had an,
claims to the money asked for whatever, anc
he prayed God to forbid that any claim
should ever be allowed by Congress whicl
rested on such a false foundation.
After all the indignities which the North ha
suffered at the hands of the South, the repre-
sentative from the North of whatever party
who can stand up before his constituents, afte
voting to sanction such a claim, must be pos
sessed of more brazen material than falls to tn
common lot Of men, to say nothing of the vi
ter want Of principle involved. We trust n
bill for so nefarious an appropriation, can
got through the present House.