The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-03-27


SETTLED REJECTED
Specified claims settled =. So. 422 1875 10
Specified claims disallowed. 7,235 39l So
Estimated claims disalowsd.. l,2s4,4l7 90
Balance unsettled. SIS, $40 1893 Is
From this it would appear that the total
amount Of Indebtedness to our citizens BY
foreign governments falls little short of sixty
millions. That large proportion of this is &C
tually owing, and will, ultimately have to be
paid, is proved by the fact that in many
cases the claims have been investigated by
commissioners, and awards made; in Others
they have been reported upon favorably by the
American resident Ministers, and in others
again, their justice has been acknowledged by
the governments against which they are pre-
ferred. The delay in settlement arises from
various causes; such as fiscal embarrassments,
changes of ministry, or political revolutions in
the countries indebted. In some cases they are
ascribable simply to want of principle on the
part of the smaller governments, which count on
our forbearance and magnanimity to escape from
the payment of their just debts.
1t is time that some well defined and energetic
course of action should be pursued to close up
and dispose Of claims which are continual
source of vexation and annoyance to the State
Department, and which are constantly pro-
ductive Of difficulties with foreign govern.
ments. Eli her these claims have foundation OF
justice, or they are illusory. In the former case
they should be pressed to settlement; in the
latter they should be swept from the files of the
Department and extiDguished at least go far as
the action Of our government is concerned
There is but one way of arriving at proper ap-
probation of the character ofthese claims without
waiting upon the slow results of diplomatic action
and the delays attending mixed commissions and
conventions. We would suggest that board of
examiners be appointed by Congress to investi-
gate the entire list Of unsettled claims, with
power to enforce the attendance of witnesses, and
to expunge from the List such as do not appear
to them to present strong prima facie evidence of
correctness. Notice should be given to the
foreign governments interested that such an in.
quiry was pending, with request that copies of
such written evidence as they possessed in refe-
renee to the claims against them should be for
warded to the board. By this course a large
amount of fraudulent cases would be disposed of
without the chance Of misunderstanding be-
tween the governments, while the awards of the
board would afford US definite grounds for press
ing to settlement the just debts due to our cit-
zens. 1t would, moreover, have the effect of
saving vast amount of prospective trouble; for
as soon as claimants found tina. their demands
were to be subjected to this rigorous examine
ton at home, they would be cautious how they
cooked up cases which had no other foundation
than the hopes Of success inspired by the action
of our government.
1t is part Of wise and economical DO
icy to keep those individual claims which
are continually troubling our international
relations under az severe control as pos
sioie. AS we are at present going on,
we are nursing up and fostering innumersble
causes Of quarrel and difficulty with other gov.
ernments. Were the costs Of settlement and
collection calculated, we should probably find
In addition, that but little pecuniary advantage
is, In the end, gained to the general interests.
Let us, therefore, get an example in this, a. wa
have done In other matters of governments,
policy. BY sponging out such fraudulent claim.
a. have been preferred by our citizens against
foreign governments, and compelling the latter
to promptly settle those against which no lust
defence can be set up, we shall earn at once the
respect OF the world and the gratitude Of thos.
who have been so long kept out Of their rights
by diplomatic chicanery