The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1859-02-01
SPEECH OF Mr.. WEBSTER


Os he BH gnaaig Ladeuay 70 Ctas Of de United Ss for
Egeh Spolduioas american Commerce prior lsO0 ia
as Ssaas u he Uaasd States, January ~ 1885.
Mr. wEDsTEn said that. before proceeding TO the dis
nson OF the bi he felt ID To be his duty to take
Ma Of an occurrence, such did not ordinarily draw
ann him any remarks IN his place IN the Senate Some
time last March, said Mr., W, there appeared In news
n,ner published at Albany, in the State of New York.
f purportng 70 have been written 10 the editor from
Washington in which the writer chargedme with having
din PERSONAL interest in these claims. ashamed
10 s,y that this letter written by member of Con-
press The assertion, like many others which have not
2tit 10 be my duty TO take any notice Of was wholly
and entirely false and malicious have not the slight
est interest in these claims any one Of them have
never been conferred with retained by any one spo
ken 10 as counsel for any OF them in the course Of my
Is No member of the Senate il more entirely free
frun any personal connexion with the claims than
IL has been the pleasure OF the Senate several
sous to place nae on committee to which these petitions
have been referred. have, those OCCASIONS examined
the subject with desire toacqu myself conscentously
by exercising my best Judgment upon the claims ques
tions Of mere right and justice sgt r,ts.. tsss
AT the last session honorable momber of the Senate
now in public capacity at s. PeteIsbugh introduced
bill for the relief Of the petitioners, and moved the APP
continent of a committee, declining himself to be a
melnbor Of that committee. Without any wish OF mine,
and Indeed without my knowledge for was not then IN
the city the Senate pleased TO place me at the head
Of that committee thought il my duty then To intro
ducc the bill which is now again under consideration.
THIS, said Mr. W, is no party question; it involves
party ends objects and it is question of private
tight and Justice it would be fragrant wrong and Unjust
ice to attempt to give to it anywhere the character OF
party The petitioners, the sufferers under the
French spoations belong to all parties Gentlemen OF
Distinction of all parties have at different times main
tanned the justice of the claim The present bill in
tended for the equal relief of all sufferers and it the
measure shall become party measure for one shall
not pursue it, IL will be wiser to leave ii till better au
spices shall appear,
The question: sir involved in this is essentially
judicial question 1t is not question of public policy,
Int question of private right question between the
government and the petitioners and the government
is to be Judge in its case it would seem to be the duty
ofs members TO examine the subject with the most scr
puos good faith, and the most socitous desire to do
Justice H#.sl 8
There is propriety in commencing the examination
of these claims in the Senate because it the Senate
which, by It's amendment of the treaty of 1900, and
It's subsequent ratification of that treaty and its recog
milton of the declaration of the French government ef
ectually released the claims against France and for
ever cut OFF the petitioners from all hopes of redress from
that quarter. The claims, as claims against our own
government have their foundation in these acts OF the
Senate itself and it may certainly be expected that the
Senate will consider the effect of its proceedings on
private right and private interests with that candor and
Justice which belong TO its high character.
ought not to be objected to these petitioners that
their claim is old, that they reviying anything
which has heretofore b,cn abandoned. There has been
delay which is not reasonably accounted for. The
treaty by which the claimants say their claims on France
for these captures and conscatons released, was
concluded in 1900. They immediately applied to Con-
gres for indemnity, win be by the report made
in 1902, in the House Of Representatives, by commit
tee of which distinguished member from Virginia, not
now living mir Giles, was chairman
In 1907, the petition Of sundry merchants and
ogaIs citizens Of Charleston, in South Carolina com
mittec of the House Of Representatives. OF which Mr.
Marion of that State, chairman made report de
clarng that the committee of opinion that the gov
ernment of the United States was bound to indemnify
the claimants But at this time our aiais with the
l;,.. .l,. ,,,r
raed our government had felt itself compelled to with
draw from the and it was not until
after the conclusion of the of 1872, and after the
general paccation of Europe, that suitable opportu
nifty occurred of presenting the subject again to the Sc
rious consideration of Congress. From that time the
petitioners have been constantly before and the period
has at length arrived proper for final decision of their
case. te7t. s.. .FtrU
Another objection, sir, has been urged against
these claims we'll calculated to diminish the favor with
which they might otherwise be received, and which
without any substantial foundation in fact Itis that
great portion of them has been bought as matter OF
speculation and is holden by these purchasers 1t
has been said, think, the floor of the Senate
that nine tentbs ninety hundredths, Of all the claims
are owned by speculators. ~
Such unfounded statements not only wholly un ust
towards these petitioners themselves, but they do great
mischief TO other interests have observed that French
gentleman of distinction formerly resident in this
country is represented in the public newspapers having
declined the offer of seat in the French administration
the ground that he could not support the American
treaty and he could not support the treaty because he
bad learned heard while in America that the claims
longer the property of the original sufferers, but
had passed into unworthy hands. II any such thing has
been learned in the United States IL has been learned
from sources entirely Incorrect The general fact is not
so and this prejudice thus operating great national
interesan interest in regard TO which in danger
9 being seriously cmbroiled with foreign Statc-was
created doubtless by the same incorrect aud unlounded
qseitions which have been made relative TO this other
class Of claims.
in regard TO both classes and 10 all classes OF claims
Of American citizens foreign governments, the state
ment is at variance with the facts Those who make it
hayp no proof of IT, On the contrary, iacontrovertibe
evidence exists of the truth Of the very of this
statement The claims against France since 1900 are
now in the OF adjudication. They all very
nearly all presented to the proper tribunal Proofs
company them, and the rules of the tribunal require that
IN each case the true ownership should be fully and
acty set out, oath and be proved by the papers,
vouchers and other evidence Now, sir, il any IL
acquainted or will make himself acquainted with the
proceedings OF this tribunal Ear 10 who the
parties claiming the indemnity he will the absolute
and enormous of those who represent these claims
TO be owned, in great part by speculatom
The truth s SIR that these claims, well those since
1890 as before owned and possessed by the original
sufferers with such changes only happen IN regard TO
all other property The original owner OF ship aud
~ hN representative, where such owner Is dead ;
uhderwfites who have paid losses, on account Of
captures and conscations and creditors of iusovcnts
ana btnkmrts, who Interested in the claims ;
these are the descriptions Of persons who, In all
thesc cases own vastly the larger portion of the
claims This Is true OF the claims on Spain, as Is
most manifest from the proceedings OF the commissioners
under the Spanish treaty IL Is true Of the claims
france arising since 1900 Is equally anest by the
or H., -Fa;ti