The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-01-08
The FrcncI, spolIation BiII.

ORIGIN OF THE CLAIMS-THE BILL IN CON0hEsS--
IT'S HISTORY, ETC., ETC.
twill be by Congressional report yesterday that
the French spolaton bill taken up for debate in the
Senate on Thursday by Mr. Crtenden OF Kentucky This
bill has been before Congress for nearly afty years.
II has passed either house the other several tmes
end has on two occasions received the assent OF both
houses but has each time been vetoed by the Executive
first in 1885, when it was returned by Mr.. Polk
his approval, the grounds mainly, Grsi, that the bin
had been before Congress- for forty years. and that twice
during that time there surplus in the treasury yet
government had not paid the claims; and, secondly be
section had been introduced into 1t (for first
tme) making the claims payable in public lands instead
of money and lastly that the claimants consented 10
cept an indemnity Of five millions Of dollars whereas il
was well known that their claims, if they had any,
amounted TO a much larger
The bill again passed by both houses in 1854, and
again vetoed by Franklin Pierce Previous to the year
1926 fifteen different bills in behalf of the claims mad
been presented to Congress, all Of which were
approved by the committees whom they were referred
The first memorial of the claimants made to Congress
far back 1902 but until the year 1926 that document
with the evidence supporting the claims lay in the State
Department unnoticed and its existence almost unknown.
So much for the history Of the bill the nature
and origin OF the claims il is intended TO satisfy
The demand upon our government for indemnity, by
and cargoes by the French government, during the
between France and England prior to the convention Of
Sept 80 1900 originated in the settlement by the United
States with France of all the claims arising
out Of the spoiaon Of vessels the high seas de-
creed by Napoleon to counerva the British Orders in
Council, which declared ships trading with France
open To seizure by vessels Of and cruisers when
not entering bockaded ports-a declaration tine part Of
both nations clearly in violation Of all neutral rights By
the French DEGREES nearly thousand American
spohatcd. When the United States made the
venton with France in 1900 government agreed to
forego the claims Of the merchants for their oss in
for certain concessions the part Of France which
held give large advantages to this country, in the
maintenance OF peace and increased prosperity
| and it is contended that by doing the govern
ment took upon itself the responsibility OF in
Identifying those individuals whose claims it had
sacrificed for public benefit denied that many
advantages accrued TO this country by the
granted lieu of these claims and the claims themselves
have been shown TO be Just, by commissioners
and admitted to have been by France The spoaton
bill has supported by OF the abest Con.
gress-webster Clay, j. NJ. Clayton, W. II Crawford Of
| Georgia. Lowndes of South Carolina, and others The
| amount asked is five millions Mr. Crittenden, however
has brought the bill at unpropitious time jus,
the Treasury empty, when if it should pass
there money to pay the claimants rather their
representatives the lobby, for there probably hardly
one of the original claimants living H il should pass
both houses this session. ii is not unlikely tha, Mr. Bu
chanan will j, Tor the that the Treasury
| Melted