The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1869-02-05
THE ALABAMA CLAIMS,

blance of intelligence and property
THE ALABAMA CLAIMS.
A Synopsis of the Protocol now before
the Senate for the Settlement Of the
Alabama Claims
The following are the principal
features of the protocol now before
the Senate for the settlement of the
Alabama claims
ARTICLE /. The high contracting
parties agree that all claims on the
part of the subjects of Her Britannia
Majesty upon the government of the
United States, and all claims on the
part of the citizens of the United
States upon the government OF Her
Britannia Majesty, including the So
called Alabama claims, which may
have been presented to either gov
ernment for its interposition with the
other since the Goth of July, 1853,
the day of the exchange of the ratifi-
cations of the convention concluded
between Great Britain and the Unit
rd States of America at London, on
the 9Th of February 1858, and which
yet remain unsettled, as well as any
other such claims which may be pre-
sented within the time specified in
article three of this convention,
whether or not arising out of the late
civil war in the United States, shall
be referred to four commissioners,
to be appointed in the following
manner, that is to say: Two com
missioners shall be named by her
Britannia Majesty and two by the
President of the United States, by
and with the advice and consent OF
the Senate In case of the death,
absence, or incapacity of any COM
or in the event of any
commissioner emitting or ceasing to
act as such, her Britannia Majesty or
the President of the United States,
as the case may be, shall forthwith
name another person to act as COM
missioner in the place or stead of the
commissioner originally named. The
commissioners SO named shall meet
at Washington at che earliest conven-
lent period after they shall have been
respectively named, and shall, before
proceeding to any business, make
and subscribe a solemn declaration
that they shall impartially and care
fully examine and decide to the best
of their judgment, and according to
Justice and equity, without fear, fa-
vor or affection to their own country,
upon all such claims as shall be laid
before them On the part of the gov
erDments of her Britannia Majesty
and of the United States respectfully;
and such DECLARATION shall be entered
on the record Of their proceedings
The commissioners shall then, and
before proceeding to auy other bust
ness, name some person to act as an
or umpire, to whose final
decision shall be referred any claim
upon which they may Lot be able to
come to a decision. If they should
not be able to..agree upon an arbltra-
tor or umpire, the commissioners on
either side shall name person as
arbitrator or umpire and in each
and every case in which the commits.
,inners shall not be able TO come to
a decision, the commissioners shall
determine by Lot which of the two
persons SO named shsll be the arbi
traitor or umpire In that particular
case The person or persons SO to
be chosen as arbitrator or umpire
shall. before proceeding to act as
such in sny csse. make and subscribe
4 solemn declaration, in q form simi-
ar to that made and subscribed by Il
he commissioners, which shall be
entered on the record of their pro
ceedings In the event of the death,
absence or incapacity of such person
or persons, or of his or their omit
ting, or declining, or eeasing to act
as such arbitrator or umpire, anoth-
er person shall be named, in the
same manner as the person original
" named, to act as arbitrator or um-
pire in his place and stead. and shall
make and subscribe such deelara-
ton as aforesaid.
Article 2 provides that the Com
snail give full and fair
hearing to all claimants that they
shall hear one person on. each side,
on behalf of each Government as
agent Or counsel for such Govern
nent, and In cass they tail to decide,
the umpire shall be called upon to
decide, and his decision shall be
inai. II. however, the Commission
.rs, or any two Of them shall prefer
hat any question be left TO the
decision OF some mutually friendly
power, they shall so report to their
Governments, and said
shall within six months,
agree upon the head of some frined-
" power whose decision shall be
insi. In case of decision by the
umpire involving compensation to
DO paid the amount of such COM
1ensation shall be referred back to
he Commissioners. No claim prior
% July eG-h, 1858, to be admissible.
Ar,;clt 3provides that every claim
hall be .l,resested within six months