New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-07-01
THE FRENCH spoL1ArIoN BILL.

THE FRENCH SPOLIATI0N BILL.
They whose property on the high seas
was spoliated by the French during the
memorable last decade ofthe last century
awaited indemnity during their ifetimes,
as their heirs have done since, with nc
more doubt of its certainty than there
was question of the validity of theil
claims. France never hesitated in their
acknowledgment nor sought to Withhold
the money; and when the sale of Louis
lana and its price were fixed, she relin-
quished one-fifth, or twenty million francs.
as indemnify to Americans for such spoil
atoms. Under nearly every administra-
ton since that of Jefferson, some measure
has been before Congress providing for
the payment to rightful claimants OF
these five million dollars. A bill is now
again pending, having been recently in.
troduced into the Senate by Mr.. Sumner,
and few suggestions respecting the meas
ure may not be inappropriate.
In several successive Congresses the
bill was defeated by minorities, through
parliamentary tactics. Those who opposed
it did so under no pretence of right but
Of expediency, coupled generally with the
pretext that many of the claims were not
in original hands, but were held by specu-
lators. The various Presidents before
whom the bill came for approval, while
extolling its justice, severally returned it
with the Executive veto, on the single
ground that there was no money out of
which it could properly be paid.
Tie measure was last before Congress
during the administration of Mr.. Buchanan.
Special provision was then made in the
bill itself for raising the funds necessary
to answer its requirements. The object
of this was two-fold; first to avoid the
veto, and secondly the reference required
for appropriation bills. 1t passed the
Senate by m ajority of six, and was en-
crossed in the House, where the majority
in its favor was indicated as forty. Mr..
Orr, of South Carolina, was Speaker, but
when the bill came up as the order of the
day, the late Mr.. Burlingame, Of Massa-
chusetts, presided. One Of its opponents
moved its reference to the committee of
the whole, as an appropriation bill; it was
thought to have escaped this tactics
through the special provision to which we
have referred. After debate, however, the
Speaker pro tempsre ruled that it must go
into committee. Thus further action dur
ing that Congress was frustrated, and the
bill was lost.
The state of facts we have related is
undoubtedly discreditable to our govern.
ment. Probably few members who op-
posed the bill at any time would have
been satisfied to escape their personal
obligations on the grounds upon which
they justified their votes. A government
having unrestricted power to provide its
revenues can hardly be excused for with
holding, during more than half century,
funds it had received from France as due
to her acknowledged creditors, for whom it
had assumed their collection. The simple
proposition disposes Of argument, while
bold devices for evasion seem to US as in
excusable as if the case were an individ-
ual one. Indeed, if morals are to have
uoiohk ~ pooocuro ocoordirr 70 %ba;~
need, it is greatly more incumbent on the
than on the individual to
act justly. The Congress whose Senate
ratified the treaty by which France ceded
Louisiana should have provided the legis-
lation necessary to pay over the money.
And the injustice of failing to do so has
gathered volume, as a rolling ball, with
every Congress since. The wrong of
an imprescriptible right grows
greater.with time.
The two pretexts upon which our gov
eminent is left to-day, as faitbless agent,
in possession of this fiduciary money are
alike good for nothing. That Of ''no
funds" would. not avail an individual
having means to obtain them-why gov
eminent with unlimited resources? In
respect to the other, that the claims have
been sold into the hands of spectators, if
it were in any case valid cause, could
not be so as to those whose claims have
not been sold. Numerous heirs of the
original claimants, many of them INDECENT,
are scattered throughout the country.
While they who held, till constrained by
The bad faith of the government to sell,
rights unquestionable and alb
,olute, and which, at least, faithless
debtor, whether government or indivi.
dual. can never question. Neither the
moral right nor the moral power of the
government is any greater than that of
The humblest citizen; its phenomenal
power only is 80. If this is to be longer
exerted against right who knows that it
may not portend further national disaster?
We want this Congress to wash the peo-
ple's hands of it.
The history of this bill, if it were a
secret and not an overt history, would be
for shame. During the ad-
of one of the Presidents who
vetoed it, surplus'fund of many millions
in the national treasury was distributed
among the several States. The various
vetoes were by Democratic Presidents,
and from first to last, the wrong lies ex-
at Democratic doors; for, al