The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1870-12-23
The Alabama Claims.

We are amongst many who cannot
see the business or fairness of the Fed
eral government assuming to pay the
so.called Alabama claims, rs rscom
mended by President GRANT in his
late annual message. The claim was
originally gotten up against the British
government simply as political blind,
but what is to come of it In that con.
nection or whether the British oughtto
pay or not, 1t Is not now our purpose to
discuss The question in hand is, shall
the United States pay these claims?
We conceive the whole subject is dis.
posed of when IL is considered to whom
are these claims to be paid? The mer-
chants who suffered the original loss
have mainly been paid already by the
insurance companies. These companies
made large profits during the war in
their business, and therefore lost moth
ing in the aggregate. The personal loss
consisted, therefore, only in the extra
rates of insurance charged In conse-
quence of the ravages of the Alabama.
That was tax upon the merchant,
but as few failed during the war and
nearly all made large fortunes, 1t fol-
lows that their losses were made up by
their profits. The prices of goods were
enhanced thereby, and thus the people
who paid these enhanced prices paid
the losses occasioned by the operations
of the Alabama. 1t is impracticable to
pay these purchasers of goods, and
therefore the real losers never can be
paid. Then surely there is no Justice
in the Presidents. recommendations
is mere job, a piece of robbery, by
which speculators and shavers can alone
be benefited, and as to the people it is
a bald and unqualified swindle. wr. p
The Philadelphia Day, edited by a
Republican, thus discusses the subject,
to wit: .,-I
The alabama Claims" so called,
symbol the indefinite. Ostensibly these
claims consist in certain damages in.
fiicted upon the ships and cargoes of
American merchants and ship. owners.
That is what the public understands by
the Alabama claims. But SO regarding
them, how are they to be settled? The
president in his annual message, sug-
gests commission to assess and con-
firm the damages inflicted upon our
commerce by the Alabama and other
confederate cruisers built in British
or sheltered in British
ports. This, of course, is preliminary
to the assumption of the payment of
such ascertained claims by the United
State. Is the president right? We
conclude not. And for these reasons:
In the first place, to whom is the
money to be paid? Certainly not to
the merchant, who risked his money in
a commercial venture, and lost ship and
cargo. Not to him, because he has re-
ceived compensation at the hands of
insurance companies. He took the risk
of Just so much money as was represent
ed by the difference in values between
the real worth of ship and cargo and
the amount insured, less the premium.
He took the risk with his eyes open.
On the other hand, the insurance COM
panies took the risk of the amount of
the policy less the acar risk premium.
What claim has the merchant for dam.
ages against the British government?
Ii this government assumes the pay
ment of the alleged claims, it cannot
insurance companies.
But some one may say, not every |
merchant procured policy of insur- |
ance upon such commercial ventures /; |
and ought not such to be reimbursed |
their losses? To that we reply that no
government is bound to make good any
mans neglect. Insurance il an ordina,
~ precaution. The man who neglects
It and loses all certainly deserves pity, |
but not indemnity.
But we are told, the claims are in the
hands of the insurance companies. Tho
insurance companies did legitimate
business in taking war risks on vessels
and cargoes. Their rates were enhanc. |
ed to cover possible extraordinary dam.
ages. They received their money from |
the insured. Sometimes they lost, of |
course. But whether they made or lost |
in the aggregate of such transactions,
the government cannot properly as
sumo to know, or care. 1t Is not bound |
to make good the losses any man may
sustain in the prosecution of any busi-
ness.
Then, il neither the shipper nor the
insurer can claim-and we don't see
how they can, legitimately--how are
these Alabama claims to be settled? To
whom is the money to be paid? If no
man can lawfully claim, none can law
fully receive. Clearly, taking this view,
the Alabama claims appear as an indefi
mite quantity. Perhaps they have been
and misestimated. So
1T would seem to many.
~. .