The Portland daily press., 1870-07-23
THE PR ES s.
Saturday Morning, July %, 1870.
The French Claim 3.

The French Claims.
The "French Claims" SO called, have been
for seventy years fruitful source of contro-
versy. The treaty which was concluded be-
tween France and the United States during
our struggle for Independence, and which Sc
cured us the aid of France in that conflict
provided that we in turn should guarantee to
France forever all possessions in America
she then held or should acquire in case Of
any rupture between France and any Euro.
pean nation. The United States also agreed
to give French ships certain important priv
leges in our ports which we agreed to DENY
to those of her foes. France afterwards he.
came involved in war with England and lost
nearly all of her American possessions which
we did not try to defend. We also made q
treaty with England by which in violation
of our agreement with France, the ships O
her enemy were admitted TO our ports. The
list OF contraband articles was also ENLARGED
to the disadvantage of France. In return
Tor our neglect France made reprsals and
selzed more than two thousand American
shlps, entalling upon our citizens losses esti-
mated at not less than $2OOOO,OO0. In 179s
matters had gone so far that we were on the
verge OF war with France. War was not de-
cared, however, and convention was framed
Sept. 30, 1900, by which friendly relations
were restored. In negotiating this conven.
ton our claims for the damage done by France
to our shipping were met by counter claim
brought forward by France for damage done
her by the non-fulflment of our treaty stip
ulations with her. No agreement being ar
rived at, an article was inserted that these
claims should be reserved for future negotia
ton. In the treaty as finally ratified this ar
ticle was left out and clause annexed thai
by the retrenchment of this article all claim.
under it were renowned. In this form the
treaty was finally ratified. 1t is alleged there
fore that the United States for good consider
alton, the release of the claims France had
against us, released France from liability fol
the seizure of American ships, and that, by
thus using private claims for public purposes
the government rendered itself liable in
equity to reimburse the claimants from the
National Treasury.
These claims have been repeatedly pressed
upon the attention of Congess. A bill to
lquidate them has passed the Senate five
times, and both branches of Congress twice
only to be killed by the vetoes of Presidents
Polk and Pierce. Thomas II. Benton in his
Thirty Years View denotes thirty four pages
to discussion of the subject in the Senate in
1885. On this occasion Mr.. Benton and Mr..
Wright of New York made elaborate speeches
against paying the claims. While many in
genlous arguments against paying them have
been brought forward both then and at other
times, their justice has been admitted by John
Adams, John Quincy Adams, Madison. CLAW.
webster, Livingston, Sumner and many 9TH
ers. Chief Justice Marshall also adds the
weight OF his opinion, saying, "Having been
connected with the events of that period and
conversant with the circumstances under
which the claims arose, he was, from his own
knowledge, satisfied that there was the
strongest obligation on the government to
compensate the sufferers by the French SPOIL
iations." II is proposed to appropriate S.
ooo'ooo to settle these claims. Though this
VIII not pay half the principal of those claims
whose validity is recognised, to saw nothing
OF the interest for seventy years, the claim
ants would no doubt be glad to get even that
proportion.
Those who wish for more detailed informa-
ZION on the subject are referred to Mr.. Ell.
Derby's article in the Atlantic MONTHLY for
August.