The Portland daily press., 1872-11-21
The French SpOliatiOn Claims.

now over, our people Wlue awake once more;
and Congress about to assemble within few
days, if the claimants will bestir themselves
there is a reasonable prospect justifiable
hope, indeed-that their case will be honest
ly adjudicated, and relief granted at once.
The bill reported last year by Senator Cam
eron, as originally drawn by Senator Sumner,
and substantially agreeing, if not identical
with that of the House, introduced by our
Grafton, by appointment, on the second We'd
nesddy of December meet. Claimants have
no time to lose therefore.
We have large interest in this neighbor-
hood, over eight hundred thousand dollars, if
do not mistake, ascertained by committee
of merchants in this district in 1900.
Four thousand memorials have been pre-
scented since that year, showing the capture
of more than fifteen hundred uessels, valued
at from eight to thirteen millions of dollras.
Since then no less than forty-one reports
by committees of both Houses have been
made, ard all, without single exception, fav-
orable to the claimants, and recommending
the payment of foe millions by way of fore
ed compromise, and bringing in bills for that
purpose.
Between 1927 and 1916, twenty-five reports
of committees, and all in favor of the claim
ants, have been made in the two Houses of
Congress, accompanied with bills for five mil
lions, the last being Senate bill confirmed
by the House, and sent to Mr.. Polk, who re-
turned it with his veto, Aug. 10, 1916, the
very last day and near the last hour of the
session, when many of the friends of the bill
had left the capitol and the city. And vet
the vote was q yeas and Is nays !-only one
short OF the requisite two-thirds, % being
two-thirds of AZ. A great hardship it must
be acknowledged under any aspect of the
case, but cruel and barbarous under the pc
culiar circumstances.
Again and again the bill was passed by
both Houses-only to be vetosd-the last
time by Presiden. Pierce, who acknowledged,
after while, that he had misunderstood the
question; and it is well known that his veto
message was written by our amiable friend,
Jefferson Davis, ex-President of the Confed-
eracy-by anticipation. At any rate, there
was ill temper enough, and craft and prodi-
gious laundering enough as to facts to Justify
the charge even if it were not capable of di-
rect proof.
1hS lOUCulOu, IuC liuptdCLIueub OF fr2Sl-
dent johnson, and the Presidential election
pelhg now over, ana well over, we may now
hope to be heard. JOHN NEAL.
N. B. Printed blank memorials will be
furnished freely and without charge, and
valuable pamphlet, at the mere cost of print
ing, on application to James II. Causten, Box
All, Washington City.
Perhaps, however, the very best thing we
can do for our people, as the representatives
OF the original sufferers, will be to publish the
following admirable summary of the case
which appeared last January. in.
Memorandum Of n Gard presented to the
Hon simon Cameron, Chairman of the
+. senate Committee ON Foreign A fairs.
am asked to state ia brief the jrongest
point of fact or argument in support of the
bill now pending for the relief of our citizens
who suffered from French spoilations on their
commerce, between the LIST of January, 1892
and July 81, 1901.
And l answer thus-with the following text:
Circular Letter from the Secretary of State to the
Merchants of the United States:
PHILADELPHIA, August q, 1893
Gentlemen. Complaint having been made to
the government Of the United States of some
Instances of unjustifable vexations and spola-
ton committed on our merchant vessels by the
privateers OF the powers at war, and it being
pOoSiuic bildt OtlltT luSLiuCeS ulaN nave naDUeQ-
ed, of which no information has been given to
the government l have it in charge from the
President Washlngton] ID assure the mer-
chants of the United States concerned in for
eign commerce or navigation, that due atten-
ton will be paid to any injuries they may suf-
fer on the high seas or in foreign countries,
contr. ry to the law of nations or to existing
treaties; and that, on their forwarding hither
well authenticated evidence of the same prop
er proceedings will be adopted for their relief.
Information will be received either from the
individuals aggrieved or from any association of
merchants, who will be pleased to take the
trouble of giving it, in a case so Interesting to
themselves and their country.
l have the honor to be, gentlemen &c
tn. JEFFERSON.
This imposing proffer of aid and agency
without limit of duraton-has never been re-
pealed or modified, and had direct and exclu-
sve reference to the captures of American ves-
sells made by the cruisers of England and France,
then at open vindictive war with each other
and each Of them lawlessly capturing American
vessels Unfortunately.
The merchant sufferers readily accepted such
overture of aid and agency, and fastened the
evidence of their losses to the Department of
state, and was by 1t without retaining record
thereby forwarded to the respective British
and French government for collection; thus
giving the sufferers the cheering assurance that
their relief would, under such imposing pat
fonagc, be speedily obtained.
The evidence SO forwarded to England was
with success prosecuted, and obtained an in
demnity of about eleven millions of dollars
which sum was paid over to the sufferers of
that class. T.
But the evidence in like manner forwarded to
France, being in amount about equal to that
forwarded TO England produced nothing for
the claimants beyond full, Free undisputed
and acknowledged responsibility for said cap.
lures, and that government rendered again and
again proposals for their eventual payment.
which, however, were Intellectual
On the other hand, France set up a national
political and pecuniary claim due to her by the
United States of probably much greater amount
than the entire spoliation claims-having rea-
ton to the burdensome treaties with her of
177S and the incurred liabilities under them;
and more particularly that said treaties (being
".torever" by their terns) should have contnu
ed and unmodified operation.
The United States having determined to ri,.
themselves from said dangerous treaties aft
whatever coSt-and the French government with
equal hrmness having determined on their con-
tlnued operatlon-resulted in deadlock of
claim and counter-claim.
Finally, the French government proposed to
set Oft these respective claims against each
other, viz: The private property of our citizens
Tor captured vessels, on the one hand, and the
national claim of France against the United
States, on the other hand, by formal, recipro-
cal remuneration of them on both sides, which
was accepted by the Senate and promulgated
by the President as the Convention with France.
on the 3lSt of July, 1901.
BY this inestimable bargain and sale of the
spoation claims-other imposing measures and
efforts having failed-the United States NOT
only paid their public debt and liabilities to
France with the private property of theiI citi-
zens, but also obtained the Invaluable abroea-
ton in perpetuity of the onerous and dangerous
treaties of 177S-which gave to France, by trea-
ty. the exclusive use of our ports for her YES
sells of war and their prizes-our guarantee of
her lsiands-and our pledge to make common
cause with her in war, ETC., etc. These, let It
be remembered, were the grateful equivalents
for our independence, which France had secur-
ed at the sacrifice OF unmeasured blood and
treasure.
The propretors of this private property. 40
wisely and benefically applied to the nHbIic
use, now ask of their paternal government that
The all-controlling sacred constitutional nro-
vision in their behalf may be enforced for their
relief, and thus redeem the pledged faith of
their government.
My record shows that more than fifteen hun
ired American vessels were so captured yy the
FRENCH their probable value would be from
Eight to ten millions of dollars.
JAMES Fl. CAUsTEN
Agency of French Spoliaton Claims, 1fe6
Street, Washington, D. c., January, IT, 1872
A sensational report came over the wires yes