National Republican., 1873-01-27
TIE ALABAMA AWARD.

General Butler, IN the thought that be has
evidently given to and In the labor that he
has manltsstly expended upon that portion
Of the Presidents message bearing upon the
distribution Of the Alabama award, aud 10.
fcrred to the Judiciary Committee of the
House, has rendered valuable public service
to the country, as well as valuable private
service TO those persons who were sufferers
by the depredations Of the Alabama and the
other rebel cruisers. The report and bill
which he has presented to the House are two
Of the ablest documents that have come he
fore II during the session, and will contribute
good deal toward increasing his fame as q
lawyer and statesman. lie has simplifed
the entire subject amazingly; brushed away
difficulties that Il was thought could not be-
removed, and created 80 many legal metes
and bounds that the most fat-witted tribunals
In the country cannot possibly go astray.
But while he has earned and received praise
from even critics so much opposed to him a.
the editors Of the leading Liberal Republican
organ In New York, VIC have no doubt that
the plan Of the distribution which he proposes
will not he without Its opponent. 1t will,
however, he q consolation to him to know
that the objections to his proposition will
come mainly from two classes-the insurance
men, whose alleged claims he cannot very
clearly understand, and the claim agents, to
whom be Is opposed to allowing any rights at
all.
The main Idea In the report Is that the
amount awarded at Geneva was given TO the
United States as indemnity for the losses by
the rebel cruisers, and was not given to mere
private and individual claimants; and ac-
cOrdingly the committee have come to the
conclusion that the amount awarded at
Geneva Is the money Of the Cnited States, to
bo disposed OF ut Its pleasure, subject to nO
trust aud to no legal rights in any individual
or corporation by whom a legal or equitable
claim can be set up or maintained to any part
OF the sum as awarded against the United
States" But then the United States owes
certain obligations to Its citizens who were
sufferers by the Confederate cruisers, and TO
that end additional legislation Is necessary
and Ii provided for In q bill accompanying
the report. The committee propose to pay
six classes Of claims, and in the following
order; hrst the uninsured vessels and car
goes; second, the losses Of the officers and
NsN"Nt aeNhahl N"hShf WI NHHhf li0
losses Of owners, officers or crews not covered
by Insurance; fourth, the losses Of the United
States; fifth, the extra war risks and pre-
mlums paid after the rebel cruisers had started
and, sixth, upon certain conditions, the in
surance companies where war premiums ac-
tually received were less than the losses paid
by them upon property destroyed or captured.
These provisions, 1t seems to us, cover the
whole case, aud 1t Is difficult to sec how or
where any class Is excluded.
As to the tribunal which shall adjudicatc
upon the claims, the committee are opposed
to the commission idea, and believe that 1t
had better be left to the United States Circuit
Courts. II a commission Is appointed, IL
would Of course meet In Washington, and Gen.
Butler and the committee feel that In that
event large portion of the money would go
to claim agents. The trouble In throwing the
claims into the circuit courts Is that many OF
them have now more business than they can
attend to, and claimants will be compelled to
walt from year to year before they can obtain
u decision. This Is notably so In the large
cities, where 1t Is most likely all the cases
will be tried. This and that In regard to the
underwriters are about the only portions OF
the hill where there Is likely to he any scriour
difference Of opinion.