The New York herald., 1876-02-05
The Foreign Affairs Committee Looking After
SlaVehOlding American Citizens.
PROPERTY COMPLICATIONS IN CUBA.
Alarm Of Small Politicians Over
the Whiskey Trials.
THE LOUISIANA sENATORsHIP.
FROM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.

CITIZENS IN FOREIGN CoUNTRIRs-LETTER
OF SECRETARY FISH TO THE COMMITTEE ON
FOREIGN AFFAIRS.
The Committee on Foreign Affairs is inclined to col
lect material for q valuable and conclusive report
the bill Of Mr. Springer, referred to them last week,
prohibiting American citizens from owning or using
slaves in foreign countries They have begun their in
vestgatons Of the subject by asking the Secretary OF
State for any information he may have bearing the
ownership Of slaves by Americans and Secretary Fish
has at once replied in the letter below, which shows
that Americans probably interested in such
property in two ways. first, the owners
essees OF estates which worked by slaves, and
second mortgages who have advanced money
such property Mr. Fish also points out that President
Grant has several occasions called the attention OF
Congress to this matter. In the Message OF 1871 he
used strong language the subject saying
desire to direct your attention the fact that cti-
zens of the United States persons claiming be
citizens OF the United States, are large holders in
foreign lands OF this species Of property slaves for
hidden by the fundamental law of their alleged
country. ! recommend to Congress to provide, by
stringent legislation, a suitable remedy against the
holding. owning or dealing in slaves, or being in
terested in slave property IN foreign lands, either
owners hrers mortgages by citizens of the United
States.
In the next Message, 1872. q similar reference to
American Shareholders was made by him, and this is
quoted in the letter OF Secretary Fish, In 1873 the
Message makes reference to the subject but the
barge of American estates in Cuba is made a cause Of
complaint against Spain The Message of 1874 contains
no further alluson to the matter and the President
finding Congress indsposed to act upon the question:
to have dropped it. But in the last Message ad
vertng to the abolition of slavery in the Portu
guese colonies, he says
am OF opinion also that II is the duty OF the United
States to provide by suitable legislation, that ct-
zen Of the United States shall hold slaves property
In any other country or be interested therein.
At the same time he complained that
The property OF citizens Cuba Is large and
rendered insecure and deprecated In value and in
pacty OF production by the continuance OF the strife
and the unnatural mode Of its conduct
Apparently he alludes here estates in Cuba which
worked by slave labor.
No doubt tho President will be pleased TO see the
present Congress taxing up and thoroughly dsposng
of this question: for the losses OF American slavehod
ers Cuba have been fertile source OF contention
and trouble here The committee WILL IL is said In the
course Of thoir investigation summon before them
number OF citizens, OF them well known capital
lists Of New York and Philadelphia who are believed
TO bo interested in Cuban slave properly eitherto
the words Of the President 1S72-'as owners hrcrs
or mortgages" II Is believed that, besides those
Americans who own or lease sugar ana other slave
in Cuba and who are probably in the majority
of cases. Spaniards who have caused themselves to be
naturalizcd OF avoiding the obligations OF
Spanish subjects in Cuba, and as sort of insurance
against loss there Others some Of them Americans
by birth and residence who have invested large Of
money in Cuba loans, the security for which consists
in mortgages upon lands and slaves Such persons, II
summoned before the committee will probably be
asked to exhibit their mortgages which, 1t is here re-
ported in some and personal de-
scrptions slaves who thus pledged by their own
security for debts due to citizens Il
such persons that the President probably spoke
in his Message Of 1872 If the committee procure
the exhibition of such chatel mortgages the exposure
will attract a good deal OF attention. especially II It
shall prove that some Of the holders OF such slave
securities prominent persons In the communities
in which they live The following the letter of the
Secretary of State referred to abovc-
DEPARTMENT or STATE
WASHINGTON d. c., Feb. 2, 1915
Hon THOMAS SWAMI, Chairman Committee OF Foreign
Affairs House OF Representatives:
sIRI have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of
your letter Of the 3lst ult requesting furnish
you with any information which the department may
be able TO afford your committee in relation to the
question Of citizens OF the United States holding slaves
In foreign countries, and also as TO what complaints
have been filed In the department from American cti-
in Cuba on account OF wrongs suffered losses
sustained in their business IN that island; whether
such business Is carried on by slave labor and what
complications may arise on account Of American ct-
zens holding slaves in foreign countries
As you desire the Information for the use OF the
committee at their proposed session tomorrow Thurs
day. morning, | must content myself with making a
very general statement regard each Of the ques
tions which form the subject OF your inquiry
With reference TO the inquiry in regard to complaints
filed in the department from American citizens in Cuba
II Is TO be observed that these complaints Of
classcs.-
ETrs-The claims OF citizens of the United States for
losses suffered on account Of wrongs and iuju-
ries to their persons or property, committed
by the authorities OF Spain IN Cuba since
October l. 1868 Claims OF this class arc in
pursuance OF agreement entered between this
government and that OF Spain the 18th OF February
1871 submitted to the cognizance Of the mixed commIs
created by that agreement and which organized
now and holding Its sessions at this capital or this
class OF claims find from report made by the advo
cate OF the United States 10 this department, be-
fore me- that there has been presented the commits
sion since its organization ll5 cases; OF these 81
have been disposed OF as follows namely dismissed
for want OF Jurisdiction O. dismissed OF prose-
cution after notice under the rule, 35 judgment
favor Of Spain is not liable the proofs two; with
drawn, two decided IN favor OF tho claimants, ninety
one, giving an aggregate amount Of SS78,015 leaving
now pending and undecided any eight cases.
With reference 10 the OF complaint In this class
Of claims II may be stated generally that they
prsed under the following specifications, namely
Illegal seizure OF property and consequent damage to
business
Damage to property by military officers and troops
In the spanish service.
Illegal arrests and Imprisonment; violence done to
the person BY officers and troops under color Of mill
tary authority.
naturaized citizens Of the United States who were
originally subjects OF Spain and natives OF Cuba The
properly, OF the injuries to which the complaints
predcated consists largely Of sugar plantations and
while the department Is not possession OF special
and exact Information on the subject IL may safely be
stated that the working OF these plantations carried
by slave labor, that being the normal Of plan
tatlon labor on the island. In some few the
claimants are native citizens Of the United States
porting merchants who have advanced money sugar
planters and taken mortgages the plantations or
course in such cases the parties claimant may be said
TO be, however unwlingy. indirectly connected with
the continuance Of slave labor In the Island OF Cuba
The second class Of claims consists Of cases in which
executive embargoes and summary condscatons have
been visited on the estates Of American citizens These
cases have been made the sube OF direct diplomatic
Intervention, but in regard to the relations OF the
claimants with slavery and slave labor, the remarks
which have mado In reference 10 the nrst class
made equally applicable TO these
With reference 20 your last inquiry, as 70 what
plicatiOns may arise account OF American citizens
owning slaves IN foreign countries II IS difficult TO
that inquiry In such way TO impart any In
formation TO the committee OF which Congress is noe