Morning journal and courier., 1882-06-17
French SpOliation Claims.


 time in the interval of say 80 years which l has elapsed have they been before Congress- but as yet fruitlessly and with barren results to the petitioners. Many prominent New Haven families are interested in these claims, through the old New Haven Insurance com pany, which organization is kept up year by year in order that it may not be an extinct organization when the time comes, as it may come, that the claims are pecuniarily recog- nized by the government.
 The directors are such well known and lead ing gentlemen as the following: Thomas R. Trowbridge.
 Henry Trowbri
 Ezekiel H. Trowbridge,
 Justus s. Hotchkiss.
 Charles H. Townsend
 Henry L. Hotchkiss.
 MT. H. L. Hotchkiss, president of the l.. Candee Rubber company, is secretary. As has been stated the positions are simply nominal, ito keep the organization alive, aI- though it ceased to do business in the long, long ago, and the positions are honorary and not sinecures. The company's claims amount to over $1OO,OOO. The father of the late Henry White was one of the original
  of the Mes-rs. Trowbridge was another, and so the list might be extended almost indefinite ly, the heirs of the original claimants making quite numerous body and being scattered all over Connecticut and in many other States, and some being in Europe. The old records of the company are carefully pre- served in 8 first class fre-proof safe against the day of settlement.
 What are these claims? The nature and origin of the spoliation claims as whole are thus stated: The colonies were engaged in their terrible struggle for independence, which seemed so hopeless that Washington announced in formal letter to Congress that unless some great and capital change took place the army must be reduced to one or ! the other of three things-starve, dissolve or dsperse-when on February G, 177S, this dark cloud was dispelled by the proclamation of treaty with France, signed by Benjamin Franklin, in which the United States were 1 guaranteed their liberty, sovereignty and in dependence, absolute and unlimited and the United States guaranteed to France, among other things, her possessions in America, and k it was further stipulated that in case of 8 | rupture between France and England the reciprocal guarantee should have full force | and effect the moment it should break out. l France faithfully executed her agreement at a cost of $28O, 900, 900, and at sacrifice of thousands of lives, and the independence of I the United States was achieved. ! hol lafo 1 the whole of monarchical Europe was arrayed
 in arms against republican France, and the ! American minister, of all the ministers of foreign powers, alone remained in
 Paris. The conduct of the United
 States during that war, and the l failure of the performance of the guarantee contained in the treaty of alliance l with France are all familiar. France, indig- l nant at what she regarded as breach of ! faith and gross ingratitude on the part of the 1 United States, retaliated by the destruction 1 of thousands of our ships and the confsca- | ton of their cargoes. The claims to-day un- der consideration are by American citizens | whose property was thus destroyed. The 1 justice of these claims against France was l urged by the United States and admitted by France, and neither here nor there in the history of all the negotiations for their recov- l cry was there ever denial, but France pre- ! sented a counter claim for national wrongs l inflicted upon her by the United States. The United States admitted the national wrongs and seeing that the perpetual guarantee made l to France in the treaty of alliance might for l ever expose her to such claims, anxious to be l relieved from the obligations of the treaty 1 negotiated to that end.
 1 The result of these negotiations was that France gave the United States full release 1 from all her national s'counter claims j" also l from the guarantee contained in the treaty of | alliance, and in consideration thereof the United States relieved France from all the ! individual claims her citizens preferred. It I was high price to pay, but the value of the l purchase amply justifedit. Our government ] received the benefits of this settlement and l never paid dollar to her own citizens whose
 property she sacrificed to secure it. The de- \ scendants of those citizens are to day before Congress asking justice.
 The report of Senator Frye, in behalf of the Senate Committee on Claims, on the French spoliation claims, has just been print ed and makes strong argument in favor of the recently reported bill to provide for the l ascertainment of these claims. From the re. port it appears that they were first brought
 to the attention of Congress in 1902. In 1S26 under the administration of J John Quin- ! cy Adams, all of the evidence touching those claims was for the first time completely pre- sented to Congress, and from that time to this there never has been an unfavorable re- port to either house. There have been, how ! ever, made to both houses forty favorable re- ports, among which was one by MT. John I Holmes, three by Edward Everett, three by l Edward Livingston one by Daniel Webster. three by Caleb Cushing, three by Rufus
 Choate, four by Truman Smith, one by Han ! nibal Hanlin and three by Charles Sumner. ! Twice bill for the relief of these claimants l has passed both houses one was vetoed by President Polk as Senate bill, and one was l vetoed by President Pierce as House bill,
 while the Legislatures of the thirteen original l States all have at various times passed
 resolutions directing their Senators and
 asking their Representatives to take fevora- ble action in behalf of these claimants.
 The following from prominent gentleman of Newburyport, Mass, has been received by some of the claimants in New Haven: A bill to provide for ascertaining and set | ting the claims of American citizens for ! spoliations made by the French prior to July ! 31, 1901, is now before committee of the House of Representatives. Effective aids to l it's enactment are petitions to Congress from present claimants and letters to Representa- tives, urging them to advocate bill of in- demnity. Many petitions to this end have 1 already been presented from various sections. hliOW ul6 GO doFISo luSldut dCG1Ou III tu0 1udG- ter on your part, either by petitions or letters to the Representative of your Congressional district, asking his support to such measures as will enable the United States to pay this acknowledged debt long since due to it's own citizens.
 I address you simply as legal representa- tive of an original sufferer to large amount, and not as paid agent.
 Drowned.
 Information has been received in Middle town of the death by drowning of John Laux, son of Professor Carl Laux, formerly organist of the Church of the Holy Trinity of this city. The sad event occurred on Fri day, June 9, at Canton, H., while he and some companions were in bathing.
 Seaside House.
 The Seaside House, Burns Point, Milford, is now open. The new proprietors are John Vischer and Ansel Wood, both popular and competent landlords. Mir. Vischer formerly kept the Milford Hotel Good accommoda- tions and good sea food dinners. The loca- tion is very attractive and it is very pleas ant drive from the city to the Point. See ad- Yertissment.
 Lodge and Society.
 The Knights of Columbus the new Cath