The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-03-15
A BILL THAT IS PERENNIAL.
The French SpoIiation Claims and the Long
Fight for Their Payment.

Fight for Their Payment,
Special TO the indianapolis Journal
WAsHINGToN March 14.-One of the bills that
year after year make their appearance in Con.
gpess for the settlement of claims against the
United States is the bill for the settlement of
III French spoliation claims There have been
made to both houses forty favorable reports
upon these claims, yet they are still unsettled.
OF these favorable reports, one was made by
Mr.. John Holmes. three by Edward Everett.
three by Edward Livingston, one by Daniel
Webster, three by Caleb Cushing, three by
Rufus Choate, four by Truman Smith, one by
Hannibal Hamlin, three by Charles Sumner,
and one by Senator Frye Twice bill for the
the relief Of these claimants has passed both
houses, one vetoed by President Polk as Sen
ate bill and one vetoed by President Pierce as "a
House bill
The Legislatures of the thirteen original States
have all at various times passed resolutions di-
recting their senators and asking their repre-
sentatives to take favorable action in behalf of
these claimants. A brief statement of the ma
ture of the origin of the claims is transcribed
from the last report upon the subject
The colonies were engaged in their terrible
struggle for independence. 1t seemed hopeless;
so hopeless that Washington announced in a
formal letter to Congress that unless some
great and capital change takes place the army
must be reduced to one or the other of three
things-starve, dissolve, or disperse;' when,
on Feb 6, 177s, this dark cloud was
dlspelled by the proclamation of treaty with
France, signed by Benjamin Franklin, in which
that powerful nation guaranteed to the United
States their liberty, sovereignty and independ-
ence, absolute and unlimited" and the United
States guaranteed to France, among other things,
the present possessions of the crown of France
in America, as well as those which it may ac-
quire by future treaty of peace7 and it was
further stipulated that "in case of rupture be-
tween France and England the reciprocal guar
antee shall have full force and effect the mo
ment such war shall break out"
The possessions of France in America at this
date were the West India islands, and Granada
and Cayenne, on the main land and the guar
antee to France was forever" France faith
fully executed her agreement at q cost of $3.50
100000, and at the sacrifice of thousands of
lives of infinitely greater value than money, and
the independence of the United States was
achieved,
\ score of years had hardly passed before the
whole of monarchal 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, the negotiation
of treaties. the issuing Of proclamation, the
failure of the performance of the guar
anty contained in the treaty of alli-
ance with France are all familiar
France, indignant at what she regarded as a
breach of faith and gross ingratitude on the
part of the United States retaliated by the de
struction of thousands of our ship and the con
fiscation of their cargoes The claims o-day
under consideration are by American citizens
whose property was then destroyed. The jus
tce of these claims against France was urged by
the United States and admitted by France and
neither here nor there in the history of all the
negotiations was there ever a denial, but France
presented q counter-claim for national wrongs
inflicted upon her by the United States The
United States admitted the national wrongs and
seeing the perpetual guaranty to France in the
treaty of alliance might forever expose her to
such claims, anxious to be relieved from the
obligations of the treaty, negotiated TO that end.
The result of these negotiations was that