New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-01-07
FRENCH sPoLIATIoN CLAIMS.
ANOTnER LTFORT 10 BE MADE 10 HAVE THEN
ADJUDIGATED.
TBY TELEGRAPH To THE TRIBUNg.l

ADJUDIGATED.
TBY TELEGRAPH To THE TRIBUNEl
WASHINGTON, Jan. 6.-PreparatiOns are making
for another effort this winter to induce Congress TO
send the venerable French SpolIatiOn Claims " to
the Court of Claims for adjustment. Bills for that
purpose have been offered in both Houses by New
England Senators and Representatives. and their
friends seem to think there is good reason to hope
for favorable action The bilofered by SenatorFrye,
which is substantially like all others on the same
subject provides that citizens of the United States
their legal representatives, who had valid claims to
indemni upon the French Government on ac-
count of captures confscations, etc, prior to the
treaty of $500 between the United States and
France, and which were not allowed and paid under
subsequent treaties may bring suit for the amount
at any time within two years. The AttOney-Oene-
raj must defend such suits and the Secretary OF
State must procure and produce not only from ms
department, but also from the French archives, all
evidence and documents practicable relating 10
said olaims-such evidence and documents to be
open to the claimants as well as to the United
States.
HISTORY or THE CLAIMS.
The history of these claims is an interesting one.
To study the bare outlines of it will cause any one
to wonder why the claims have been allowed to re-
main unsettled for seventy years. OF course, all
the original claimants and most of their children
died long ago. but while claimants die, unsettled
claims against the Government neverpcrish. Sixty
eight years ago the claimants formed an association
and began concerted efforts TO obtain justice.
The heir of one of the claimants, james II.
Causten, became the agent of the association III
1915 and from that time to the day of his death III
1874 he was unremit ing in his efforts. Thirteen
years before he began his ife-wOrk the House OF
Representatives. by majority of thirty-nlne votes,
adopted a resolution that provision ought to be
made by law TO indemnify the claimants" f; three
years later, in 1906, a House committee reported
that the United States was bound TO indemnify
the claimants" Other reports of a like nature were
made in the ten years which interviewed before
Mr. Causten began his work. In 1871 he prepared
q sketch of the history of his efforts during the
preceding fifty-fve years. In THAI period the num-
Der of memorials on the files of Congress from the
original claimants and their heirs successors and
executors, swelled to more than 1000 and more
than forty favorable reports were made by commit
tees of the Senate and House.
TIE MATTER II CONGRESS.
One of the most elaborate was prepared by Henry
Clay, and another by Charles Sumner. Eighttmes
a bill for the relief of the claimants passed
the Senate and twice like measure passed the
House In 1916 the bill passed both branches Of
Congress and was vetoed By President Polk, on the
ground of expediency, the United States at that
time being at war with Mexico. That was Senate
bill and on the motion to pass it over the veto 1t
lacked only one vote of the two-thirds required.
I'm 1853 a House bill passed the Senate and was
killed by the veto of President Pierce. The veto
message, it has been asserted. was prepared
by Jefferson Davis. Not only has Congress thus
uniformly perseveTed IN acknowledging the justice
of the claims, but the Legislatures of the New
England States and of Ncw-lOrk, PENNSYLVANIA,
Ohio. Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, Alabama, Ar
kansas and Louisiana have repeatedly instructed
their Senators and requested their Representatives,
10 act in the same behalf.
ESTIMATED AMOUNT OF THE CLAIMS
The amount of the original claims has been va
riously estimated at from 81 200, 600 TO $1,000,
600. but so long a period has elapsed that it
is doubtful If the necessary legal proof can
be found TO establish claims amounting
to one-thrd of the smaller sum estimated.
II is thought that if the matter is sent to the Court
of Claims sufficient evidence Will he found to es-
tahsh the validity of about 700 claims. In ting
last Congress Senator Frye made an elaborate re-
port in favor Of their payment, and the bill would
probably have passed had it not been for the long
struggle over the taTlh bill.