Morning journal and courier., 1885-01-17
THE BILL.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House o1
 Representatives of the United States ot l America i'll Congress assembled: That such
 citizens of the United States. or their legal representatives, as had valid claims to in | dennity upon the French government aris- 1 ing out of illegal captures, detentions, seiz- ures, condemnatlons and conhscations prior | to the ratification of the convention between | the United States and the French republic,
 concluded the 30th day of September, l 1900, the notifications of which were exchan- ged on the 31st day of July following, may Claims within two years from the passage of this act, as hereinafter
 provided; provided that the provisions of this act shall not extend to such claims were embraced in the convention between the United States and French Re-
 public concluded on the 30th day of April
 1903; nor to such claims growing out of the
 acts of-France as were allowed and paid, in
 whole or in part, under the provisions of the treaty between the United States and Spain
 concluded on the 22d day of February, 1879;
 nor to such claims as were allowed, in whole
 or in part, under the provisions of the treaty
 between the United States and France con
 cluded on the 4th day of July, 1881.
 Sec. 2. That the court is hereby author.
 iZed to make all needful rules and repula-
 tions, not contravening the laws of the land or the provisions of this act for executing the provisions hereof.
 Sec 3. That the court shall examine and determine the validity and amount of all the cl aims included within the description above mentioned, together with their present owner ship and, if by assignee, the date of the as- signment, with the consideration paid there for, provided that in the course of their proceedings they shall receive all suitable testimony cn oath affirmation and all other proper evidence, historic and docu- mentary, concerning the same; and they shall decide upon the validity of such claims ac- cording to the rules of law, municipal and international, and the treaties of the United States applicable to the same, and shall re- port all such conclusions of fact and law as in their judgment may affect the liability of the United States therefor.
 Sec A. That the court shall cause notice of all petitions presented under this act to be served on the adjutant general of the United States, who shall be authorized, by himself or his assistant, to examine witnesses, to cause testimony to be taken, to have access to all testimony taken under this act and to be heard by the court. He shall resist all claims presented under this act by all proper defenses
 Sec. ,. That it shall be the duty of the Secretary of State to procure as soon as pos sible after the passage of the act, through | the American minister at Paris or otherwise, all such evidence and documents relating to | the claims above mentioned as can be ob- | tained from abroad, which, together with the ike evidence and documents on file in the | department of State, or which may be filed n the department, may be used before the court by claimants interested therein, or by he United States, but the same shall not be emoved from the files of the court; and af- ar the hearings are closed the record Of the of the court and the documents ,roduced before them shall be deposited in he department of State.
 Sec. 6. That on the first Monday in De- ember in each year the court shall report to congress for final action the facts found by