Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-06-13
A BIT OF INTERESTING HISTORY

Mr. Everett, in the North American
Review" gives Il very concise statement Of
the bill relating to the French spoliation
claims. Congress, at its last session, passed
a bill to ascertain the claims CT American
citizens for spoIiations committed by the
French prior to July 81, 1901. The effort
to procure the settlement Of these claims
has continued for over eighty years. by
treaties with France in 1779 we received
material aid from her. We guaranteed
the safety of her possessions in America,
and agreed that her privateers with their
prizes might enter and leave our ports, and
to close our ports against ships of war of
powers in conflict with France, except
when driven in by stress of weather, and
not to permit them to victual in our ports.
In 1898 war broke out between France and
England. We resolved to remain neutral.
We had no treaty of intercourse with Eng
land, and the latter protested against the
privileges we afforded French privateers,
as contrary to the law Of nations. We
thereupon notified France to cease ayailing
herself of these privileges. France declined
to do so, and continued TO fit out IN our
ports, and to bring in and condemn prizes,
whereupon England sent gunboats to our
coast, and occasionally condemned prizes
within our jurisdiction. Food and ships
stores were contraband by international
law. and could be seized even i'll neutral
ships clearing from hostileports. But they
were not contraband under the treaty, and
hence English supplies in American ships
were not seizable by the French. France
complained of this distinction, and issued
secret orders to her navy to seize our SHIPS
and cargoes and to bring them to French
ports as prizes of war. Our ship-ownerS
protested, and we demanded RECESSION OF the
orders and compensation for the property
DESTROYED. France paid no heed to this,
holding that we had broken our treaty
agreement by a convention of neutrality,
concluded shortly before with England.
Congress then authorized our ship-masters
to resist search and seizure, and ordered
American cruisers to seize offending French
armed ships, recapture American vessels,
and to prohibit French ships from entering
American waters. We also annulled all
treaties between France and America. The
injury resulting brought on negotiations
for adjustment, and a provisional treaty OF
peace was negotiated about 1900. The
United States declined to assent to the pro-
vision for further negotiations for adjusting
indemnities mutually claimed, and limited
the convention to eight years. A mu-
tual abandonment of claims was then
agreed to, and the amended treaty
was ratified July, 1901. The understand
ing was that for the release Of the claims
of France for our violation of the old
treaties, we assumed payment of the
claims of our citizens against France for
losses. For years thereafter Congress was
importuned to ascertain and pay these
claims, and several bills were introduced
for that purpose, and two passed Congress,
but did not receive the Presidents sigma
ture. The opposition to the claims was
based on the plea that the conduct of both
parties constituted state of war, and
therefore no indemnity could be paid.
Webster estimated the claims at $50, 000,-
600. In 1850 the thirteen original States
petitioned Congress to make payment, and
a bill passed in 1856, but was vetoed by