The daily critic., 1890-07-11
A NATIONAL SHAME
WHY WILL NOT CONGRESS PAY THE
FRENCH SP0LIATION CLAIMS?
The Hiftory Presents shameful
Record OF National tniustice" rhe
Country is Wen ABLE to pay
Its Just Debts.

EW'5, tgsrg In he p1Rq54Dtiq p.r,ya.
The House Committee on Claims has
again reported in favor of an appropri.
alton for the French Spoliation Claims
The history Of these claims presents a
shameful record Of national Injustice
They had their origin in the troubles
with France prior to 1900 BY the
terms Of the treaty made with Bona
parte In that year the United States
abandoned the claims as against France
for a valuable equivalent, and assumed
their payment In spite, however. of
the most prOiracted and persistent ef.
forts on the part OF the claimants, not
one cent has ever been obtained from
Congress.
Bills for an appropriation. have been
fayorably reported by committees of the
House and the Senate, representing all
sh AIDES OF political opinion, over and
over again; but somehow. no one OF
these bills ever went through. At
length, in 1885, the question was re
ferred 10 the Court Of Claims. Testi
mOny was gathered at great expense
from all parts Of the world. There was
a full argument, in which the Govern.
ment was represented by the Solicitor.
General and other counsel, and, in 1887.
a decision was rendered by the court
and certified to Congress that the claims
were just, and ought to be paid
To the ordinary mind this ruling is
conclusive, and leaves nothing for Con
press to do but 10 make the necessary
appropriation. The Congressional
mind does not, however, appear TO view
the matter in this light. Through one
pretense or another the approximation
has been put of from session TO session.
until the unfortunate claimants are no
doubt beginning 10 wish that they had
never been beguiled by the delusive
hope Of fair treatment to 60 into court
and incur the heavy expenses Of proving
their rights.
The country was never better able to
meet its just debts than It Is to-day.
There Is no room for doubt that these
claims are Just debts. The sooner they
shall be paid the better III the French
Sroliaton Claims had been a debt due
to citizens OF any other country they
would have been paid long ago; but.
unfortunately for those Interested, they
they arc of our own household, and so
they are being continually put aside.
Why should not that stalwart limb of
the old Democracy, Hon. Richard
NauX, turn his attention TO them aud
add 10 the many obligations which the
public already owes him by assisting 10
secure The long delayed payment of an
old and honest debt2 Instead Of lissi
paiing the surplus In the interest OF ,ho
lobby why not hand Il over 10 public
creditors who have waited over eighty
years for their money
Csogs w. CARds iH Ns Plitdaelptl1 Leigsr.
Those who advocate justice ia the
matter OF the French Spoliation Claims
arc again cndcavoring 10 obtain an ap
propriation, before Congress adjourns.
to pay the claims already adiudicated
by the Court. IL Is earnestly hoped !
that they will succeed, and that long. |
standing wrong will thus, at length. be |
righted. These claims date back TO the
early part Of the century. In 1888 Con
gTess referred them to the Court Of |
Claims for adjudication. Evidence was
obtained al great expense TO the Gov.
ernment and the claimants. from
France, England, the West Indies and |
other parts Of the world. and the matter |
was argued at length before the Court. |
Three years ago the Court filed elab. |
orate and unanimous opinions, report |
ing favorably to the claimants, ana
these were certified 10 Congress. The |
Committee on Claims. In both the Sen. |
ate and House, are Of opinion that jus |
tice demands that an appropriation |
should be promptly made About |
81, lOO,OO Is needed 10 pay such of the
claims as the court has already an /
proved. These claims are In n0wise
partisan or political matters, and for /
that reason they have lately been pushed /
aside As there can be no doubt how /
ever, In regard to their Justice, Il Is a
scandal and repToach TO the nation that
their payment should be further de-
Iayed