Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-04-30
CLAIMANTS AND THEIR CLAIMS.
Interesting Stories Hidden In the Archives of
the Government.

AN AMERICAN pIsrossEssED OF mrs LANDS By ESe-
LAND IN NEW zEAIASD-HIs UNSUCCESSFUL
PROSECUTION OF HIS CLAIM FROM YOUTH TO
OLD ACE.
There are many claims before Congress
about which the public hear nothing. or hear
ing, do not pay any attention to. which are
full Of romance from their origin and their
long drawn on; prosecution. Every one&nows
that il is very unfortunate thing to be a
claimant and that claimants before Congress
generally drag out = miserable existence OF
great length and terrible privation, haunting
the Legislative halle, living the bounty Of
their friends Or the sympathy of strangers,
sta ting out with renewed hope every morn
ing for ten, twenty or forty years aud return
ing each night weary and respondent TO
bed that grows harder aud thinner month by
month and year by year, and that he finally
passes away, leaving the claim as a legacy Of
misfortune dragging on the neck Of the next
of kin.
This, briefly, is the traditional story Of the
traditional claimant Bat the public can
hardly appreciate how many such claimants are
now fretting out their lives have settled
aown IN the philosophy of patience TO the en-
loyment of an exciting race between hope and
despair around the courses of their neryea
THE ARCHIVES OF CONGRESS
arc full of records in dry official form Of ro-
mances in real life which would Guido imagi-
nations finest lights. The history of the claim
ants themselves. apart from their claims lis often
iuil OF strange adventure, with passages Of
love, chapters of intrigue and pathetic and
touching periods. Many ambitious Thoughts.
MANY fond desires. have been postponed, until
pcstponement became a habit, to that time
when this claim ID settled
Some OF the older claims have themselves
grown out of adventures and are enye!oped in
cloud of romance.
AN INTERESTING DIPLOMATIC CLAIM
There Is now before Congress for considera-
ton claim which may rival the '.Bassett
claim" or the claim OF Wm. McGarrahan. IL is
not claim against this government but a
claim upon II for protection against the injus-
tice OF a foreign government 10 an American,
and 1t belongs not 10 legislation. but to dplo-
macy. Its antiquity gives II an interest, and
as 1t Is a claim against Great Britain whieh
exemplihes the peculiar manner IN which the
British lion maintains his character as a beast
OF Prey preference to the case may be apropos
and instructive at this time.
1he case dates back 10 1870. when England
took sovereign possession of New Zealand. For
more than fifty years IT has remained unsettled
| 70 annoy the claimant who sill lives. aud il
has been the subject OF correspondence be-
tween this country and Great Britain directly
| and indirectly since 1858. Among the attor-
| neys employed in the case was Reverdy John
| son, and the official correspondence between
| this country and Great Britain on the subject
| was begun by Edward Everett in ls43. then
| minister to England, and has been continued
up to the present time.
IN NEW ZEALAND
This claim grows ont of an adventure full OF
romance. Mr.. Webster went to New Zealand
/ while very young man to make his fortune.
| AT that time New Zealand was inhabited chiefly
| oy cannlbals. and, except as TO a verv limited
| portion, was not place sought by traders or
\ men who had commercial enterprise. But
| young Webster quickly won the friendship OF
| the savage chiefs, learned to speak their lam
guage and, being supplied with a considerable
| capital he invested IA lands, selected for their
| advantageous location, Dy the expenditure OF
some $4,000 in money and merchandise dur.
| Ing the course OF four or nve years, and go,
deeds from the native chiefs for some 100000
| acres OF land. He established large ing
stations for the sale of merchandise, and began
| trade In timber, ship building. and also estab-
ished shipyards for the building of whaling
vessels, laying the foundation for an immense
Fortune. The natives, whose disposition TO.
ward white men generally was to eat them
took fancy for him in different way and be
succeeded in establishing sort OF civilization
which afterward opened the country to more
general civilization.
WHEN ENGLAND TOOK POSSESSION.
His enterprises were successful until 1910
when the British took possession Of New Zea
land. proclaming sovereignty over the domain
and disputing the right of transfer of propert,
except by the approval of her majesty's gov
eminent. In ls40 Capt Hobson OF the British
| navy was proclaimed lieutenant governor of the
British settlement in progress ia New Zealand
| ana proclaimed the extension of the former
boundaries OF New South Wales SO as to brinf
that which had been acquired or might be &C
CURED under the sovereignty of Great Britain
aud ON the same day issued another proclama
ton to the effect that her maiesty's govern
| ment did not deem j; expedient TO recognize al
valid any title TO land IN New Zealand which
was not derived from or confirmed by he
majesty. The british government disclaimet
any intention of dispossessiny owners of LAM
acquired on equitable conditions and not il
extent or otherwise prejudicial 10 the prospect
I've interests OF the community. and it was pro
vlded that persons claiming titles to laa,
should present their claims before the British
II commission.
DIsPossEssED OF HIS LAND.
Mr.. Webster. as an American citizen, insiste,
that he could not be disturbed in rights &C
CURED before the British government declare,
her sovereignty over the land HIS first pro
test was to the American consul, who commu
nicated with the United States government
and afterward submitted tho claims to til
British commissions established from time 4
time. His title TO some 1900 acres of Lam
was confirmed. but confirmation of the res
was refused because of its extent and he wa
dispossessed of all but the 1900 acres vhicl
was conveyed by him to his creditors Hi
foI tune crumbled away before this action O
the British government, and he was for a tim
confined in the debtors prison.
PRESSING HIS CLAIM
He was afterward released and spent som,