The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-06-06


;itizens who have suffered. OF course
he orisinel claims have for years been
zeyond the reach ofFreiief; bnt as their
descendants IN each generation become
acy, Importantly and accusation corr
sespondingly increases. II Injustice has
Been done in the refaSsal OF these claims,
t began cary IN the present century
n public life more eonversant than we
can be, with the facts involved. and
whose honesty and sense of right ought
70 be secure from suspicion.
AS early as 1902 committee OF the
House of Representative reported the
Sacts connected with tl1esa claims but
apparently without Recommendation No
4ction was taken on the report. In
ought to be paid was negatived by a
vote Of the same body. Favorable com
1llttee report was made in 18g7,s but Vt
seems that no legislative action re-
made to the Senate, followed by the pas
sage of a resolution declaring THAT
sfle reisef asked by the mefnorialsts and
yetlt.oners ought not to be granted" :"
nittse reports on the subject were made
70 the House concluding with similar
The presumption against fnesc csafsr,s
arising from such unfaVorable reper IS
ana resolutions ana from the failure Of
Congress 70 provide for them payment al
at time 50 near the events upon which
saey are based cannot be destroyed by the
Interested cry of injustice ard neglect of
the rights of our citizens
Until 1913 these claims We're from time
70 lime pressed upon the attention of Com
gress with varying fortunes, but never
with favorable legislative action In that
year, however. a bill was passed for their
dscertainment and satisfaction and five
millions of dollars were appropriated for
their payment. This bill was vetoed by
PRESIDENT Polk. who declared that he
ground upon which tYsa appropriation can
rest" This veto w b Sustained BY the
House Of Representa- assges.
Slne years afterwards and in 1855 an
other bill was passed similar to the one
asst mentioned, and appropria1ing for the
settlement Of these claims a like sum
II money. This bill was also vetoed
President Pierce concluding thorough
q scnssion Of its deinerits with these
In view Of what has been said there
would seem to be no ground on which
10 raise a liability Of the United States
iiiieSs II be the assumption that the Unit
ga states are to be considered the in
Whatever nature which any individual
citizen may have against foreign ma
ZION, This veto was also sustained by
the House of Representatives
think it will be found that in all
bills proposed for the payment of these
claims, the sum to ha appropriated for
Shat purpose did not exceed five millions
SH dollars. 1t is now estimated that those
already passed upon with those still pend
ny lot examination in the Court of
Slaiiiis, may amount to twenty-five mill
IONS of dollars. This Indicates either that
the actual sufferers or those nearer to
1hem IN time and blood than the present
claimants, underestinlated their losses OF.
IN the noan,,a1. of % eioplaeht
N1rh4,,it ellSlr presentation
sec1sre no e., pssas tent eTorts to
fba y t,,sil RON she government and
eNe eNe Ailpoftuhity or those interested no
th2ptopriatlon ahlt ~ mas ever been made for
= rs 300 do 30 pose eacepl little more than
g,oI gs,oT0 ~ ~; whlen vas placed in the gem
sea1 " .,.l uslelency Dill in the very last hours
leo, 20 ene sessloh OF Congress on March 3,
Sogl,
,l.s1 ~ lle teiFs INST OF beneficiaTies who are
cei,nt f ior n lne PHI now before US on
ft1NtIo - elaese ciainls, one hundred and
als} ! III hei,, repressnt e me owners of ships
etghtv-sjx fi,r,Sas q,1S5 oHe nulidfed ana
such vessels M 8 insurers OF
These Insurers ~ fl9s.e ts,,,, ,e
cies undertook and arrsed ssf1 f,ea, psri5
uHlSe ugs3n t3ernse ii al ss4is
oI tiie seas. msfs~of- var fire. ere,'3ies -
Ioxsers, thieves. jettison. letters of mari
ss.ru s couHler-n1art, surprisals, takings af
a,.Iisses, ,ri., restraints and detainments
ion eondftiogn gliaess o, @ oe people OF what ma
yera .,, recelyed on these policies
fhasa 1rft,ira aiia the losses We're precisely
irslIrsrs tale 1l co1nlle;,a3lafion Of the
businass of i,1s,,ra, 81 =; knoWn that the
the eScenfan fhs1 f5,a . enlsEeo upon with
win paw ali losses ss3d pisiaLii.as ,5ad recslved
The insurance in sfldi1ion and vi pn4.ls le
and showing that the hi1sinass' IA wts4oat '
suit in profit 10 these irs11rog., NJ 'tos ~, M ie
ants it is proposed that If1e s.nlerr,,s,aT
shall indemnify them against tba ~ nra.
else risks they undertooH nofwithstannd- ~
ing the fact that the mone5 appropl'ia ted
IS not to be paid except .fby way of
ratuity-payments as of grace and not
OF right.
The appropriations to indemnify against
insurance losses rest upon weal,ar
grounds, it seems to me fban thosa Of
owners but in the light If ali the faots
and cireun,stannes s,,s.o,,y7i,,a +bso s,s
lation clairns &C tt,a15 a,.a ,,,ns SaSoe spo-
of +ten, IN nv o,,;,3s Sai,ee' Hons
~ Az esox--,.....s - s opiii.oi, sHoulu pc pald
b;,, e1,T ir.eAl Aholher item IN this
pll l Wnlcn seems to me especially objec-
liohao4e e IS an appropriation in favor Of
Charles 2. Chouteau, survivor, etc.. of
four hundred and forty-ive dollars and
III cents IN full satisfaction of
of HE ron ciad % a. - ene construction
The contract fo,s +be cnns+r,,.tia,,
this battery was made by the govern
ment with Charles w McCor5 5,,r:ner +ta