Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-06-06

| verse report was made to the Senate, fol-
| lowed by the passage of a resolution de-
| clarng that the relief asked by the
] memorialiSts and petitioners ought not to
| be granted" In 1922 and again in 1924 ed-
verse committee reports on the subject
were made to the House, concluding with
similar resolutions.
The presumption against these claims
| arising from such unfavorable reports and
resolutions ard from the failure of Con-
| SO near the events upon which they are
| based, cannot be destroyed by the interest
| ed cry of injustice and neglect of the
rights of our citizens
Until 1916 these claims were from time to
| time pressed upon the attention Of Con-
gress with varying fortunes, but never with
| favorable legislative action. In that year,
however. 4 bill was passed for their as
certainment and satisfaction and So 600 900
We're appropriated for their payment. This
| bill was vetoed by President Polk, who de-
| equitable ground upon which this appro-
priation can rest" This veto was sus-
| tanned by the House of Representatives.
Nine years afterwards and in 1855, an
| other bill was passed similar to the one
last mentioned, and appropriating for the
| settlement of these claims like sum of
money. This bill was also vetoed, Presi-
| dent Pierce concluding a thorough discus
| sion of It's dement's with these words: I'm
view of what has been said there would
seem TO be no ground on which to raise a
liability of the United States unless it be
the assumption that the United States a re
| to be considered the insurer and the guar
antor of all claims Of whatever nature
| which any individual citizen may have
| against a foreign nation" This veto was
| also sustained by the House of Represen-
tatiVes.
| Probable Amount of the Claim
| I think it will be found that in all bills
| proposed for the payment of these claims
fO ha taS hot
| pose did not exceed $500o,1o0. 1t is now
| estimated that those already passed upon,
| with those still pending for examination in
! the Court of Claims, may amount to S25-
| hneo. This indicates either that the
| actual sufferers or those nearer to them
| i'll time and blood than the present claim
ants underessimated their losses, shat
| there has been a great development in
| the manner of their presentation.
| NotWithst tanding persistent efforts to Sc
cure payment from the government and the
importantly OF those interested, no ap-
preparation has ever been made for that
| purpose except little more than $1,3oO, 0no
which was placed In the general deficiency
| bill i'll the very last hours of the session
| of Congress on March 3, 1891.
In the long list of beneficiaries who are
provided for in the bill now before me- on
account of these claims one hundred and
| hfty-two represent the owners of ships
and their cargoes and one hundred ard
elshtF-siN those who lost as insurers cs
such vessels or cargOeS.
THESE insurers. by the terms Of then
| policies. undertook ard agreed ito bear
| ana take upon themselves all risks and
| perilS of the seas, nlen-of-War fire enc
| MES, rovers, thieves, jettison letters Of
| mart and countermart, sur ,risals, takirgs a
| sea, arrests, restraints and detain nments OF
all kings, princes or people, of what nation
| condition or equality whatsoever"
| The premiums re :eiyed on these policies
were large, and the losses Were precisely
those within the contemplation of the in
c" ix- all
| OF Insurance is eutered upon with the ex-
| rectation that the premiums received will
| pay ala losses and yield profit to the In
| suranCe company in addition; and yet,
without any showing that the business did
not result n a profit to these insurance
| claimants, it is proposed that the govern
| ment shall indemnify them against the
precise risks which they undertook not
withStand.rg the fact that the money ap-
| propriated is not to he paid except by
way Of gratuity-payments as of grace
and not of right"
The appropriations to indemnify against
| insurance losses rest upon weaker grounds
| it seems to me, than those CT owners; bu:
| in the light of all the facts and circum
| stances surrounding these spolia ton claims,
! as they are called, none of them, in my
| opinion, should be paid by the government.
The Chouteau Claim.
| Another item In this bill which seems to
me especially Objectionable is an appropria-
! ton in favor of Charles 2. Chouteau, sur
vivor, etc, of STA 445.75 in full satisfaction
| of all claims arising out of the construction
| of the ironclad steam battery Elijah.
The contract for the construction of this
| battery was made by the government with
| Charles W. McCord during the war, and he
was to be paid therefor the sum of $5S6,ooo.
| He was paid this sum, and S2l0,]31 for eX
tras, and in May. 1885, gave his receipt in
fun. The assignee of McCorl In bar X
ruptcy assigned to Cbouteau and his aSso-
ciates in 1868 all claims of McCori against
| the United States for the precise extras for
which he had receipted in full two years
before. Chouteau brought suit in the Court
| of Claims for such extras ami was defeat
| ed. l cannot gather from the facts l have
| been able to collect concerning this appro-
prIatlen that 1t is justified on any ground.
In 1891 my immediate predecessor vetoed
| bin allowing the matter to be examined
again by the Court of Claims.
If the additional payment proposed in
| this bill was made, the cost of .he battery
| In question would be almost double that of
| the contract price.
l have determined to submit this incom-
| plete presentation of my objections to this
| bill al once in order that the Congress may
| act thereon without embarrassment or the
interruption of plans for an early adjourn
| msnt. GROVER ('I,EVE.I A ND
| Executive Mansion, June 6, 1896.
New Bill Prepared.
Chairman Cannon OF the House commit
| tee on appropriations has a deficiency bill
~ iepoieu' Will 'He ciaiiiiS oDJecteu 10 Dy
the President eliminated. AS soon as the
| veto of the deficiency bill is sustained,
"hlch ne antlcipat tes, he will Immediately
move the consideration of the new bill. 1t
| is believed the new bill can pass im1nedi-
ately.
Senator Hale, who will have charge of
| the deficiency bill on behalf OF the Senate
| committee on appropriations, said today
the new bill would probably be accepted
! by the Senate as passed by the House, and
| that IT the bill came to the Senate with the
French spoliation claims ana the claims
uEderN the Bowman act eliminated lie
| thought there would be effort in COM
mtttee to reir.sert them. He also expressed
| the opinion that the committee would take
|, a position against the amendment of the
T bill in my way in the Senate.
| FESTIVITIES AT BUDA PESTH.
Splendid Weather Attends TOday's