The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-06-07

WASHINGTON, June 6.-In his mes
sage accompanying the veto of the
general deficiency bill, President
Cleveland said, in defending the eXer-
else of the veto power:
"The unpleasant incidents which &C
avoidance if such a course did not in
volve an abandonment of constitution
al duty and assent to legislation for
which the executive is not willing to
share the responsibility"
He continues. This bill is in many
of its features far removed from
legitimate deficiency bill and it con-
tains a number of appropriations
which seem to be exceedingly question
able. Without noticing in detail many
of these items, I shall refer to two
of them, which, in my judgment, JUS
| tify my action in the premises.
ONE OF THEM.
'taThe bill appropriates s1,O27,314.0s
for a partial payment upon claims
which originated in the depredations
upon our commerce by French cruis-
! ers and vessels during the closing
! wears of the last century. They have
! been quite familiar to those having
! congressional experience, as they nave
! been pressed for recognition and pay
ment with occasional intervals OF re-
: pose. for nearly one hundred years.
Those claims are based upon the allie
cations that France. being at war with
England. seized and condemned many
American vessels and cargoes in vlo-
lation of the rules of international
law and treaty provisions, and con-
trary to the duty she owed to our coun-
try as a neutral power and to our cltl-
zens; that by reason of these acts
claims arose for such OF our cltlzens
as were Unidentified.
AGAINST THE FRENCH NATION,
which claims our government attempt
ed to enforce and that in concluding
treaty with France il the year 1900
these claims were abandoned or rel1n-
ouished i'll consideration of the relln-
quishment of certain claims which
France charged against Us. Upon
these statements it is insisted by those
interested that we, as nation, nave
reaped a benefit in our escape from
these French demands against us.
through the abatement of claims OF
our citizens against France. the gov
eminent being equally bound between
itself and its citizens to pay the
claims thus relinquished.
ct do not understand it to be assert
ed that there exists any legal liability
against the government on account OF
its relation to these claims. At the
tern, of the supreme court just nm
ished the chief justice, in an opinion
concerning them and the acton OF
congress in appropriating TOT tnelr
navment said: We think that the pay
de
were purposely brought within the
category of payments by way of graf
uitv-payment of grace and not or
right L,.
of the efforts to secure payment O.
the Gains, tracing it from 1902, Whe1
the first bill was introduced. He says
"IJntil 1886 these claims were iron
time to time pressed upon the atten
ton of congress with varying fortune
but
NEVER WITH FAVORABLE Ac
TON.
In that wear however, a bill wa
passed for their ascertainment ant
satisfaction, and s5000,090 were ap
propriated for their payment. Thi
bill was vetoed by President Polk, VIII
declared that he could perceive n
a.
this appropriation can rest This vot
was sustained by the house of repre-
sentatives.
MANY years afterwards In 1855.
bill was passed similar to the one las
mentioned and appropriating for tha7
claims a like sum of money. This b1
was also vetoed President Pierce con
Guiding after thorough discussion @
it's dement's with these words i
view of what has been said there woul
seem to be no ground on which to has
liability of the United States uDles
, it be the assumption that the Unite
States are to be considered securer an
: the guaranteer of American claims c
! whatever nature its individual citizen
q may have against foreign nation
( This veto was also sustained in tn
: house of representatives. I think
e will be found that in all bills propose
t for the payment of these claims, tn
, sum to be appropriated for that pun
= pose did not
3 EXCEED FIVE MILLION DOLLARS
e 1t is now estimated that those a.
ready passed upon, with those sti
pending for examination in the coul
of claims may amount to $25, 900 90
This indicates either that the actu;
sufferers or those nearer to them
time and blood than the present CLAIM
ants underestimated their losses,
e that there has been great develol
ment in the manner of their presents
n ton.
n I'm the long lists of beneficiaries WI
e were provided for in the bill now b.
g fore me- on account OF these claims, L
II represent the owners of the ships ar
e their cargoes, 1856 are those who To-
as insurers of such vessels or cargoe
O Premiums secured on these polici,
/ were large and the losses were precise
e those within the contemplation of IL
n insurers. Appropriations to indemni1
against insurance losses rest upc
:, weaker grounds. it seems to me. ths
!, those owners. But in the light of q