The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-03-12
FAExcn sPoLrAr1ox cIArna
A Second Installment Ready TO he Paid OF
n Century Old Debt.

wv ONbr
WAsHfNoToS. March 1.-THE item OF 81.
O43.117 for tho payment OF the French spolia-
ton claims, carried in the Omnibus Claims
act. ts the second installment toward the liqui-
dation Of one Of the Oldest debts OF the United
States. The first payment. amounting to ST.
3O4.Oe5. was made IN 1891.
Tn French spoliation claims arose through
the refnsal OF the United States 10 observe the
ierms OF a treaty Of ITS. negotiated BY Frank
lin, by which France agreed to furnish money
and troops to aid US in carrying on the War
oil Independence. The United States on their
part guaranteed TO France her possessions in
America. together with certain privileges for
French armed vessels In American ports and
conveys for French commerce. 1t cost France
S~2oO.OOO.OOO and thousands Of lives to fuIhll
her share OF the treaty. and that aid. coming at
the most critical period OF the Revolution, en-
abled the Americans TO prosecute the war
with the success that ended In the recognition
by England Of their Independence after The sur
render at Yorktown. Five years after this
treaty was signed war broke out between the
French republic and Great Britain. and. the
United States not being in a position to aid
France actively. President Washington Issued
bis famous proclamation OF neutrality. The
people OF France. aprreclating the strsitened
condition of the Federal Treasury at the time.
after many o. the French insular possessiops
IN America had fallen into the hands OF the
into a commercial treaty with Great Britain.
The INDIGNATION OF, the French. broke forth.
Ih me- pronounce the treaty a violation Of ex-
leans were denounced as ~inRrates. In q spirit
Of retaliation edicts were Issued by France au-
merce: The result was that s5s vessels feil
brought to the brink Of war: 90 near. IN Tiseete'
We're actual hostilities that one OF tie argu-
claims was that a state OF war acT' y nd eSs
course between the two G9untr as sus-
pended; Congress was called to take mea-
raised and the American Navy was authorized
coast d the United statss for aot he pur po .e of
committing depredations on American COM
The Commissioners sent to France to OBJ
for orr LOSSES 6sSssSs suffered Mere m by T FTnne q c fSro1rb sld tba
part Of the United States. The j]Istness' Of this
American Government for the Commissioner
were empowered to offer In reparation 5000
rejected the offer. Finally, in 1905. the CEN
y yeTi was concluded which preyided for the
claims against Francs for ISOLATION and tbe
release BY France OF the United States from
all o6ligations reeardinR French possessions
Nashlngton'S Farewell Address to avoid en-
tanglinG alliances with foreign nations. this
agreement. marked the beginning OF the pol
icy in that direction still pursued. Under that
convention the United States agreed 70 pay the
spoliation claims Of their citizens. No. action
to carry out this pledge was taken until 1885,
when the claims were referred to the Court Of
Claims. for adjudication. The legislation had
then dragged along for nearly eiRhty-hvA
years. and 1t was not until six years more had |
elapsed that the claimants received any pay
lnent whatever. Favorable reports on bills
for their payment were made BY fifty commit
tees OF almost as many Congresses. the first |
bet1g in lsO2 Some Of these reports were
Daniel Webster. Caleb Gushing and Charles
the welfare. OF the republic requires that
there should be I'M end 81 suits. lest while men |
are mortal these should be immortal" The !
bills on several occasions passed one house or
the other and on three occasions passed both. |
only to meet vetoes, by Presidents Polk. Pierce
and lastly Cleveland; The claims originally az |
greRated about S~20.000.000, but SO strict has
been their Adjudication by the Court Of Claims
that only S2,347.212 have been certified to
Congress. Many claims were rejected which.
although meretorious. were not sustained by
sufficient Documentary proof. and the proviso
that awards should be made only 70, the de-
srendants of original claimants or their adj
ministrators has held up claims aReregating |
about S6.oOo.o00 which are still pending.