The Portland daily press., 1899-03-14
FRENCH sPoLlATIoN CLAIMS.
A Second InstalIment Ready TO be Paid
on a Century Old Debt.

Oh Olu Dtbts
Washington, March 1.-The item of
81, ,043,ll7 for the payment of the French
spoilation claims carried In the omnibus
Claims act, is the second instaIlment
toward the. liquidation of Que of the Oldest
debts OF the United States. The first pay
ment, amounting to 81, ,sOi o95. was made
in 1891.
The French spoliation claims arose
through the refusal OF the United States
to observe the terms Of a treaty of 171e,
negotiated by Franklin, by which France
agreed to furnish money and troops to
aid us in carrying on the War Of Iniepen-
deuce The United States on their psrt
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 $50, ,000,0 ,0o0 and thousands
OF lives to fulfill her share of the treaty,
and that aid, coming at the most critical
period Of this Revolution. enabled the
Americans to prosecute the war with the
success that ended In the recognition by
England of their independence after the
surrender at Yorktown. Five years after
this treaty was signed war broke out be-
tween the French republic and Great
Britain, and, the United States not being
In position to aid France actively,
President Washington issued his famous
proclamation of neutrality. The people
of France, appreciating the straitened
condition of the Federal Treasury at the
time, did not take offence at that course;
but when, after many Of the French in
sui lar possessions in America had fallen
Into the hands OF the English, the Wash
ington Government entered into COM
mercial treaty with Great Britain, the
indignation of the French broke forth.
They pronounced the treaty violation OF
existing engagements with Fran ce and
the Americans were denounced as ingrates.
In a spirit of retaliation edicts were is
sued by Fra ice authori zing her cruisers
and privateers, upon flimsy pretexts, TO
prey on American com merce. The result
was that S9s vessels fell into their hands
and the two nations were brought to the
brink of war; so near. in fact. were ac-
tual hostilitiss that ne of the arguments
used against the payment Of these claims
was that state OF war actually did exist.
All diplomatic and commercial inter
course betwesn the two countries was sus-
psnded. Cong ress was called to take
measures for offence and defence; troops
were raised and the merican Navy was
authorized to capture all the French yes
sells which had committed depredations or
we've found hoveIing on the coast of the
United States for the purpose of commit
ting depredations on American commerce.
The Commissioners sent to France to
obtain redress were met with counter
claim for losses suffered by France
through the breach of faith in treaty obli-
cations on the part OF the United States.
The justness of this claim WAS in a
measure recognized by the Amer rican
Government, for the Commissioners
were empowered to offer in reparation
$780, 900 for each year the war continued.
France rejected the of1er. Finally, in
l800 the convention was concluded which
provided for the relinquishment by the
United States of all claims again st
France of the United States from all obli-
cations regarding French possessions in
America and from the promise to aid her
in their wars. Coming on the top of the
advice in Washington's Farewell Address
to avoid entangling alliances with foreign
nations, this agreement marked the be-
ginnirg of the policy in that direction
pursued, Under that convention the
United States agreed TO pay the spoliation
claims of their citizens No action 10
carry out this pledge was taken until
1855, when the claims were referred TO the
Court of Claims for adjudication. The
legislation had then dragged along for
nearly eighty five years and 1t was not
until six years more had elapsed that the
claimants received any payment whatever.
Favorable reports on bills for their pay
mept were made by hfty committees Of
almost as many Congresses, the first be-
ing In 1902. Some OF these reports we're
made by Edward Everett, Edward Liv-
ingston. lDaniel Webster, Caleb Cushing
and Charles Sumner. The last named
said in 1870 that 1.-THE welfare of the pub
lie req uires that there should be an end
Of suits, lest while men are mortal these
should be immortal. The bills on SOW
eral occasions passed one house or the
other aud on three occasions passed both.
only to meet vetoes by Presidents Polk,
Pierce and lastly Cleveland. The claims
originally aggregated about $50. 600, 600,
but SO strict has been their adjudication
by the Court of Claims that only Ss,347,-
2l2 have been certified to Congress. Many
claims were rejected which. although
meritorious, were not sustained by sum
oient documentary proof, and the proviso
that awards should be made only to the
de scendants of original claimants or their
administrators has held up claims aggre-
eating about 90, ,o0o,00 which are still
pending.