Evening star., 1925-04-26
France Can Pay Her Debt
To America, Says Borah

| 20, 1882. Preliminary articles Of
peace were signed November sc, 1882;
the definite treaty of Paris was signed
September 3, 1888. Fourteen days
thereafter, to wit, on September IT,
, 1888. the French government ad-
lressed a letter TO the President of the
American Congress in which, among
other things, Congress was asked to
infrrm the French government of
what measures We're being taken to
complete the adjustment of the
French loan. Again on April 9. 1884
the French government addressed
letter to the President of Congress
which reads as follows:
Luzerne to the President of Congress,
Annapolis. April 8. 1884
Sir: ] have the honor to COM
municate TO your Excellency an extract
from letter which | received from
Count de Nergennes, dated the oath
OF December last.
Il received orders at the same
| time TO inform his Majesty's Minister
of the measures which have been
taken by the United States relative to
the payment of portions of the prin
cipal and Of the interest of the sums
which have been loaned them by the
KING. L make mention. sir, of por-
tlons of the capital because, by the
terms of the contract of the 18th of
July, 1882, the reimbursement of the
frst loan of eight millions is to begin
three years after the peace, and it
Is eXpedient to take seasorable meas
ures with regard to this subject
Il am also to inform my Court of
the arrangements which have been
made Tor the payment of interest on
the loan OF five millions of florins
maze In Holland the 5th of Novem-
Der, 1881, and for which His Majesty
became guarantee. l know the eff
forts Of Congress to effect the dis.
charge of the public debt. and their
Wlsn 70 fulfill their engagement and
L consider it superfiuous to recall TO
your Excellency all the motives which
comolne TO induce the United States
10 fulnll faithfully those which they
nave contracted with the King. I
connne myself to desiring YOU to en-
able me to dissipate the uneasiness
winch may have been excited at nv
Court by the delay in proceeding to
raise FUNDS to effect the payment of
this debt.
l am, with respect, sir. &c.
''LUZERNE."
Ihls letter may well be accepted as
d precedent. No exceptions were
.ahen TO this letter by the Congress
NAS pCopiC VI lUlS country. If
was not apparently regarded as harsh
OF rude. 1t was not deemed impoIite
or untriendly in those days of simple
ana direct intercourse to saw what
was In your mind. No effort was
made to avoid meeting the obligations
according to the terms of the con.
tract. The fact is, that promptly the
rrench government asked for nav
nlent, promptly as was possible under
the circumstances the Colonies made
settlement. And finally they paid
every dollar of the loan which had
oeen made to them by the French gov.
ernment. To contend that any mart
OF TINS loan was left unsettled or nm.
paia is TO contend against the plain
lndisputaole facts of history.
Ihls matter of the loan was a Main
honorable engagement, and that kind
oI an engagement is quite as sacred
as the engagement of a formal treaty
we are justified in assuming thar tba
oollgatlon will be kept in accorda no.
with ability to keep it. That oues
'ioh we snail discuss next week.
tCopyrlSht. 1920
Edltor note-Senator Borab's die
cusslon of the French debt 10 smer,cs,,
tdApsEers VIII be continued in anotbar
T,Eie 70 appear in the editorial saction
VI Inc sunday Star. May 3