FOR DEPREDATIONS COMMITTED ON THEIR PROPERTY BY THE FRENCH,

Prior to the 30th of September, 1800,

WHICH WERE ACKNOWLEDGED BY FRANCE,

AND

Voluntarily surrendered to her by the United States, for a valuable National
consideration, in the Convention of that date.

BY A CITIZEN OF BALTIMORE.

www H. Came

The claims from which France was released were admitted by France, and the
release was for a valuable consideration in a correspondent release of the Uni ed
States from certain claims upon them.” MR. MADISON, Secret ry of Eate,

"Nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.”
CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES,

WASHINGTON, D. C.

PRINTED FOR THE AUTHOR.

1836.

NOTE.

The following Numbers recently appeared in the Baltimore Chronicle, but the ephemeral character of a newspaper, its limited circulation, and its liability to contain errors, have suggested the propriety of a republication in the present form. The subject matter is one of deep interest, not only to those having pecuniary claims involved, but also to all who feel an interest in the history and reputation of our government.

The message and accompanying documents, communicated to the Senate by the President of the United States on the 20th of May last, and since printed in a large octavo volume, will afford much useful information to every reader. Many of the facts contained therein, with others of equal authenticity, are embodied in the present work. A sufficient apology for its length will be found in the numerous documents to which it was necessary to refer; the text being generally adduced, that the reader may form a proper estimate of the truth and fairness of the positions assumed.

A careful perusal of the entire documents (most of which have slept in the archives of the government for upwards of a quarter of a century-and why?) would well reward even the best informed.

FRENCH SPOLIATIONS.

THE extensive collection of documents relating to French Spoliations committed anterior to the 30th of September, 1800, which were transmitted to the Senate by the President of the United States, on the 20th of May last, and ordered to be printed, have just appeared. The subject to which these documents relate, is highly interesting to many of our merchants, who were forcibly stripped of their property, under the most aggravated circumstances. When a development of the case is made, the reader will be struck with astonishment, as well at the long and patient forbearance of the sufferers, as the negligence (to use a very mild term) of their own government, in withholding from them a fair and full indemnity.

The history of the early period at which these depredations were committed, their character and extent, and the manner in which the United States obtained satisfaction for them, are not generally known-owing chiefly, if not solely to the circumstance of our government not having heretofore disclosed the correspondence with France relating to them.

A recent and imposing demand by the sufferers generally, has brought forth the documents referred to, and it is my purpose to make, from them and other authentic documents, a concise exposition of some of the most material facts on which the claimants rely. These being spread over the most fruitful and portentous period of diplomatic discussion that our government has known, say from 1792 to 1806, will of necessity require that my remarks appear in succeeding numbers.

That the application of the facts as they may be presented, shall be understood, it is deemed advisable to give thus early, 1st, the form of the memorials (about 50) which were laid before the Senate, in 1823-4; 2d, the resolution of the Senate founded thereon; and 3d, the report of the Secretary of State to the President, which was adopted by and laid before the Senate by the President, in compliance with said resolution.

1st. To the Honorable the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States, in Congress assembled.

The Memorial and Petition of the subscribers, Merchants of

RESPECTFULLY SHEWETH:

That among the multiplied injuries inflicted by the belligerents on the commerce of the United States, in the course of the long and desolating war, in which several nations of Europe were engaged, between and during the years 1793 and 1800, the depredations committed by the public and private armed vessels of France, were to your memorialists peculiarly injurious.

The claims of your memorialists on France for ample remuneration were the stronger in these cases, as the seizure and condemnation of their property had been made by the express authority of the French government, contrary to the plainest principles of the law of nations, and in direct violation of existing treaties.

Your memorialists will not enter into a detail of the various decrees and acts of the French government, by which their property was captured, condemned or confiscated; the archives of this government will furnish the true copy of them, and also of the period when they were operative; it would moreover be a useless trespass on the time of your honorable body, because the French government has admitted them to be violations; and can therefore only serve as matters of fact, not of principle.

The United States having a great political and national object in view, to wit: to obtain the abrogation of the treaties with France, and a discharge from the liabilities under them, and particularly under the article of mutual guaranty, yielded up the claims of her citizens for these great public advantages, in the convention of 1800.

Your memorialists were among the first to sanction this act of their govern