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A report from the Secretary of State concerning the transactions of the French and American Claims Commission.

FEBRUARY 17, 1885.-Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs and ordered to be

printed.

To the House of Representatives:

EXECUTIVE MANSION, Washington, February 17, 1885.

In response to the resolution of the House of Representatives of the 9th of January, 1885, calling for certain correspondence concerning the transactions of the late French and American Claims Commission, I transmit herewith a report of the Secretary of State of the 16th instant in relation to the subject.

CHESTER A. ARTHUR.

To the PRESIDENT:

A resolution of the House of Representatives, dated the 9th day of January, 1885, in relation to the French and American Claims Commission, having been referred to the Secretary of State, the following reply thereto is submitted.

The resolution reads:

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives, That the President be, and he is hereby, requested to furnish this Honse, if not incompatible with the public service, a copy of all correspondence had with the Government of France in relation to the Freuch and American Claims Commission since the 23d day of November, 1881, the date of the first meeting of said Commission, up to the present time.

Second. Also a copy of the communication or communications made by the two remaining commissioners to the Secretary of State on the resignation of Mr. L. de Geofroy, July 11, 1881, the date when he withdrew as commissioner on the part of the French Republic, and the 15th day of October following, in relation to the resignation of said commissioner; and a copy of the correspondence between the Governments relating to the same subject, and of the notice of the Government of France reappointing said commissioner.

Third. Also a statement giving the name and number of each and every claim which was withdrawn by the agent of either Government after the same had been duly filed before said Commission, and the reasons for such withdrawal, and a copy of all correspondence between the two Governments relating thereto.

Fourth. Also a copy of all reports or other communications made by the American commissioner, the Hon. A. O. Aldis, to the Secretary of State, relating to the business of said Commission or to any matter or thing pending before said Commission from the 23d day of November, 1881, to the present date.

Fifth. And also a copy of the reports or other communications pertaining to the French and American Claims Commission, or any matter pending therein made by the Hon. George S. Boutwell, the agent and counsel for the United States, to the Secretary of State, from the 23d day of November, 1881, to the present date. Also a copy of the correspondence between the two Governments, relating to the recall of said Mr. L. de Geofroy, and the appointment and substitution by the Government of France of Mr. Alexis Albert Lafaive as commissioner, on or about May 22, 1883.

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Several hundred communications are on file in this Department merely asking for documentary testimony for the use of the Commission, and transmitting the same when procured. These being purely formal letters, and having no relation to the specific topics mentioned in the reso lution, it has not been deemed necessary to transmit copies thereof. Copies of all other correspondence on the subject are annexed hereto, classified as nearly as practicable, as follows:

First. All correspondence with the Government of France in relation to the French and American Claims Commission since the 23d day of November, 1880, the date of the first meeting of said Commission, up to the present time. These are numbered from 1 to 40, inclusive.

Second. The circumstances which attended the cessation of the exercise of his official functions by Mr. L. de Geofroy, commissioner of France, will be found set forth in the minutes of the sessions of the Commission held July 11, 1881, and October 12, 1881, copies of which minutes are here with transmitted, and numbered 50 and 51, respectively. No correspondence took place between this Government and that of France concerning the resignation of Mr. L. de Geofroy July 11, 1881, nor in relation to the cessation of his official functions. Mr. Aldis, the American commissioner, makes an incidental reference to this subject in his letter of July 8, 1881, hereto annexed and numbered 44. On the 11th July, 1881, Baron de Arinos, the president of the Commission, and Mr. Aldis, the American commissioner, addressed a joint communication to the Secretary of State, and inclosed a copy of a letter from Mr. de Geofroy. This communication is hereto annexed, numbered 46. The correspondence between the two Governments relating to change of commissioners will be found in the papers numbered 22 and 23.

Third. In response to that part of the resolution asking for "a statement of the name and number of each and every claim which was withdrawn by the agent of either Government after the same had been duly filed before said Commission, and the reasons for such withdrawal, and a copy of all the correspondence between the two Governments relating thereto," I transmit herewith a letter from Mr. Boutwell to Mr. Davis, dated March 3, 1884, and numbered 41, and a communication from Mr. Boutwell to Mr. Frelinghuysen, numbered 42, being his final report as agent and counsel of the United States. In these documents the general information sought will be found. The correspondence relating to the withdrawal of claims is also hereto annexed, and will be found in its chronological order in the diplomatic and general letters transmitted. Fourth. The communications between this Department and the American commissioner, Mr. Asa O. Aldis, are transmitted herewith, and numbered from 43 to 49.

Fifth. A response to the fifth section of the resolution will be found in the accompanying paper, No. 42, being Mr. Boutwell's final report, and in the correspondence between this Department and Mr. Boutwell, herewith transmitted, and numbered from 60 to 121, inclusive.

Respectfully submitted.

DEPARTMENT OF STATE,

FRED'K T. FRELINGHUYSEN.

Washington, February 17, 1885.

LIST OF ACCOMPANIMENTS.

I.-Diplomatic correspondence.

1. Mr. Outrey to Mr. Evarts, August 23, 1880.
2. Mr. Evarts to Mr. Outrey, October 7, 1880.
3. Mr. Outrey to Mr. Blaine, March 24, 1881.
4. Mr. Blaine to Mr. Outrey, March 28, 1881.
5. Mr. Outrey to Mr. Blaine, November 18, 1881.
6. Mr. Blaine to Mr. Outrey, December 17, 1881.

7. Mr. Outrey to Mr. Frelinghuysen, December 21, 1881.
8. Mr. Frelinghuysen to Mr. Oútrey, January 3, 1882.
9. Mr. Frelinghuysen to Mr. Outrey, February 7, 1882.
10. Mr. Outrey to Mr. Frelinghuysen, February 9, 1882.
11. Mr. Frelinghuysen to Mr. Outrey, February 18, 1882.
12. Mr. Outrey to Mr. Frelinghuysen, February 22, 1882.
13. Mr. Frelinghuysen to Mr. Outrey, February 28, 1882.
14. Mr. Outrey to Mr. Frelinghuysen, May 8, 1882.
15. Mr. Frelinghuysen to Mr. Outrey, May 9, 1882.
16. Mr. Frelinghuysen to Mr. Roustan, August 1, 1882.
17. Mr. Frelinghuysen to Mr. Roustan, December 29, 1882.
18. Mr. Rouston to Mr. Frelinghuysen, January 3, 1883.
19. Mr. Rouston to Mr. Frelinghuysen, February 5, 1883.
20. Mr. Frelinghuysen to Mr. Roustan, February 24, 1883.
21. Mr. Roustan to Mr. Frelinghuysen, March 7, 1883.
22. Mr. Roustan to Mr. Frelinghuysen, May 16, 1883.
23. Mr. Davis to Mr. Roustan, May 19, 1883.

24. Mr. Frelinghuysen to Mr. Denant, December 27, 1883.
25. Mr. Roustan to Mr. Davis, January 7, 1884.

26. Mr. Davis to Mr. Roustan, January 7, 1884.

27. Mr. Roustan to Mr. Frelinghuysen, January 11, 1984. 28. Mr. Frelinghuysen to Mr. Roustan, January 15, 1884.

29. Mr. Morton to Mr. Blaine, October 13, 1881.

30. Mr. Frelinghuysen to Mr. Morton, December 15, 1883.

31. Mr. Frelinghuysen to Mr. Morton, December 17, 1883.

32. Mr. Frelinghuysen to Mr. Morton, telegram, December 21, 1883.
33. Mr. Morton to Mr. Frelinghuysen, No. 463, December 21, 1883.
34. Mr. Morton to Mr. Frelinghuysen, December 28, 1883.
35. Mr. Morton to Mr. Frelinghuysen, No. 467, January 23, 1884.
36. Mr. Frelinghuysen to Mr. Morton, No. 424, January 8, 1884.
37. Mr. Frelinghuysen to Mr. Morton, telegram, January 8, 1884.
38. Mr. Frelinghuysen to Mr. Morton, telegram, January 11 1884.
39. Mr. Morton to Mr. Frelinghuysen, telegram January 14, 1884.
40. Mr. Morton to Mr. Frelinghuysen, No. 478, January 15, 1884.

II.—In relation to claims withdrawn from the consideration of the Commission.

41. Mr. Boutwell to Mr. Davis, March 3, 1884.

42. Mr. Boutwell to Mr. Frelinghuysen, final report, May 10, 1884.

III.-Correspondence of the Hon. Asa O. Aldis, the American commissioner.

43. Mr. Aldis to Mr. Blaine, June 4, 1881.

44. Mr. Aldis to Mr. Blaine, July 8, 1881.

45. Mr. Blaine to Mr. Aldis, July 8, 1881.

46. Baron de Arinos and Mr. Aldis to the Secretary of State, July 11, 1881.

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