| This dissertation addresses the spoliation claims of U.S. citizens against Spain and the commission established under Article 11 of the Adams-Onis Treaty of 1819 to settle them. It explores the Franco-Spanish spoliation of U.S. commerce during the wars of the French Revolution and Napoleon, as well as the diplomatic initiatives undertaken in search of redress for claimants. This work also places the claims within the larger context of freedom of the seas and neutral rights, issues of great importance in the young republic. In so doing, this work demonstrates the significance of the claims, the commission, and the relationships between commissioners, claimants, agents, and government officials.; The commission, which met between 1821 and 1824, consisted of William King of Maine, Littleton Waller Tazewell of Virginia, and Hugh Lawson White of Tennessee. Many notable attorneys, including Daniel Webster and William Wirt, represented claimants before the commission. During its term, the commission examined 1,859 claims arising from over 720 spoliation incidents.; Research for this work focused on the records of the commission, which remains almost completely unpublished. Contemporary press accounts, diplomatic correspondence, personal papers of the commissioners and other officials, and the papers of two major marine insurance companies also provided much valuable information. When selecting claims records for study, factors such as geographic region of the spoilation, nationality of the despoiler, date of the incident, and the amount claimed were the primary selection criteria. To enhance the sample, records were chosen for claims both by well-known entities, and by lesser figures.; Hundreds of claimants received indemnification from the commission's five-million-dollar fund. For many, the influx of money was welcome after the Panic of 1819. Sectional pride was elevated among northern claimants, who received the majority of the awards. The commissioners' even-handedness demonstrated the good faith of the national government, even when it was powerless to prevent the initial wrong. Service on the commission enhanced the political careers of the commissioners, as well as others involved. Altogether, the commission represented the government's recognition of the importance of seaborne commerce to national development. |
