1S8 ■ THE TREATY OF WASIIINGTOX. 



all existing claims of citizens or subjects of the one 

 Government against the other, but only claims for 

 acts committed against persons or property on either 

 side between certain defined dates, — that is, during 

 the pendency of actual hostilities in the United States. 

 It is a provision, supplementary in effect to the pre- 

 ceding clauses of the Treaty, conceived in the appar- 

 ent intention of thus closing up all subjects of conten- 

 tion growing out of our Civil War. 



The Commission was duly organized by the ap- 

 pointment of Mr. Kussell Gurney, Commissioner on 

 the part of Great Britain, and Mr. James S. Frazer, 

 on the part of the United States, and of Count Corti, 

 Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary 

 of Italy, Commissioner named conjointly by the two 

 Governments. 



The Treaty contains detailed provisions for the 

 prosecution of the business before the Commission, to 

 be completed within two years from the day of their 

 first meeting; and the contracting parties engage to 

 consider the decision of the Commissioners absolutely 

 final and conclusive on each claim decided by them, 

 — to give full effect to such decision without any ob- 

 jection, evasion, or delay whatsoever, — and to consid- 

 er every claim comprehended within the jurisdiction 

 of the Commissioners as finally settled, barred, and 

 thenceforth inadmissiljle, fi'om and after the conclu- 

 sion of the proceedings of the Commission. 



The Commissioners assembled at Washington on 

 the 26tli of September, 1871, and are assiduously en- 

 fjaijed in the determination of the claims submitted 



