Spanish Treaty Claims Commission

The Spanish Treaty Claims Commission was established by the United States at the conclusion of the Spanish–American War for the purpose of carrying out one of the terms of the treaty ending the war. The Commission was created by an Act of Congress approved March 2, 1901. Working from 1901 to 1910, the Commission resolved nearly $65 million in claims, and awarded less than $1.5 million.

Under Article VII of the 1898 Treaty of Paris, the United States assumed responsibility for the payment of all claims of her own citizens for which Spain would have been liable under principles of international law. Thus, in proceedings before the Commission, the United States government was effectively required to stand in the shoes of its defeated adversary, Spain, and to defend against the claims of its own citizens by defending the actions or omissions of Spain.

President William McKinley appointed the original members of the Commission in 1901. The original Commissioners were recently defeated U.S. Senator William E. Chandler of New Hampshire (who was chosen as president), Gerrit J. Diekema of Michigan, James P. Wood of Ohio, William Arden Maury of the District of Columbia, and William L. Chambers of Alabama. Diekema resigned in 1907 upon his election to Congress, and was replaced by Harry K. Daugherty of Pennsylvania. When Chandler resigned in 1907, Wood took his place as chairman while former Congressman Roswell P. Bishop was added to the Commission.

McKinley also named former Congressman William E. Fuller of Iowa as Assistant Attorney General to defend against the claims. Fuller served from 1901 until 1907, when he resigned and was succeeded by former auditor and Congressman William Wallace Brown of Pennsylvania. From 1902 to 1904, Fuller was assisted by future federal judge Charles B. Witmer.

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