COMMISSION (Lat. commissio, commission, from committere, to commit, from co-in-, to gether mittere, to send). The name applied to boards created for governmental purposes, generally of a temporary nature. They have proved effective agencies for dealing -with certain phases of international relations and controver sies, and for this purpose are of two classes: ) Commissions of a domestic character, created under statute for carrying out provisions of treaties and conventions. (2) Commissions per forming international functions, in the nature of conference or arbitration boards.
Examples of the first class in the United States are the commissions created (a) under the Treaty of 1819 with Spain, ceding Florida, by which the Government sought to adjust citi zens' claims growing out of the preceding un friendly relations; (b) under the Treaty of 1826 with Great Britain, to distribute the indemnity for slaves deported in derogation of Art. 1 of the Treaty of Ghent; (c) under the Treaty of 1831 with France, to distribute the indemnity paid for the Spoliation Claims; (d) under the Treaty of 1871 with Great Britain, to distribute the Alabama Claims award.
Commissions of the second class have been the usual agencies for effecting arbitrations, and, according to their purpose and the authority of their members, may be either merely for con ference or for the determination of methods of reaching settlement of disputed questions, or may themselves have the power to adjudicate the issues in controversy. In the latter case they may be composed solely of representatives of the States concerned, or they may include neutral parties selected by these States to act as umpires. During the nineteenth century ar bitration as a method of settling international differences steadily increased. The United States has been a party to no less than sixty-eight ad justments of this character, and except for the train of circumstances resulting in the War of 1812, all differences between this country and Great Britain have been so adjusted. See ALA BAMA CLAIMS; ARBITRATION ( INTERNATIONAL) ; BERING SEA CONTROVERSY, and consult the au thories there cited.