The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1821-1823, 1823-07-09
MISCELLANY.
From the Boston Centinel.1
MoecorHueeyfe HIo:m


that very significant inquiries are occa-
sionally made concerning the delay TO
bring before Congress the Massachusetts
claim, these last FIVE years, consider it
due to my colleagues of the Senate and
House during that period, as well as to
myself, to offer you for publication a
brief statement of facts.-Upon taking
my seat in the Senate in the winter of
1918, (after ascer;aining that the
Secretary of War felt himself bound by
the former decision of his predecessor
lost no time in consulting with Mr..
AsHMuN, my brother Senator, and others
friendly to the claim, especially Mr..
KING, upon the most advisable mode of
introducing the subject before Congress.
They were all agreed upon the inexpe-
diency of taking the first step in the
Senate. Ii was not usual to originate
applications of this nature in that body.
The right of propounding revenue bills
in the House, by sort of taeit consent,
had been extended to other bills requr-
ing considerable new appropriations
The claim would encounter much of
popular prejudice, which could be allay-
ed only by thorough examination of its
merits in the House. Success in the
Senate might not be suspicious to its
fate in The House, while the loss Of the
bill in the former branch could not fail
to augment the obstacles in the latter
These opinions were supported by sew
eral distinguished gentlemen of he ma
jority, who admitting that their first im-
pressions were adverse to the. claim,
had the magnanimity to wish thar it
might be presented under the most pro-
pitious aspect, and receive the most dis
passionate examination. 1t was there
upon determined at a meeting of the
whole delegation of both Houses. to
commence operations in the House of
Representatives, and for this purpose
the gentlemen most friendly TO the claim
entered with me upon laborious inves-
tigation of the documentary evidence,
and requested me 10 prepare state
ment calculated to dissipate prejudice
and call the attention of those whose
duty it would be to decide upon it, to its
true merits. Such statement accord
ingly. in a pamphlet form, with refer
ences to the very able memorial of
Messrs. LLOYD and SUMNER, formerly
presented to the War Department, and
other documents, digested with much
laboug and all possible diligence. and ii
being approved by Messrs. Mason,
WHITMAN, and by the greater part of my
associates, was printed, and a copy plac-
ed in the hands of each member. The
Speaker evinced great liberality in the
appointment of committee upon the
memorial: And the minority of the COM
mittee, though at first inclined against
the claim, (and perhaps not finally rec
ouciIed to it, after an examination Of
the documents, magnanimously agreed
that the majority might make out in
their report, the most favourable case
which in their view the evidence would
warrant, and that the same should be
presented with an understanding that
they were moi pledged to support it, I'M
less upon mature deliberation and debate
they should see fit TO do so.-As my at
tention had been much devoted 10 the
subject in writing the pamphlet, the
committee did me the honour TO engage
me to frame the report. 1t fortunately
received their appreciation, and was
made without any material variation
That Report (Which, independent of
the documents, is not very long) re-
specially request you to present 10 your
readers.-By the principles therein stat
ed, the claim must, am persuaded,
stand or fall. They are the principles
Of substantial justice, applicable to facts
supported by the most conclusive evil
dences And whenever they shall be
urged By the cordial and concurrent infu-
ence of Massachusetts aud Maine, before
an impartial Congress, they must pre-
vail. The report was made to the
House of Representatives many weeks
before the end of the session, but such
was the accumulation of business, that it
could not take its place in the orders of
the day before the end of the session.
Both the pamphlet and report assume
a correct view of the question, which,
however repugnant to the received o.
pinion, is incidentally true. The almost
universal popular impression was, and
to great extent among the friends and
adversaries of the claim yet is, that the
Withholding Of the militia from the com
mand of General DEARBORN by Govern
our STRONG, was in consequence of the
difference of opinion between the Ma
tional and State Executive respecting
the constitutional right to command
Put this opinion. so far Gs AZ relates IN