Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1841-07-31


had died on the third OF March, would not the
nation have been bound in equity TO remunerate
his estate for the losses and expenses which he
had thus incurrsdl And could i; be pretended
that, for the performance Of this obvious act OF
justice, Congress had not power under the Con.
stitution? He put i. to gentlemen, on all sides Of
the House, to answer whether this could be so.
He thought not, and the question on the bill was
therefore only question as to the amount to be |
appropriated. And on this point he compli. |
mented the remarks made by Mr.. GILMkR as |
quite in character with Vrginian when about |
to do great public act. That gentleman con.
temned the idea Of making this matter of &C
count and requiring OF Mrs. Harrison detail
of dollars and cents expended at taverns on the
road for meals and horse feed, and the items of
postage paid by her husband for letters on the
public business. Mr.. P. would not 20 into any
calculations on these subjects-perhaps twenty.
five thousand dollars might be enough-it Ger.
tsinly was not too much. This amount cores.
ponded with the views OF the Joint committee,
who had directed it to be moved by their chair
man, although the bill itself had beer reported
in blank. A gentleman from Pennsylvania, had
a memorial praying that the grant might be ex.
tended to the salary Of the whole Presidential
term, but for that Mr.. P did not ask.
As analogous cases covering the general prin-
cple he referred to the common practice Of
paying the expenses OF q minister abroad after
the actual discharge of his public duties had
ceased; also to the pensions granted to Revolu-
tionary soldiers. Their services were at an end.
and they had received grants of land; but still
the Government, taking into view the value Of
t heir services and the losses they had sustained
in the sacri fee OF their time for mere nominal
equivalent, performed an act Of justice and graf.
itude in making their old age comfortable. Then,
if they had right 10 pay any thing TO Mrs. Har-
rison on the ground he had assumed, they had a
right to pay the sum proposed in the BILL He
asked the gentleman from Alabama whether this
Government had no power TO do justice? He
admitted it could not make donations on grounds
which had no connexor with the public seEvice
but had the proposed appropriation no such con-
nexon? Did it refer to no public services, and
were there no public considerations which ought
to take it out Of the rule respecting their gratui-
ties? If General Harrison had come at the call
Of his country and by so doing had suffered great
loss, had the Government no right TO indemnify
him? He would put strong case to the gentle.
man. Surprising that there is an advocate emil
nent at the bar; he had been sent for to go five
hundred miles to plead the cause OF a gentleman
in Ohio, whose character and possibly his life
was in jeopardy, and he was promised fee suf1i-
GENTLY large to induce him to drop his business,
10 leave all the other courts, and to set out in.
stantly for Ohio. Suppose he should then enter
upon the trial, but, before the examination OF the
first witness should have been gone through, he
should be taken i'll, and nearly lose his life.
The cause had not been pleaded; the duty for
which he was to receive this thousand, two thous-
and, or five thousand dollars had not been per-
formed; but would not the gentleman from Ohio
be bound in sheer JUSTICE setting gratitude aside
to make him some compensation by way OF in.
demnity for the loss he had sustained? Though
technically he could not be compelled to pay
dollar, would he not, in all Justice and equity,
be bound to do something? Would the gentle
man deny this?
i Mr.. PAYNE replied that the appeal OF the
honorable gentleman from Kentucky was very
forcible one, and he would frankly say that, so
far as the question related TO his own private
means, he, If placed in those circumstances,
would certainly make his lawyer compensation.
But did the gentleman forget the broad distinc-
ton between mans own money and the money
Of the People when trusted to his care? He
might do what he would with his own, but with
the money Of the People he could do no more
than the People, in their Constitution, had EN-.
powered him 10 do.
Mr.. P here resumed, and insisted that the ad.
mission Of the gentleman surrendered the whole
cause. He expressed his personal respect for
Mr.. PAYNE, and passed a handsome compliment
on his sincerity, manliness, and candor. But
the gentleman had certainly surrendered his
cause. He had admitted that on principles OF
justice he should feel bound to remunerate his
lawyer for losses sustained in consequence OF
responding to his call. That was the very case
in hand. Here was the United States on one
hand, and Gen. Harrison on the other-,hey stood
just as two private individuals would stand. The
bill asked for that very compensation which the
gentleman himself had confessed it would be
just to give.
During this part OF the discussion, apparently
owing to some misunderstanding, Mr.. DEAN, OF
Ohio, interposed, and asked Mr.. PopE to state
in what respect the remarks made yesterday by
Mr.. D. had been Objectionable?
Some explanations passed between the two
gentlemen, which the Reporter could not dis.
tinctly hear, but they ended in Mr. DEAN being
called to order, and resuming his seat.l
Mr.. PAYNE repeated the distinction he had
taken between his right as an individual to make
from his private means compensation to which
he could not be held in law, and his right as
Representative to make such compensation from
the public purse.
Mr.. POPE resumed and continued earnestly
to insist that in contracts between the Govern.
ment and an individual the Government was
confesSedeiy bound by the principle of morality
and equity. This principle was every day &C
knowledged. Cases innumerable were on the
statute book where the Government had author.
izad ts off in llama IN