The daily union., 1846-08-26

1
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1913. ..'....'..'...'.'''' oo'9Va',oo,, ce
1914. 60,9S6, ,29l %
1915 SO 80, ,4lO ~
1910. .....'..... .'..''' l<o'oIio'oaaS ~
.... lolI olI,........,..+s.-.''.l '.llo,oo~,ooJ ~
This public debt, unprovded for, remained unpaid
for than thirty years after the convention OF
1900, and during all that period there was no single
interval of time at which many of the public men OF
the times did not seek TO postpone the payment OF
these claims, amounting, as they certainly dld, 10
more than ten millions of dollars (pro badly hfteen
millons) account Of the existing national debt
yet even under these circumstances, the justice OF
the committees of Congress appointed TO investigate
these claims, from time to time, was eynced IN more
than twenty reports in favor Of the claims, one OF
the most prominent of which was made by the old
revolutionary hero, General Marion, of South Caro-
lima. .. .... ..
Before the publication Of the correspondence be.
tween the ministers ofthe two governments which led
TO the convention of l500 three reports were made
against the claims Since the publication OF that ey-
idence, no committee of either branch Of Congress
has concured in any report which has not been
strongly favorable to the petitioners. Thus we see
that while the contemporaries OF the convention OF
1900 ackno wedged the justice of these claims, the
public men who have succeeded them have been un-
able to resist the weight of evidence which was pub
lished for the first time in 1896 in obedience TO the
resolution Of the Senate. But until the present ses-
brought 10 any direct vote this BILL (although the
Senate passed il in 1887 account Of the magni'
tude Of the claims, the state Of the public finances,
| and the outcTy which has now been renewed by the
President, that the claims had become stale and de.
served no favor because they had not been allowed
| before.
| The President makes il a substantive ground OF
objection that there is surplus in the treasury to
pay the claims, and that public debt Of several
millions ofdoars has been created within the last
few years. IL is unfortunate that he did not reflect
that there a much larger debt during the thirty
years htt succeeding the assumption Of the claims,
and that he did not also reflect that the want Of
moneyto pay debt is no just ground for its rePu-
diaon.
But, in fact the bill did not propose take money
| from the treasury. The land scrip in which il
TO have been paid, by its provisions, could not
have been issued for more than two years TO come,
and after the commissioners should have adjust
ed the relative rights Of the claimants-atiording two
intervening sessions Of Congress to remedy any in
convenience created by the bill. The President
knew well that the clause for paying these creditors
IN land scrip was intended to avoid the very objec-
| ton thus taken in his veto.
Another objection is made by the President to this
mode OF payment in land scrip. Ii may "retard
he says) the prosperity and growth Of the States in
which the lands are situated" IL is sufficient 20
say, in reply to this, that in the judgment Of all
| western gentlemen, with whom have conyersed il
have induced many Of the claimants to have emf
grated to the west and settle the remnants Of the
| fortunes which their ancestors had left them.
The objection made by the President that the
claims il paid in land scrip, "are made in effect to
| be mortgage upon the public lands in the new
States" does not deserve serious refutation The
land scrip is nothing more or less than money crea-
ted by Congress, and put in the hands Of the claim
ants to buy public lands; and he might as well have
said that bank notes, or treasury notes, or treasury
drafts put in teir hands for the same purpose, con-
stituted mortgage on the public domain!
The next objection taken by the President is in
consistent with all the rest. After denouncing the
| claims unworthy Of his approval, he complains
that the bill compes the claimants on receiving the
relief which il provides to release the United States
| from all other and further compensation. Every
man who reads will answer this If the claima mis-
are satisfied with the relief provided for them what
| right has the President to object to iR These
claimants, like most others who originally held
claims against foreign government, would be COM
PEELED to receive less than was due them How
| beautiful this objection appears when coming from
one who has resolved that they shall receive nothing
Sir, have now done with this message In the
closing sentence Of it the President has written his
own condemnation. He says: 81 am fully sensible
that it should be extreme case which would
make it the duty Of the Executive to withhold his
| approval OF any bill passed by Congress upon the
ground Of its inexpediency alone" Let the coun-
try Judge whether he has made cut such an ex-
| treme will justify his reputation of these
debts. Neither myself, nor any friend or connex-
ion of mine, has the slightest interest in their pay
ment. Hitherto had boldly stood forth as the
advocate Of class Of citizens who have been deeply
wronged by this government, and who are too weak
and helpless to find favor with any man who is not
impelled by the convictions of his own conscience
and by a deep sense Of public duty. The unhappy
| claimants may fall beneath the blow which has been
leveed at them; but humble as they are, their case
has now assumed a position which must attract
| the attention Of the whole country. The question
| is no longer one concerning the payment of moaey
and justice long withheld; it is now a question
| which touches the liberties Of the people and the
rights of every freeman in the nation who will be
driven reflect that if this precedent is to be tole
ated, his own most sacred rights, or those of his
children, may hereafter become football for any
partisan to play with who may chance to occupy
the presidential chair To submit such rights to
the arbitrary discretion of one man. will be to sub
nit to what Lord Camden called 'sthe law of ty.
rants" In the best men the exercise of such dis.
cretionary power "will be oftentimes capricen the
worst, it will be every vice, folly and passion to
which human nature is liable"