The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-05-28

The cabinet organ came out Saturday with long and
elaborate defence Of the payment of the Della Faneia
claim. From the documents which are appended to the
editorial explanation, il appears that this claim originated
far back 1910, and was originally for the Of
sli,s5o. AT that period the people Of West Florida
established provisional government, with the view Of
throwing of the yoke of Spain. That provisional gov
eminent employed Reuben Kemper to purchase arms
and ammunition for It's use. in lis resistance Of the au
thorty Of Spain In accordance with this authority be
purchased arms, &C., OF De la Francia to the amount
above stated. Kemper subsequently, sued for the
amount, and had judgment rendered agains, him. In
1914 Congress passed law authorizing the Secretary of
State TO quidaie and pay to the inhabitants OF West
Florida all claims which might be found due to them for
arms &C. furnished the United States and used for their
benefit prior and subsequent the taking possession Of
the province by the United States Under this claims
were presented and allowed; and among others pre-
scented, the De la fanca claim. which never was
allowed under that act, the proof Of justice being
found sufficient to justify its allowance From time 10
time i, urged before the Secretary Of State, for the
time being. bu, without success; aad finally. application
was made TO Congress for its payment This was in
1897 II still continued to be urged before that body,
until, in the end. like the Gaphin claim bill auhori-
zng the Secretary OF State to settle il "on principles Of
equity and Justice was hustled through in the hustle
and confusion Of the closing Of the session. on the
14th Of August, is4s.
The facts disclosed in the statement Of the Republic
throw suspicion around it. Nor, in our estimation
are reports Of committees of Congress to be taken
as conclusive evidence Of the justice of any claim. We
have known one committee TO report adversely to
claim, and another to report in its favor. We have
known the testimony laid before Congress in support Of
claim 10 be altered, amended added TO, withdrawn
the objections raised by the committee rejecting
claim rendered expedient But this claim after forty
yssrs of hard struggle got through Congress- and went
before the Secretary Of State for adjudication and settle
ment ION principles Of equity and justice" There seemed
to be no question with regard to the allowance Of the
principal, viz sisso. Then, as usual under this ad.
minstraton the question Of interest. which was
more than double the amount Of the original claim and,
with regard to this. appears. according to the opinion
Of the Attorney General that the general rule Of the gov
ernmen, is, not 10 pay interest that on claims paid un
der the act of April Is, 1914. interest allowed from
The date Of The originasson Of the indebtedness % TIE date
Of that act. and NOT afterwards for then the government
ready tosay proof Of the validity Of the claim
The owners Of the De Ia Francia claim could not prove
that came under the equity Of that act and therefore
il was disaliowed They did eve alphabetically
furnish sufficient proof to Congress on the i4th Of Aa
gust, ls4s. that IL within the puview Of the act Of
April 49, 1914, and that body then ordered i 70 Be paid
Thus, there iachss, neglgeacs wrong. on
the part Of The government in refusing 10 pay up that
time Aa9 nv Tgus4N
On the contrary. the fault the misfortune was on
the part Of the claimant Until then, he was unable to
prove that he WIS entitled 70 he beneh OF the act Of