The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1850-07-08


dollars worth is the property of one man, the result
of his own digging.
TeleSrophic Summary.-The Galphin Cabi-
net and the House Of Representatives.
The proceedings which took place in the House
Of Representatives on Saturday last in come cton
with the Gaphin claim and the Galphin cabinet,
were of a very interesting, but at the same time
humiliatiDg, character. That day was set down
for the discussion of the majority report Of
the committee appointed to investigate and
report the conduct of Mr.. Crawford, Sc
cretary Of War, in relation TO the claim pre-
scented by the representatives of George Gal
phin, and generally known the Galphn mat
ter They were Interesting, because they show
that under the working of our happy institutions,
official corruption in high places can be inyesti-
gated, and dishonest officials punished for their
delinquencies; they were humiliating, because
they presented spectacle not calculated at all to
elevate us in the opinion Of the world-that of the
popular branch Of the Legislature EXPIRE seing its
conviction that the cabiret corrupt aud that its
members have proved false to the trust reposed in
them.
II was attempted by the friends of the cabinet TO
justify, or at least TO palae, the conduct Of the
Secretary OF War, on che assertion that many
DEFICIENCIES occurred under the previous admins
iralon. If such things did occur under the regime
Of Mr. Polk, why were they not investigated, and
the authors held up to the censure of the country,
as Mr.. Crawford and his colleagues now are
That having failed, another friend of the cabi-
net made effort in vindicaton of the al
lowance Of the claim, principal and interest,
under the extraordinary and unprecedented cir
cumstances which characterized that allowance.
Then Mr.. Crawford put the wheel,
and his case tried and pronounced upon in due
form by the House. although it may not yet be
finally disposed of. The aRotrance Of that claim,
aud the agsacy Of the Secretary Of JTar, ~ pre-
sssfing aud advocating IL, spcrt denos~eed by
peis Of one hundred and ty-eght to twenty-five.
This emphatic vote proves what is the opinion of
the body Of the House on Mr.. Crawfords conduct.
On the same day, the House oil Representatives
went further even than this. They went 80 far
as to empbatically censure Gen. Taylor himself,
for having expressed an opinion that Mr.. Crawford
justified in acting as the agent Of the Galphn
claim in presenting and procuring its allowance by
one department ofthe government while he was at
the head Of another branch Of it, by dissenting from
him by vote OF Dinety-one TO eighty-six. The
Presidents sanction Of the course which Mr. Craw
ford pursued, doubt steslhy obtained by that
official, to make some kind of showof decency
but this prop was removed and he now stands before
the country alone, and his conduct in the Galphiu
matter censured as being improper by the popular
branch Of the Legislature We are sorry, as we
said on a former occasion, that General Taylor
was connected with the subject, but we cannot
help it, In the goodness and honesty Of has heart,
and in the rectitude of his intentions, he con-
fded in the integrity Of those whom he called
around him as constitutional advisers, hut was
deceived. lie is therefore more TO be piiied than
ccnsured for unfolding the conduct of his Secre-
tary Of War, in pushing and getting a claim which
had been rejected by previous ad ninstrations, and
in which he was largely interested.
But il is not the Secretary Of War alone who
has been convicted by the proceedings Of the
House Of Representatives, on Saturday last The
whole cabinet, individually and collectively, have
been pronounced unworthy Of the places which
they I'LL. Mr.. Crawford has been condemned for
prosecuting a claim in which he was peculiarily
Interested, and pocketing a large portion of the
proceeds; but Dir Reyerdy Johnson, the Attorney
General. on whose legal opinion the claim was
sstensibly allowed. as well as the whole cab
met, Tor allowing a claim, principal and inter
est, which had been investigated by previous
administrations and rejected, are all affected
by the sentence of condemnation pronounced
so emphaiically by the House on Saturday
az much M the Secretary of the Treasury
is. II wac, in fact, a verdict pronounced by the
OF the peopk. after mature exaui-
nation and reflection. against the whole cabnei,
a, corrupt and unisithful officers Of the govern
meat. The masses az the people. of all classes and
par,ies, have long since made up their minds
On the subject, and the verdict Pronounced by the
House Aneets their hearty approval. We regret the
posi,ion in which General Taylor is placed by the
men whom b e. unfortunately for the credit Of his adj
gathered around him as constitutional