New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1850-06-05
1Ae CaJpAin Csse ssec msre-The Csmpre'
nlss-Hlr. Clay and The President
Correppuudcuco Of The Tribune

mIo0-urs Cbny ~ tHo Ehess@cnse
Cosrsspoodeucs Of The Tribune
WAsmseros, Monday, JuneS
Being DELAYED here little, let me rake up q
few straws after the trail Of the cart
spoke once Of the Galphn Claim, and made the
remark. that the difficulty seemed to be, thss In
this case the Administration was but honest. ms
seemed to excite your risibes. The laugh being
over let us look at the sense Of the thing But not
to be misspprehended, will say in advance "na'
I have before intimated, that Mr.. CRAWFORD was
guilty Of great indeicacy and Improperly IN Dc
coro;n1 n member of the Government against
which be held so important demand fur'ner'
more that he inflicted gross injustice upon the
Wbie marty. by taking q seat IN the Cabinet
.,de, the circumstances of the case. Yet all this
has nothing TO do with the honesty Of paying the
Galphin debt.
Congress ordered the Secretary Of the Treasury
"to examine and adjust the claim, and to pay
what may be found due" This is very PLAIN Ian
euage Secretary WALKER was clear that the
principal was due and under this direction pad H.
reserving the question Of interest for examination
Secretary MEREDITH and Attorney General JOHN
SON decided that the interest was as much part Vi
the debt as the principal and paid that we say
thev an decided. and we have said they decided
bonS,Qv. If they did not SO decide, then they are
great scoundrels They not only disgrace the high
stations they occupy--tbey disgrace the American
name. They have not only dsgraced themselves
AZ Cabinet officers they have done that which
should Danish them from the society OF honorable
men. They decided to pay the interest on the
GALrHis claim honestly, or they have plundered
the Treasury and swindled the Government. There
are no two ways about it. The transaction is
honest or it 10 dishonest. And if not honest there
is no escaping the brand Of infamy which attaches
10 all scoundresm. Now, whosoever does not be-
lieye that Secretary MEREDITH and Attorney
General JOHNSON acted honestly in deciding to pay
the interest on the GALPHIS claim ought TO come
out and call them by their right names It's
quite too grave a matter to pass over by dodge
or a outlaw. II we could believe that Messrs
MEREDITH and JOHNSON were guilty OF the IN
speakabIe viIlany of stealing 100000 from the
Treasury of the United States, which denial oil
their honesty in this transaction certainly implies,
we should say that the WING party had better
never undertake TO elect another President or
form another Administration, but at once call upon
the rocks and the mountains to cover them NO
this won't do The paying OF the GALPHIN claim
is undoubtedly an unfortunate affair. The pay
mtnt may have been indiscreet or even improper
if you will. There may have been oyer-h0erai con
structon, or defective Judgment, or error IA the
case. But the charge OF dash0HeSty whetner ia
terms or by implication, won't do. AT least such
is our Judgment.
And now supplementary word on the Presl'
dents plan. The essential difference between 1t
and Mr.. CLAY'sis, that the President proposes
State Government for New-Mexico and MIR. CLAY
m Il. II arf IL nudp
stood that UTAH is entirely well Off as she is. 1t
is certainly fair TO assume that whether New Mex
leo comes rs a State or comes as a Territory, her
boundaries will be fairly established. Texas don't
want her. and claims her only to get money. But
with money or without by settlement OF law or
Legislation, New Mexico is bound to have her sepa.
rate and independent existence. II Texas should
undertake TO swallow her, 1t would be merely as
the leech takes blood only to disgorge il again.
little money sprinkled upon Texas would operate
like salt on the blood sucker. But nobody here an
ticipates that even a Jonah will be made OF her.
l She will not be three days and three nights even
in the belly OF Texas or any OF her nelghbors But
whether this be so or not, why Is II not altogether
better that New Mexico should at once be erected
into State? fthis is done there is an end oil the
Slavery question in our MexcDn territories and 10
not this great object to attain is II not me Cd
iect for which we should strive And can any man
saw that il is not a thousand times preferable to
establishing n territorial government without the
Proviso in this point Of view Nobody will deny
It; and the only obiect N that can DO made IS that
New Mexico would make a poor State, and small
State and an ignorant State This may all be true
but even if il be true is il not better to take her
with all her imperfectons on her head than to keep
open the fretting vexng, irritating, exciting ques
tisu of whether she shall hereafter come into
the Union as a Slave State Is there any doubt
that until this question is distinctly settled, and the
settlement Incorporated into her fundamental law,
that agitation and excitement upon the subject will
not cease And is il wise to continue this agita-
ton for twenty, ten, even five years, whenlt can
be disposed of in one The question that is rock
ing the country to its center is that of Slarery IN
tke Territories. How can we hesitate, then, II We
would allay excitement and compose our dssen-
sons to take the shortest road to settle aud dispose
OF it fully and fnally7 The Presidents plan does
this Who ought, then to decline 10 give il prefer
encef Certainly, it appears to us, not those who
desire TO the question settled, and the country
resume ct least its wonted tranquility. J. : P.
tmportatious.