The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-08-28

the money! and when the bill was brought in, pursuant
TO the terms OF the federal law that it should be grant,
the tile was altered upon its passage TO conform 70 the
state Of the case. and called an advance This
will show by reference which escaped my notice when
/ ! was up before g.
In 1853 the general assembly made proposition to
Congress to locate the OF government a, Alexandra,
where the public business had been transacted 1t is a
part OF the history OF the country that the government OF
The United States was unable and had not The fiscal
ability to command money TO locate these public buildings
and the States were making proposals TO the government
i 10 locate them within their own limits. Virginia offered
10 surrender her public buildings in Alexandria, provided
the seat Of the general government should be located
there The terms were, that ii Congress would locate
the seat oil government there the assembly would present
them during Their continuance there with Their public
buildings, three hundred OF land, and sum OF
money not exceeding hundred thousand dollars Sub
sequenty order TO induce them 10 locate within the
limits OF Virginia. and upon the Potomac river the prop
oson that they would advance to the general gov
ernment one hundred and twenty thousand dollars.
Now appears from the report made by the committee,
that that money advanced and paid out OF the treas
ury. II appears also that General Washington, who
had The supe fn'endence OF the location OF the public
buildings and the disbursement Of the money, IN letter
10 Tie commissioners required them 10 keep separate ac
counts between the State of Virginia and the United
States in relation to this matter and from this letter of
General Washington, which is dated August 30 1898,
referring TO the in which il would be proper to
keep the account with the States OF Virginia and Mary
land il appears that money advanced by the State OF
Virginia which not expended upon the objects for
which II was appropriated by considerable sum sub
init 10 the Senate, therefore, that this substantial
bona fde claim the part of Virginia, and that she hav
Ing assigned IT. the assgnees are entitled to the benehl OF
the claim.
Mr.. BADGER. have gathered what little know Of
the nature OF this claim from what has been SAID this
morning-my attention never having been previously
called TO the subject II understand II arght II Is that
more than hall century ago the sum OF 100000 Was
received by the government from the State Of Virginia,
and that it treated by the government as sum OF
money paid to the United States, to be kept by them.
either as gift or AS consideration to induce The general
fhn
omac river and by the State of Virginia was treated
advance Of money the nature OF loan And now
after hall century has passed hs application Is made
TO Congress mot by the State ol Virginia. but by some
incorporated company which Virginia has assigned her
claim, such 1t is-fo this money. Now, MIR. President
il these facts correct, il seems to me that the claim
does not stand npon any high grounds whether made
the assignee or the assgno The money seems 10 have
been received and treated money belonging 10 the
United States and no step taken TO correct that lmpes
sion Tor half century. The United States tits said, at
The time oil this aivance and without resources
but certainly in the course OF the past half century, The
United States have been rich and in the possession OF
ample funds Il recoect period OF our history when
the government WAS extremely troubled To discover some
plan when the ingenuity OF was absolutely sci to
work 10 oonlrye pIocessby which the surplus
enue accumulated and accumuang IN our treasury, so
that II had almost become nuisance, might be disposed
Of Well, sir, during that whole period application
made by Virginia to refund this money Now, il the
money paid with view TO obtain or assist in obtain
ing the location of the seat OF government why, Virginia
has obtained the only consideration Tor which the money
y,
that the government should have let itself down. for
considerations OF pecunary character, to put up the
location OF the seat OF TO bd so as to get
located that spot where the most money could be OBJ
tanned but then, if the thing done and the consider
alton was received vas received at the time as gllt
as money coming into the treasury OF the United States TO
be their Therefore, half century has elapsed
without any effort TO correct this msappehension II ms
apprehension II may be considered
Now, Mr.. President, what | want TO say is this: II
The State OF Virginia thinks proper herself to ak for this
IL
Willingness but must say is not, IN my opinion,
claim which we ought to treat as subject OF assignment
IL claim oil peculiar character, and II the State
ernmen thinks proper herself TO ask for IL, will vote
for II but am not willing 10 vote 10 pay ii TO her
sgnees, upon any lnorn alton that ] have thus far re-
ceived te the nature OF this transaction am not
willing TO treat il outstanding debt of this govern
ment, the payment OF which delayed, and which is
the proper subject OF assignment 10 her creditors II Viz
gina chooses TO convert 1t into debt OF hity years
standing, | will cheerfuy vote il to her bu, let the
State government ask herself, instead OF putting in
some bill 10 grant Charter TO some railroad company
a provision authorizing that company to make what
avail il of the claim OF Virginia Ii 10
that ought not to consider IL a claim occupying
that kind OF relation or description TO the government as
TO bs the proper subject Of assignment say again that
will vote the payment OF the money promptly on The
claim OF Virginia herself if she asks for it, but not to her
assgnees.
Mr. HUNTER 1t is no, my purpoe to make speech
in relation to this claim Whatever merits it has have
been very fully and clearly presented by my colleague
He has, Think shown that this money was designed not
on the part of the State OF Virginia. But be that as II
may, the history OF this transaction will perhaps explain
itself better than any argument which can be used IN re-
ation TO it, The facts OF the these Virginia
certainly very ANXIOUS the history OF the time
shows, that the seat OF government OF the United States
should be located within ber borders That turning out
to be impraclioabe, she anxious not only that II
should be located the Potomac rIver but that part
of the district upon which IL located should be within
her limits and, order 10 induce the location OF II here
she advanced with the and county OF Alexandria
the OF $4,000 Sir, ii that district had been
Ifetroceded Virginia would neither have made claim
nor assigned il any one but when Alexandria
seemed to think that little had been done by the gen.
efa government ior the district during the period that 1t
had rensined in the possession OF the United States this
money ought to be returned TO the State OF Virginia
The difficulty In the way OF Alexandria was, that
not advance of her own, but on the part Of the State
OF Virginia and in order to enable ber 10 present herself
with an equitable consideration TO Congress, whatever
right Virginia had ned 10 this Railroad Company
for the benefit OF Alexandria Virginia has made
claim, and | believe will. She has assigned
whatever equity there 10 her claim to Alexandria
and when Alexandra here 10 petition for this sum-
ton OF railroad which will be of the greatest service
not only to this District but TO large portion OF the
United States, it is 10 enable the corporation OF Alexan
dra have this difficulty removed out OF lis way and to
present whatever equitable claim there was to the con-
sidersiion OF Congress Virginia did not desire il
for herself She made claim, and | believe
never would have made claim upon Congress
The whole matter 10 be considered, therefore, is
whether, under the circumstances this money which
received from Virginia shall be returned in this shape
TO Alexandra, whence II will back TO us with far
more benefit than enough to compensate for what pay
out, whether it shall be given TO Alexandria, whether
il shall not That is the whole question: and upon that
d Sn faru fool in