Weekly national intelligencer., 1850-06-01
TRUTH INDICATED.

TRUTH INDICATED
Itappears to be altogether due to the request of
citizen (not connected with the ADMINISTRATOR
that we should transfer to columns the follow
ing article, which appeared in the Union Of
yesterday:
+ FROM THE sUsIos" OF MAr 80.
"The Ewing committee about their Crawford
brethren completely in the shade in the extent and character
of the developments they bring into light The est-
mony furnished them by Mr. Ewing himself proves that the
often rejected Chickasaw claim (S56 OO0) paid to
Mr. Corcoran, OF this city, the assignee Of Dr. William M
Gwn, on the declaration of that gentleman (Mr Cocoran
that formerly there had been in the Treasury Department
power of attorney authorizing Dr. g. act the agent in
collecting the claim Surely, the payee not the person
upon whose sole declaration such payment should be made
by The discussing officers Of the Government"
The above, from the correspondent of the Penn
sylvanian, being of the same tenor with the many
misrepresentation with which it is attempted to
pre.occupy the public mind, plain and unvarnish-
ed history of this so often rejected Chickasaw
claim may not be unacceptable to those seeking
after truth.
In the first place, the Chickasaw claim was neUer
rejected by the last or any other Administration
the contrary, il was allowed and passed by every
proper accounting officer of the Government-the
Second Auditor and the Second Comptroller-and
approved by the First Comptroller, and only not
paid, by covering warrant from the Secretary OF
War, by reason of doubts. not as to the merits Of
the case, but as to his jurisdiction to direct transfer
of the appropriation.
In the letter OF Secretary MARCY to the Second
Auditor, he says: eai
81 official authority in the premises but
preston Of my individual views only say that if the
counting officers Of the Treasury satisfied that error has
been committed it ought to be corrected unless there e
gal prohibition against opening and reconsdeng the matter
Whether such prohibition is imposed by the fourth section
of the law of March g. ls45 question which belongs
clusvey the accounting officers Of the Treasury to decide
In regard to this question: is not my duly, am
pared to express an opinion
Now, will be perceived from the above that Secretary
Marcy clearly of opinion that there any error in
the accounts Of the it should be corrected not
by him. but by "the accounting officers Of the Treasury,
unless prohibited by the fourth section Of the act Of March
s45, which subsequently repealed by Congress- the
recorded documents show, with the express view of removing
this prohibition.
Dr. Wm. NJ Gwin had been some time engaged the
regular agent and attorney Of the Chickasaw Indians
eng from the Government the interest improperly withheld
om them under stipulated compensation Of one-ha he
covered He had paid these Indians considerable
amount and had due him fifteen thousand dollars when
he ascened that the United States had improperly charged
to these Indians one hundred and twelve thousand dollars
and subsistence, in plain and unequvoca violation
Of the provisions of the treaty with the Chckasaws
This information he promptly communicated to the In
dians proposing renquish his unsafed claims for the
contingent recovery Of this claim. This proposition, though
acceptable the Indians, he induced by Major Arm
ong the then Indian agent reduce to the
and which Major Armstrong subsequently charac-
terzed liberal and magnanimols
The claim then presented, Gin ls45) and the
and improper charges clearly pointed out was nvesgat
ed and the admitted, but met with the objection
that the fourth section Of the civil and diplomatic BILL ap
/
previously settled. Here it rested until the section
peaed by the 9Th section Of the civil and diplomatic bill
proved August TO- 1916. The claim again presented
examined, and aOoed by all the proper accounting officers
the Governen and certificates Of allowance issued and
failed to receive the covering Of the Secretary Of
War, for the reason before stated. fE4 3s
From him, in this opinion, differed the late learned law
officer Of the Treasury, Mr.. McCulob, whose opinion,
aboundng in authorities and precedens may be found
the papers.
There will also be found among the papers opinion Of
the late Attorney General and the late Secretary of the Tea-
suy from which is obvious that the only objection
entertained by either Of them the payment of the claim
the prohibition If the 4h section Of the act Of Sd March,
1S45 subsequently repealed Thus stood the when
the present Administration naowed, and passed. and
certified, but not paid
Upon reference by proper Department the Attorney
Generalthat officer concung in opinion with the First
tor of the Treasuryt directed to be paid in the mode
and out Of the fund pointed out by the late Comptroller, Mr.
| McCulloh
So much for the claim /" SO often rejected"
The interest Of Dr. Gwin (halD has been purchased by
Messrs Cocoran Riggs and duly assigned to them. The
of attorney and contract with the Indians had been
previously deposited with the Government and been recog-
missed by the payment Of S5 l60 Is under by the last Ad
minsraion The power Of attorney had been ques-
toned the consideration disputed When this account
however to be settled, the original power left with the
papers in the Treasury could be found The Second
Comptroller though that the copy presented must be
and Of the with the original deposited with
him. required that the copy should be aested aud auhen
Gated by the affidavit Of the party to constitute ega
voucher. This affidavit nodoubt he could have made h-l
self as he had before passed upon it and upon directed The
! S5, l60 l5 to be paid.
Indeed in that the power Of attorney contract with
Gwn distinctly recognised and acted upon only by
the late Second Auditors General McCaa and the present
Second Comptroller Governor Pas but by the late Secre-
ay Of War; Governor Marcy and tie late Commissioner
Indian Affairs Colonel Med under date of the th August
1916, also by Mr.. Walker the late Secretary Of the
Treasury. ffe
So much for the claim being paid upon the declaration Of
the paye Il is not the purpose Of this communication
make an argument, but simply to submit the TRUTH.
OUR MINISTER AT LONDON. N
The Society Of the Friends of Distressed For
4 LnII -