Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1850-06-13

ing to S43,5lS 81. Mr.. Mccullough, the Comptroller
of the Treasury, in conformity law and The uniform
practice Of the Government, refused to allow or
commend the payment of the interest. When Presi-
dent Taylor into Office the claim had been set
,led the principal paid aud the rejected To
the surprise Of every one, Mr.. Crawford into
the cabinet instead of The Hon. Thomas Butler
King, t. whom place had been assigned by public
opinion in the South. II is but Just to Mr.. Crawford
and To Gen. Taylor to state, that, after his ap
pointment, Mr.. Crawford called on the President and
Informed him of his interest in this claim aitor-
ney, but without informing him of the character of
the claim. the amount that the principal had been
paid. Gen. Taylor in his characteristic and lucid
style. replied" Well, Mr.. Crartord, If Mr.. Mere
d,h ouces Mr.. Gatphin any thing, don't see that at
makes any odds about your being the IGWyer." These
said TO be his exact words The claim for the
interest was presented to the new Secretary of the
Treasury. and Elisha Wbtlesey. the first Comptrol-
Ter Of the Treasury, whg and an able and honest
man-an incorruptible patriot, made able report
against the payment of interest. This opinion
overrued by the Attorney General, and interest on
this claim from May 2. IT'S, amounting to Sl9l,-
352 SO, was paid.
Mr.. Wkttlesey, to his credit for 6rmness and hon.
esty be it spoken when he signed the treasury war;
rant, added this significant noe-"TAis is an admin
istrGtiue Gct." Interest is part of original
debt. 1t is damages for the retention Of the prnci
| pal and as the Government is always presumed TO
be ready at oil times, to pay its debts, interest is
allowed unless the law directs the accounting
officers to pay damages. The following Attorneys
General have decided: Messrs. Writ, Taney,
Butler, Criitenden, Legare, and Nelson. In the
of Wood u.s. the United States Governor Crttenden,
as Attorney General, even reversed the judgment of
a Court. and refused to pay interest because it had
not been expressly authorized by law. In the Gal
phin case Congress intended by the pay
interest. There Is nothing in the law to the
inference that any thing more than the principal was
to be paid. During Mr.. Monroe's administration,
the Government owed him large sums of money, on
unliquidated claims. Such the case with Gen.
Cass, whilst he was in the War Department. Neither
of these gentlemen would have their claims exc mined
or receive a cent whilst they were in office. Gen.
Jackson refused to permit any of his friends to
in Cungress for refunding the fine illegally collected
from him until after he had retired to private life.
Of the first amount paid, being the principal of the
claim, Mr.. Crawford received his fee one half
S2l 759 AZ also, one half of the interest," amount
ing to S95, SIG Al. very handsome fee and that
paid to him whilst he is a cabinet officer, on claim
allowed by brother officers in the same cabinet The
whig papers tell that the cabinet unit, and, if
50, there is doubt unity Of feeling to help each
other. God help the country when such a state of
things exists. Even if the practice of the Govern
ment, the law, and the decisions of the courts, had
favored the payment of interest it should only have
been allowed from the presentation of the claim and
the refusal of the Government to pay it. The Gal
phin claim presented for payment to the
federal Government until 1887 yet interest is allow
ed and paid from IT'S, year before the Declnra
tion of independence. The whole case is monstrous,
and shows the corruptions of the present ruling dy-
nasty. Mr. Meredith and Mr.. Johnson both swear
that they did not know that their colleague, Mr..
Crawford had any interest In the claim. Having so
sworn, we are bound TO believe them; yet strange to
say among the small bundle of papers in relation to
the claim which should have been carefully exam
ined md read before they assumed the responsibility
of allowing, and paying it, found several letters
from Mr.. Crawford showing his interest, and the
power Of attorney from Milledge Galphn. which au-
thorized him to prosecute the claim. We have been
the revolution through the Indian forest. the wilds
of Georgia, the English ExcIequer in London, the
halls of legislation. the committee rooms. the New
Echota treaty. the fceled atmosphere of dog-night
session in Congress, to Its final resting place in the
national treasury. where it will remain corrupt and
luahsome thing. from which all honest men will
shrink nghnst. We cannot say Is Shakespeare said
of his ghost in Hamlet
"There is no speculation in those eyes,
With which thou dost glare"
The speech of Mr.. Brooks mastery party
move. He determined, that far as he was con-
cerned the dead carcass of this and corrupt
thing should not be hung upon the whg party. Hear
him
"When from my studes Mr.. Speaker. there burst
upon my vision the fragrant wrong of taxing the people
of the United States pay for this claim, resolved
all hazards to myself 'o cry aloud and to spare
not.'' l know the responsibility am assuming, and
shrink not from under it. dare to do right, and
to speak the truth. what may Of denunciatiou
or threat. | exhOrt gentlemen OH this side of the
House (the Wing side) to study WE'LL and to fly from
this caim-to Fly from il, as from the hre that burnt
John Rogers ut the stake L would rescue all my
friends
The Washington correspondent of the New York
Tribune says. that Col. FREMONT received official ad
vices by the last California mail of the extent
richness of his mines, That to him appear in