The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-05-21

rights Of Governor Crawford had been ourtailed by
his acceptance of office. lie employed Judge 10,
seph Bryan TO prosecute the claim, and promised
him three thousand dollars if the claim should be
allowed and paid He supervised and aided IN
preparing Mr.. Bryan's arguments IN support OF
the claim but denies that his interest in II was at
any time before the payment of the claim, made
| known to any officer OF the government who was
charged with its adjustment, by his authority or
with his consent.
On the sth of May, Governor Crawford addressed
a communication to the committee, informing
them that he desired To state conversation OF his
with the President, in March, 1850 From this
| statement il appears that, in the latter conversa-
ton, the President had the impression, from the
first conversation that the claim before Con-
gress, although as TO this. his memory was ndis-
tnct, the matter having passed from his mind, UNI
ill the Claim attracted public notice; that the Presi-
dent told Governor Crawford, although he did not
| recoect to have been told by him that the claim
had been allowed by Congress, and was pending
| before the Treasury Department, yet he did not
see, if he had been so informed, how he could have
given any other opinion than he had given; that
| being at the head of the War Department, and
agent of tho claimants did not deprive him OF the
rights he may have had such agent, nor would
| have justified him in having the examination and
decision of the claim by the Secretary Of the Urea
| sury suspended. The President added, that in his
opinion, if the claim just one, under the law
OF Congress il should have been paid, no matter
who the parties interested in it; and that this
was due to the credit and good faith OF the Govern
| ment.
1
| claim by Mr.. Walker, the late Secretary of the
| Treasury, urged by Gov. Crawford, and some
of his friends insisted on il with so much earnest
ness induced Mr. Walker to conclude that Gov.
| Crawford would be member of the present Cabi-
net Gov. Crawford alluded to it ON one occasion,
| in connexion with the Attorney General, one in
which some of his Georgia friends were concerned,
but only to ask him to examine it at his leisure.
He alluded ii three or four times in conversation
with MIR. Meredith, before its decsion but only to
| ask that it might be decided without delay. Mr..
Johnson, Mr. Meredith, and Mr.. Whittlesey, testi-
fed that Gov. Crawford did not, by any act or ex-
preston make known to them his interest agen-
| cy in the claim, nor they informed of it by
| any other person, whilst it was undecided; and
| there is no evidence before the committee to the
| contrary. The bundle OF papers relating to the
claim sent by the Comptroller to the Secretary
| of the Treasury, and by him to the Attorney Gen
| eral. Amongst them was the power OF attorney,
| already referred to; another from Milledge Gal
| phin 10 Gov. Crawford, dated 30th December,
iS4S; and one or two letters written by Gov. Craw
ford to some officer of the Treasury Department, in
4 the month of February, lS49 Neither OF these pa
pers stipulated any compensation Tor his services
| Judge Joseph Bryan appeared on all occasions as
| the agent and counsel OF the claim and submitted
/ all the arguments in support of it. No other per-
son known to the officers OF the government as
| agent counsel for it.
The committee have not been able to discover
any evidence that Governor Crawford ever availed
himself of his official position, of the social rela-
tions it established between himself aud the other
members of the Cabinet, to influence the favorable
determination of this claim. The claim was never
the subject of Cabinet elaboration; and it is due to
candor and truth that the committee express their
| conviction, that nothing has been disclosed by the
testimony to induce them to believe that the Score
tary of the Treasury the Attorney General were
aware until this claim had been adjudicated, that
| Governor Crawford had any agency interest
| in it.
There nothing unusual in the circumstances
| attending the adjustment or payment of the prin-
| cipal interest of this claim, any departure
from the ordinary course Of business III the Urea
| sury Department
draft for the princpal-being forty three thou
| sand five hundred and eighteen dollars and nine
ty- seven cents-was delivered by the Hon. A. H.
Stevens to Gov. Crawford, in the city of Augusta,
| Georgia, carly in March, lS49 From that sum
was deducted seven hundred and fifteen dollars,
composed of the following items, to wit: Five hun
dred dollars paid to the legal representatives OF
| agent, who died in lS4l for services prior to his
death; hundred and fifty dollars TO agent in
Georgia, for services in 1884; and sixty five dol
lars for transcripts Of records and the collection OF
| testimony in Georgia. or the residue, Gov. Craw-
| ford retained twenty-one thousand four hundred
and one dollars and ninety eight and half cents
being half; and the other half he paid to Mil
/ ledge Galphin, executor of Thomas Galphin, by
whom it is believed to have been promptly paid to
| the legatees of George Galphin
| The following is a statement of the amount of
| the interest, and how and TO whom 1t was paid
Il statement Of the interest paid the Gaiphin claim.
Interest on S4a.6ls 81, for 10 years., 3
months, and IL days. SlSl,3o2 81
Less fee Of Joseph Bryan ............ 5000 90
SIss,352 SO
Less one half under contract with e..
| w. Crawford ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 94,l76 ~
S94,l76 a
4 Less commissions of DIR. Galphin,
executor of George Galphin, at per
| cent -............ 4,iOo o.
| ---
Ss9,46t %
| One third due Ann Milledgc, execu-
| trix, under award, &c..........(a) 29,S22 81
Balance to heirs of L. Galphin. ...... S59,645 0s
OF Mrs. Milledge's portion, as execu.
trix, paid to her son and agent, Tin
i cash) ........... .................. Zoo w
In treasury draft, (No 6,925) ........ 29,572 So
(a) s29s22 55
OF Dr. Galphin, as executor, &c
| In Casn. ,.....-...... SlBvoO w
In treasury draft, (No 6,92l).... 63,353 80
S64,353 90
GEO. w. CRAWFORD,