The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-05-31

kept herself above suspicion II she had filed an
ofiice that score OF people wanted, and had been
surrounded by walters on Providence, who had a
personal interest in suspecung her.
But the object of this article is not 10 make de-
fence Of individuals. MIR. Johnson needs no de-
fence, and least of all where he Is known here.
"The responsibility Of the opinion says he, in his
testimony before the committee, sis upon me.
Whatever censure 1t may deserve receive, from
any quarter, should austitselfupon me-" The re-
sponsibility which he thus manfully assumes, he is
very well able to bear His opinion speaks for il.
self, and may be left to take Of itself AS
mere matter OF professional authority, it would
hardly be held less conclusive, by those who knew
the difference between quality and quantity, if Mr.
Burt and his colleagues were five hundred in num-
Der, instead of five. But there is something higher
involved in the matter of this outcry, than any
thing merely personal. The blows aimed at Mr..
Johnson and his opinion are felonious assault upon
the national honesty. The amount of demand is
set up as the test Of its justice, and debt that is
inconvenicntly large it is deemed highly unprin-
cipled to pay Morality is supposed TO consist in
getting, and conscience in keeping. Attorneys
general, il is virtually argued, paid to find law
against heavy claims. Their business is to save the
public money by Perjuring themselves to cheat the
public creditor. The ruined petitioner may starve
the heart of the widow, the veteran, and the or
phan may be made sick unto death by hope defer
red forever-but that is no "swindle." Such cpl
thets are reserved fox the integrity that can face
honest duty, and the manness that can uphold the
consequences Of its discharge. And, worst Of all,
il is thought that popularity political captalcan
be made out OF trash larcenous these doctrines
Some of those who profess to rule the public mind
arc persuaded that such iniquty is the very thing
Tor the taste OF the people. II ia believed practical
bic to teach great nation that her true interest
consists in being fraudulent bankrupt, and her
true policy in matchmaking her chief law officer,
because he is unwilling to away her liabili-
ties!
What is the history of the Galphin allowance
SO far as the present question is concerned it lies
n hn lain rttrr,
in a high degree, was made doubly respectable by
revolutionary sacrihces-by patriotic services--by
long years Of vexatious and unjust delay. The
Congress of l848 did themselves much honor by
providing for its settlement at last But if It
had been as unjust il Just, that Congress
left the question of its Righteousness longer open.
They recognised it explicitly-they conceded its
justice they left nothing for the Secretary of the
Treasury to do but to 'examine and adjust" it,
and .to pay the, amount which might be found
due" on it.. Under the act of Congress, Mr.. Walker
paid the principal leaving the question of interest
expressly open. This payment of the principal, in
the opinion Of the whole committee and of every
one else, was ''in conformity with law and prece-
dent" The payment of the interest is declared by
a majority of the committee to be, in their judg
ment, in conformity with neither.
Now, the first thing that strikes plain mind, in
view of the report of the committee is the inquiry,
what has precedent" to do with the question: The
indirectly, or inferentially. 1t legislates for the
the particular case, on its own merits 1t directs
the Secretary to pay not principal merely, but all
that may be found due" For this, he is to sex
cipa, but "the claim absolutely, involving both
principal and interest If he finds the interest
''due,' and yet is forbidden by law and precedent
to pay it, how can he pay the principal, which is
"due,' to the same extent, and for the same rea-
sons, and none other He is not told to hunt 'spre
cedent" in order to whether he can pay what is
"due," but to find out what is "due," really, hon
esty, bona fde "due,' as between man and man,
N m " n w he all fha
dents in the executive archives strongly
adverse they demonstrably favorable to the
payment ofinterest, in such case the Secretary
would have been bound to disregard them, and
Pay The interest Notwithstanding if he found it
Upon what principle the supposed precedents
for the non payment Of interest by the United
States supported? Upon the theory, if any, that
the United States are always ready, willing and
able TO pay their debts and that the creditor who
neglects TO demand what is due TO him does SO at
his own risk. But can common honesty justify
an adherence to such a theory, when the facts
falsify it?-when the Government, though able, has
been neither ready willing to pay, but has
steadily and steadfastly refused! Let puts
Suppose a law were passed directing the Secretary
of the Treasury 10 examine and adjust the claims
due our citizens for French spoations prior to 1900
and 20 pay what might be found due them.
Sup, use that the Secretary or the Attorney Gene
claims, and reject the demand for interest," on the
score of precedent" and on the theory referred
to, that the Government had been ready and will
ing to pay, and the accrual Of interest the
claimants own fault Would not the reply be-
that the theory was fraud and juggle3 Would
not the claimant refer TO his neglected petitions
his sufferings, sacrifices and privatons- melan-
choly protests against so insulting falsehoodP
Year after year, he would say, he had knocked at
the door of Congress, begging for his own, and had
been spurned, as if he had begged aims. II he had
owed money to the Government, he would say that
he had been sued and forced to pay interest to the
uttermost farthing; and he would implore the At
torney General, in mercy, TO explain TO him how
an honest government, which could not be sued,
could have one rule when it received, and another
when IL paid. In his indignation and despair he
might be tempted almost TO curse the wicked de-
ception Of system under which exaction was all
reality and justice all fiction
What the claimant would have right to say, in
such a case, is what every candid man must say in
this; and ], for one, reoiced that Maryland has
furnished the Attorney General who has extricated
the fair dealing Of the nation from the roguery Of
bad bubble. IL is something, in these times, 10
know that public officers can be found who not
afraid to do justice, let il cost what it may.
A BALTIMoREAN.