The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1850-05-22
TELEGRAPH DISPATCHES.
CONGRESSIONAL.
WASHINGTON May Is.
HOUSE.

claim in all lis amlhcatlons-opp0Sed 1t as
unjust, and said the settlement of interest was
left as legacy of mischief to coming adj
ministrations. The report was read.
The first part goes into minute history of
the claim, and concludes with following the
investigation of Gov. Crawlord's relations TO
and conduct in this claim. The committee
deemed it their duty to request Gov. Crdw-
/ ford to appear before them and speak such
sentiments as would make them understand
his connection with the claim and as he would
think proper on his own part. He did APP
pear, and made statement, which was sub
/ seQuently reduced to writing, and also an
swered inquiries proposed by the committee.
From his statement. it appears that he be-
came agent or counsel for the claim by pow
er of attorney, executed by Milledge Gal
phin executor of Thos. Galphin, who was
son and executor of Geo. Ga! phin, on the 9TH
of February, 1888. By agreement with the
party on the 23d OF May, 1888 he was en-
titled to receive for services, without any 9TH
er charge to his principal, one half of the
whole claim, or such part OF it as would be
realized. Supplementary agreement by par
! ties explanatory W entered into in january
! IS, 1885, by which it was stipulated that pc
cuniary advances and professional services
| Of Gov. Crawford should be consideration
/ for half net profit of claim and that all add
vances to contract made by him with other
persons concerning the claim should be de
/ Quoted from the sum TO be realized from the
! claim before its division. Gov. Crawford en-
deavored to obtain payment of claim by
treaty of New Ecotah with the Cherokee
Indians in 1885; failing in that, 1t was pre-
scented to the Legislature OF Georgia, and
continued to be urged before the Legislature
of that State until 1912 Gov. Crawford
] bor Of hot nor ~,
interest in that claim, and urged in debate
his payment, but declined to vote upon it. In
/ May, 1648 he arrived in this city on his way
to the Philadelphia convention and remained
about day, and on his return from Phila-
delphia. reached this city in the morning, and
departed for home in Georgia that night
/ He did not again visit this city until after the
passage of the law, and was absent when the
bill passed the Senate and House Of Repre-
sentatives.
In February, 1910, he again came to this
city. and in March following entered upon
his duties as Secretary Of War, and from
that time took no steps to prosecute the claim
for interest until urged to 90 so by his princi-
pal. As his interest was contingent and
secondary, he did not think he could refuse
to have it urged as desired. About the mid
die of May, 1S49, he disclosed to the Presi-
dent the condition of the claim, and his rela-
ton with it; that he had been prosecuting it
before Congress and elsewhere since 1914 [;
that it had been allowed by Congress was
pending before the Treasury Department,
and that he had amherst in it. He did not
state the character or amount Of the claim,
the extent of his interest in, name of claim
ant, nor did he enter into details of the claim.
The President replied that in his opinion
none of his pre-existing individual rights had
hOo, ;i,I, l. "a,
He employed Judge James Bryan to prose-
cute the claim. and promised him $4,000 if
the claim should be allowed and paid. He
supervised and aided in preparing Judge Bry-
ans argument in support OF the claim for in
terest, and denied that bis interest in the
claim, was at any time before payment, made
known TO any officer Of the government who
was charged with its adjustment, by lis au-
thority or with his consent.
On the 8th of May, Gov. Crawford adj
dressed communication to the committee
informing them that he desired TO state a con
versation with the President in May. 1850
From his statement it appears that in this
latter conversation, the President had the inn
preston from first conversation that the clam
was before Congress although, as to this
his memory was indstnrt. the matter having
passed his mind until public notice was di-
rected TO the claim; that the President told
Gov. Crawford that. although he did not rec
ollect being 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 claimants, did not
deprive him Olrghts as such agent. nor could
have justified him in having the examination
and decision of the Secretary Of the treasury
suspended.
The President added that in his opinion
the claim was Just, and. under the law OIL
Congress, should have been paid, no matter
who were the interested parties. Here is a
sentence or two of utter senselessnesS in the
telegraphic report. Mr.. G. alluded to this
claim, on one occasion, in conversation with
Attorney General Johnson. as one in which
some of bis Georgia friends were concerned,
but only to ask him to examine it at leisure.
He alluded to it three or four times i'll con
yersation with Mr.. Meredith, before his de-
cision, but only 10 ask that it might be decid-
ed without delay. Johnson, Meredith and
Whittlesey testified that Crawford did not
by any act or expression, make known to
them his interest in the claim, nor were they
informed of it by any other person whilst
the claim was Undecided and there is nc
, evidence before the committee to the contra
ry.
Bundles of papers relating to the claim
were sent by the comptroller TO the Secreta-
ry of the Treasury and by him to the At
torney General. One of them was the pow
er OF attorney already referred to j; anotln