The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-07-03

7y - - 49,, 80 ~ -anr..a,,a,;y.s of Canrga
caIntio 'N - ~
~ - ,,; -, a.; So, H. .o,,,,,,;i, aa
49, o.ndina e,
80 Ps.n,sJ ,rhat ~. claim of tho renrssenta .
80 ~ - - =, 81 III, 80 ',. = ;,,s, ci.iIpp g.inst
,ha Tnit.d So 'N'
od RssoIr,J That the act of Conpress made il
the dutv of he Secretary of the Treasury 10 paw the
nrincin,l of said clam and il was therefore paid
:. i, cppnc,rn,iIv viii, law, and onrecedent
al R.Sai,eJ That The net aforrsaid did NOT M
~. 49, soc,o,ar,, or the ,rreasnrv 10 ma " inter
90 an s,id lain and its navmeni was not ain
conformity with law or precedent"
c,llo,,s OIL
R,soIped That there il no evidence submitted by
,h, committee tu which was referred the letter Of
th. Hon Ccorgc w Cr,wfnrd asking - an inves-
tiiatio, ;no his conduct in reference Ia the claim
~ th. ronrrscntativcs nf George Calnhin which
,nnngns his nersona or oiciaI conduct in relat ion
a. he settlement of said claim by the proper officer.
of the Government
MIR RRECK whocom,nenced n sneech Yesterday
in favor of the Justice of the claim. and the paw.
,uen of the nrincinnl and interest in conformity To
Ian, and nrecedcnt concluded this morning
Mr. StuESCK said that the nointa Which had
been discussed fas 10 the proprety of the paynept
of PRINCIPAL and INTEREST," were aside from the pro.
DER merits of the case The House had been called
IN n iny,stgate the ..conduct and relation, of MIR
o., f,rd tn 91Lis claim TLc,c u,,s one question
which oayc him dilic ulty: and being demanded to
give ,s opinion Inc would rive il according to his
Hcst belief That question was whether the ICON
Al nj In an
rc,rard to Ills claim were appropriate or not? He
diG not think So He was not called ON 10 say
whether the Galphin claim was just or not, and
whether he would allow interest or not; but when he
was asked did he believe it was proper for the Sec
retary of War while holding office as the head Of
one OF the Departments of the Government, to act
as n claim agent or employ "A agent in his behalf
he would reply lac did not While avowing this
opinion 80 lar the conduct Of this officer WAS
concerned, he fuunj nothing in the testimony
which Induced him to believe that there was fraud
or corruption employed to procure the passage Of
the act authorizing the settlement of the claim, or
corr upton under it. He did not find any thing
which should be regarded criminal or corrupt
in the transaction His opinion to its propricty
was founded entirely on the conviction from which
he could not escape and he repeated that II Is linpro
per- whether the claim be good or bad, whether the
amount be much or little, whether principal or in
tcrcst, should be allowed, &c, il improper for
the head Of an Executive Department to be con-
cerncd in the prosecution OF claims against the
Government He offered a resolution in accord
ance with these We've (Which will be found to-
| wards the end of this report)
| MIR. STEPHENS, of q Georgia, entered into close
arg umen to show that the claim Of Gal phin against
the United States was just, and that precedens OK
ist for the payment Of the interest He glanced at
the history Of the question, and earnestly contend
ed that it was the duty oil the Government to see
her citizens protected. 1t had been charged that
the Secretary of War improperly used the iniu
ence OF his position the settlement of the claim,
tiou The bill passed the House without objection
in ISIS He reulicd 10 the remarks of Mr. BRooKs;
and he would tell gentlemen every where that if
they want TO build up u great Wing party, a great
rons,,yatiye marty thev must do right though the
heavens fall He would rot maintain a purty or
the head of a marty who fails 10 do Justice to the
most humble as well as TO the most exalted. You
must do right and YOU Whigs must stand on the
eternal principles of ustice YOU must stand on the
old renubican princIples of rirht and never shrink
frn,n 4
Mr.. FEATHERsToN proceeded to argue in sup
mort of the renort stoned bv Messrs Dlssry Jop
Mass and himself and Of the resolutions append 4.
ed; that the claim Of George G alphin was one that
Inc limited States was under no Obligations To paw
nrior to the nassage Of the act of iSis, which au
ihnrized and reoui1od the navment of the prncipal
onIv: that tho interest thereon was paid without
authority of law or usage; that Congress should
noss law nrohibiting the navInent OF interest in
-, as. ~ ,,,,, H., Of lie Gnvernment miles.
, ,nressIv directed nv law: that Congress should
M, I,yv nrnhib;t;ng apv member az the cabinet
rom deciding ON any claim or demand against
,b,s (:oycrn,uent in >Shich anv Other member of
,hs say,c Cah;ns, shall he inicrested while ,bev
may be thus associated together in the administra-
ton of government; and recommending the pas
sage OF a law making final the decisions made by
the heads of the different departments and regu-
| lating the right Of appeal, etc.
| Mr. DISNEY addressed the House in opposition
| 10 the claim.
| Mr. McKISSOCK obtained the floor, and CAV,
way to
| Mr. sCHENCK, who said that there was nothing
about Mr. Crawford in the resolutions of the majo
| ~ of the committee; and lie Withdrew the amend
ment which he offered in the early part of the day
and now submitted il as substitute for the resolu-
| tions of the committee Ii is AS follows
Resolped, That while this House. after "full in
vestigation does not find cause To impute to the
Secretary Of War any corrupt conduct or fraud
| lent practice, in procuring an allowance and pay
men of the claim of the representatives of Geor &c
Galphin yet il docs not approve his 'rela,ion" to
co ~ tne Proseou'ioh o. y, ~nile was 70 DC 9,
ahneu, ADJUSTED ahu paiu,-oy one oi tne Depart-
nents o. inc government nc hiLnseli az tne same
ume hoiuihg onlce as the hcao OF one oil 'hose DC
| pa,,,,lhennn i,o,,,eo, ,,. -
MI ihonr9 VN, Vl EnlssissipPl'r pIoPosou "
| amend inc resolution by inserting after the Word
Il.
| the oninion yiycn bv tbc Attorney General i'm IA
yor oil AN allowance of interest ON said claim nd
from the action Of the Secretary of the Treasury in
payment of the same; and it does not approve the
relation of the said Secretary Of War to that claim
| in this" &c.
MIR. ORR moved that the House do now adjourn.
| Mr.. THOMPSON, Of Mississippi, as Thursday