The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-09-21

tss. en- ofopfnioo thst thp s<ssxnt u ~ nA-
perry opened and restated. and that The balance
found due by the accounting officers of $ll2 ,642,
properly chargeable TO the appropriation for the
subsistence aud removal Of Indians
Cd. That the last contract with VIM. Nj. G win,
assigned to Corcoran & Riggs, in valid, aud thai
out Of the fund payable 10 the Chickasaw under
the first head, whatever balance is due under that
contract, should be paid to Corcoran & Riggs
With regard, your obedient servant.
REVERDY JOHNSON.
Hon. T. Ew,xG
Shades Of our fathers defend us Was there
such opinion la such case Here is a
case involving an immediate payment Of STA, 642,
and contingentiy vastly larger sum. A case
which has been decided against by some Of the
purest officers and ablest lawyers in the Union
It's history covers period Of some twelve or four
teen years. and is written on five hundred pages of
foolscap, and the Attorney General disposes Of it
in two short sentences: |" am Of opinion that it
ought to be paid - 81 think Corcoran and Riggs
ought have half the money" There il is, well
and nobly said This learned opinion convinced
the distinguished Secretary, and he penned this
important paper, Veni, rid, rici. See, sir, it is
short and exactly to the point. To use the poetic
phrase Of Mr.. Winthrop, SIT is as brief as the
poesy on lady's ring" Harken all ye ofittle
faith
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR,
January 4, 1850.
The account will be stated and the payments
made in accordance with the Attorney Generals
opinion within. 1. EWING, Secretary
This had well-ngh ended the whole matter; but
the Chckasaws were importunate. They inter
posed Johnsons affidavit and other like docu-
ments. Ewing hesitated; the thing looked bare
faced He may for in his life have felt that
there was such thing as conscience. Again he
unoI slxa loo I'D Qral IN q aid
and that distingushedfu nctionary, with prompti-
tude and power which few men can master, re-
sponded in the following learned powerful, and
convincing argument;
ArroRsEY GENERALS OFFICE,
7th March, 1850.
Sin: In compliance with your request OF the
9th January last, have re-examined the cases Of
the Chickasaw nation against the United States,
and Of Corcoran & Riggs, assignees of William
M. Gwin, upon which give. you an opinion on
the third Of that month, and have most carefully
considered the additional evidence and the argu-
ments of the counsel for the parties concerned,
and see no reason to change the opinion referred
to.
Indeed the effect Of the recent evidence is to
satisfy me more fully that that opinion right
and therefore again advise you accordingly.
s.The press Of business upon me still contin-
uing, must wait until the final adjournment of
the Supreme Court before can give in detail the
which have come. Should you then desire it,
they will be submitted with pleasure.
81 have the honor to be, with great, regard,
your obedient servant,
REvERDY JOHNSON.
on. THOMAS EWING,
Secretary Of the Interior.
This was conclusive; the Secretary was over
come the attorneys stood aghast; the Indians
were hoored; the money was paid; Corcoran q
Riggs felt comfortable; DR.. Gwin was satisfied
and the scene closed. drop tie curtain over the
transaction with this single remark: Before many
wears shall have passed by, will be called on to
refund this money to the Chickasaws.
NoTE-Mr. VINroN moved substitute for
the resolutions Of the committee and afterwards
modified it so as to accept the following from Mr..
BAYLY-
So Resolred, That inasmuch as the resolutions
proposed by the committee raised on the motion
of Mr.. RICHARDSON, do not charge the Secretary
Of the Interior with any crime or mIsdemeanor,
and do not propose any change Of existing laws,
but in effect call upon this House to revise the de-
cison of the proper officers of the Government
upon legal question affecting private rights, that
the same be not concurred'
And the vote being taken on this proposition
resulted as follows:
Ashmnn, Baker, Bayly, Bennett, Bokee. Brock,
Briggs, Brooks, Burrows, Chester Butler, 1. b.
Butler, Joseph P. Caldwell, Calvin, Campbell,
Chandler, Clarke, Clngman, Cole, Corwin,
Crowell, Deberry, Dickey, Dixon, Duncan, Eliot,
Alexander Evans, Nathan Evans, Fowler. Freed
Hampton, Hay, Raymond, Hebard, Henry,
Hilliard, Houston, Howe, William T. jackson,
James l.. j Johnson, Kerr, George G. King, James
G.. King, John A. King, Horace Mann, Marshall,
Matteson, McGaughey, McKissock, Meacham,
Moore, Morchead, Morton, Nelson, Ogle, Otis,
Reed, Root, Rose, Rumsey, Sackett, Schenck,
Schermerhorn, Schoolcraft, Sylvester, Sprngue,
StanIy, Alexander II. Stephens, Thaddeus Ste
vens, Taylor, John B. Thompson, Thurman,
Toombs, Tuck, Underhil, Vinton, Watkins,
White, Williams and Wright,-s3.
Beale, Bingham. Bissel, Booth, Bowlin, Albert
q. Brown, William J. Brown, Buel, Joseph Ca
bic, G. A. Caldwell, Cartier, Cleveland, w. r.
w. Cobb, Colcock, Dimmick, Disney, Durham,
Edmundson, Ewing, Featherston, Fitch, Fuller,
Gerry, Gilmore, German, Green, Hall, Hamil-
Hubbard, Hoagland, Holiday, Howard, Hub
bard, Inge, j. w. Jackson, A. Johnson, R. w.
Johnson, JONES' Julian, Kaufman, P. King, La
Sere, Letter, Littefeld, Job Mann, Mason, Nc
Clernand, Mcdonald, McLanaham, McMuen,
Melville, Meade, Miller, Millson, Morris, Orr,
Parker, peaslee, Phelps. Potter, Richardson, Rob-
bins, Robinson, Ross, Savage, Sawtelle, Seldom,
F. p. Stanton, r. II. Stanton, Stetson, Thomas,
Jacob Thompson, James Thompson, Venable,
Walden, Waldo, Wallace, Wentworth, White
sey, Wildrick. Wood, Woodward and Young
80.
Those in the affirmative are Wings, except
Messrs. BAxLr and POWELL, Of Virginia, and
those in the negative are Den o;rats.
From the Charleston Mercury
Extract of letter received in this City, dated
ATLANTA, GA. Sept. 9, 1850.
During Fair week our house was crowded, and
among the'gutsts were Judge Colquitt, of this