Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1850-05-27

case; but that event marked the first devel.
opment Of the thought that the United
States might be induced to pay it. More
than half century had rolled away from
the time that the War of Independence had
closed; the claim had been kept alive by |
the industry of Galphin's representatives;
it had been urged and argued, again and
again, before the Legislature Of Georgia,
but no intimation had been dropped from
any quarter that the Government of the
United States ought to be made answera-
BILE for the debt. The proceedings at New
Echota, however, opened new quarter
from which payment might be obtained, !
but in the first Instance the effort failed.
The Senate Of the United States rejected
the provision, and the untiring claimants
renewed their application to the Georgia
Legislature, though again without success.
Not yet discouraged, In 1914 they again
applied to Congress and finally in ls4e
Congress passed the act requiring the Sec.
retary of the Treasury to examine and
adjust the claim. Mr. Crawford still main
tanned his relations to it, AND BY AGREE.
MENT VIRTUALLY OWNED oNE.HALF OF
THE ENTIRE AMOUNT. Under the terms
Of the Act the late Secretary Of the Treas.
ury felt it to be his duty to pay the pranca-
pal, but his term of office being about to
close, he was unable to devote the time
necessary TO that examination which alone
could enable him to decide the question ..of
interest; & through his impressions against
its allowance, he left the matter open for
his successor to decide. The principal
was paid, and Mr.. Crawford receired has
share.
Such was the position Of the matter
when Mr.. Crawford entered the Cabinet
as Secretary of War. Desiring his rela.
tions to be fairly understood, he availed
himself of an carly moment to advise the
President of the facts. He informed him
that he was connected with a claim then
pending before one of the Departments for
decision, and solicited his opinion upon the
propriety of that position for member of
the Cabinet. =
This he felt to be sanction, under Mr..
Crawford at once employed counsel to
prosecute the claim. He, hoaueuer, as
sisted in revising and in the preparation
Of the arguments, and on several occa-
sions spoke to the Secretary Of the Treas
mry, mrging him to make an early dis
position Of the case. He spoke also to
the Attorney General to the same purpose,
but he declares that he never apprised eli
ther of these gentlemen of his interest in
the matter, nor did he authorize any other
person 10 give them the information. The
oc ~
ecuted by Milledge Galphin Executor to
Mr. Crawford, as well as similar power
to receive and receipt for the money, were
among the papers on file, as well as sew
eral letters, showing that MIR Crawford
was acting in the affair. Allthese papers
were before the Secretary Of the Treasury,
the Attorney General and the First Con.
troler; but the two former deny that they
had any knowledge oc Mr. Crawford's in.
terest.
The Secretary Of the Treasury admits
that at some time he heard that Mr. Craw-
ford had been connected with the claim,
but the remark left no impression on his
mind; and the Attorney General says that
he examined no papers not necessary for
| him TO understand its merits. The opinion
ofthe Attorney General was given, and the
Secretary of the Treasury ordered that, in
asmuch as the Attorney Generals opinion
decided the principle that, in point Of law,
interest ought to be allowed, it should be
done. The matter was referred 10 the
First Controller, who appended his appro-
val, with the pithy remark, "Ihe signing
Of this certificate is an administrator
act" ss
The money was paid, and after abating
the sum paid for expenses incident to the
prosecution of the case, Mr. Crawford re-
ceived, in conformity with his agreement
with the heirs, the one-half the amount as
his oaun proper share. The interest a.
mounted to $19r352 80 cents; from this
$4,000 were paid as fees to counsel. His
receipts were $21, ,40l 90 cents from the
principal; and $94, 176 A cents from the
interest allowed. In all, $ll5.576 AZ
cents.
Such are the facts connected with MI
Crawford's conduct in relation to the affair,
and we submit them without comment to
the judgment of the House.
! The matter involved was not debt due
from the United States. The payment ol
the principa: was matter of grace on the
part of Congress-, and the extent to which
it carried its bounty was fixed by the aci Of
l645. The duty of the Attorney General
in such cases is limited to the construction
of the law. Whatever may have been
| liberal or illiberal was not in his province
to determine. He is not the Almoner of
the public bounty, nor has he a right to su.
peradd to his duty OF determining the obi.
cations of the law, the kinder Office of dis
pensing the liberality of the Government.
The Administration is the legal custodian
of the public Treasure: as the guardian Of
it the people have right TO look for its
protection; but if the members of the Cabi-
net are to become feed counsel against
the Treasury, it requires but little knowl-
edge of human nature to anticipate what
must be the inevitable result. The instinc.
tive notions of every man, and the common
Judgment ofthe public, will condemn po-
sition of the kind: but it becomes doubly
dangerous when it is deliberately sanction
ed BY the President Of the United States.
The representatives of the alphln had
no right as against the General Govern
ment, and no one had right to extend its
bounty beyond the limits fixed by the act