The miners' express. (Dubuque, Iowa) 1849-1854, 1850-07-24
The Galphin Claim.

Much has been said and written upon this sub
ject, and not little bad feeling has it caused a
mong the high functionaries of the Government
Now, that the House of Representatives, the i'm
Peaching power Of the nation, has taken actor
upon the subject, and branded with the ot1icia
condemnation of that body, the whole transac.
ton, we will but perform public duty in laying
before readers the result of the Investigation
which the action of the House has made part
of the Congressional history of the country
| In order to proper understanding of this sub
ject we will 60 back to the time when the Sec
rotary of the Treasury ordered the interest on
the claim to be paid
| AS soon as rulnor spread the intelligence to
the world that Geo. w. Crawford, the Secreta-
ry of War, had large interest in the claim of
Galphin, the Representatives of the people be-
came justly alarmed for the honor of the nation,
and the safety gifts treasury, and giving vent
to their indignation, sense of justice to their
constituents and to the accused, suggested the
propriety of proceeding to an investigation of
the circumstances connected with the claim
from its origin in the days of the Revolution till
seventy-thrce years of time had rolled it up in
its complicated gathering of interest upon inter-
est The result Of that investigation as made
by majority Of the committee we have already
laid before our readers in the detailed report of
the committee, we shall, at present content our
selves with reciting the resolutions which were
there recommended to the House for its adop-
fl,o - r.
the House, so far as it related to this claim, has
been based.
The first resolution is in these words, Gre
solved, THAT THE CLAIM OF TIE REPRESENTA-
TIvEs OF GEORGE GALPHIN, WAS NOT JUST
DEMAND AGAINST THE UNITED STATES" and
that resolution being before the House for its ac-
ton on the 9Th of July, it was adopted by yeas
l42 nays 40. SO far then the Representa-
tives of the people-the guardians of their IN
tcrests, and the protectors of their assallcd rights
have aught to do with this subject, they have
acted and their solemn belief is that the demand
of Galphin was unjust!
Let our fellow citizens of both parties look at
that vote, 142 to 40; they must be satisfied that
political parties united in condemning this in
justice, it must indeed have been an iniquitous
fraud. When, not only Democrats but Wings
stand forth to condemn that which has been
done and approved by the party in power, can
any one not acquainted with the extent of the
wrongs inflicted upon the people realize the stu
pendous enormty Of the Galphin swindle -
Enormous we may call it, enormous and fraudu-
lent it must be, when both parties stand Shout
der to shoulder to oppose it.
But it was paid, notwithstanding the present
House of Representatives. declares it to have
been an unjust demand. The principal was
paid because an act of Congress authorised it;
but did that act cover the payment of the inter.
est2 The Cabinet says it did constructvely
while all rules and precedent against that de-
phin investigating committee of the House
which resolution the House adopted on the Stt
July, by the following vote, to wit: l1s yeas tc
II nays. The third resolution which was adopt
ed by this vote alludes to the act Of Congress
authorising the payment of the principal, and is
| in the following words Resolved, That the
act aforesaid, DID NOT authorize the Secretary Of
the Treasury to pay the interest on said claim
and its payment was not Sin conformity with
law" or "precedent.'
| Let it be borne in mind that these resolutions
have become authority, SO far as the House o.
Representatives is authorized to act. 1t is nc
longer matter of uncertainty or doubt that the
Galphin claim was fraud-an imposition-and
that in authorizing its payment from the Treas
ury of the United States, The Secretary Of the
Treasury has done an act unauthorized by Con
gress, and forbidden by the Constitution. IN,
money shall be drawn from the Treasury but i,
consequence Of appropriations made by law
says the charter of our liberties. Money ha
been SO drawn without an appropriation mad
by law, says the House Of Representatives, an
drawn too by a high functionary Of the Govern
inent, for thcbeneft Of one Of his colleagues.