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

Much has been said and written upon this sub
ject, and not little bad feeling has it caused a
mong the high functionares 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 officia
condemnation of that body, the whole transac
ton, we will but perform a public duty in laying
before our readers the result of the Investigation
which the action of the House has made par,
of the Congressional history of the country.
In order to proper understanding of this sub
Ject we will go back to the time when the Sec
rotary of the Treasury ordered the interest on
the claim to be paid
AS soon as rumor spread the intelligence to
the world that Geo. w. Crawford the Secre,a-
ry of War, had large interest in the claim of
Galphin, the Repre- of the people be-
came Justly alarmed for the honor of the nation,
and the safety of its 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-three years of time had rolled i. up in
its complicated gathering of interest upon inter-
est. The result Of that investigation as made
by a ma jorIty of the committee we have already
laid before our readers in the detailed report of
the committee, VIC shall, at present content our
selves with reciting the resolutions which were
there recommended to the House for its aGop
~, Al
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 THE REPRESENTA-
TlvEs OF GEORGE GALruIN, 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 as the Representa-
terests, and the protectors Of their assacd rights
have aught to do with this subject, they have
acted and their solemn belief is that the demand
of Galphn was unjust
Let our fellow citizens of both parties look at
that vote, 142 to 40; they must be satisfied that
when such an overwhelming ma jority Of both
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 enormity 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-
est? The Cabinet says it did constructively,
while all rules and precedent are against that de-
cision, as also the third resolution Of the Gal
phin investigating committee Of the House
which resolution the House adopted on the 9Th
July, by the following vote, to wit 118 yeas to
n 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 sprecedent''
Let it be borne in mind that these resolutions
have become authority, SO far as the House of
Representatives is authorized to act. 1t is no
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. - "No
money shall be drawn from the Treasury but in
consequences Of appropriations made by law
says the charter Of our liberties. Money has
been SO drawn without an appropriation made
by law, says the House Of Representatives, and
drawn too by high functionary Of the Govern
ynent for the benefit Of one OF his collca1lIps