Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1850-04-16
RICHMOND Enquirer.
MONDAY MORNING. April Is, Iss0.

4
THE CARINET.-The correspondent Of the n. Y. Ex
press repeats, that modification OF the Cabinet will TAX
lnro IN short time. This may 81, for aughi we know
and Loc'ocos may fail Ia derive any benefit from II.
he present Cabinet has hud many difficulties 10 encounter
But one thing may be- truly said OF it, that the Executive
Depaants of the Government have been ably
oc honestly and moc faithfully conducted rs only faul.
lht IL he, is Lrei that attended rgialy 10 the
tails 4" business 10 the ec Of party. This Neglect ha
given dissatisfaction, and weakened with politicians More
over In It's devotion t. official duties i: has omitted 10
in its power advance its psrv which in the hand
ot Locoioco administration would have crushed NhiggeI
lea hall century lis predecessors lett al oi de
l!e'dns, unprecedented in annals. The exposure
these would nave effect in opening is eyes OF TN
people 10 the IEworthuess of Locoi,sln, than f.ty a
nngu-s in Congress. But the Cabinet hrs never used tcn
nor l"s II urr.shod the Whis press the ans 81 rsnl
| them.
With little attention such Indispensable
in This age; and with its admirable administrative talent,
would be dicdt 10 find its eqral-[ Richmond Hhis.
The above from The Wing, is curiosity. The Cabi
is cxollrd for all the virtues the very moment whe:
Of 'hen the Secretary of Wnr 10 before House Com
ncc Of investigation in connection with his having recer
cd the enormous OF Sl9S,0G0, lin which, agent h
personally ntcresed by the decision Of his fellow
bc,s Of thr Clblnet Messrs Meredith aud Johnson VI
shall not pre,udge the queson-6ut il is conceded tina
r. Walker the late Secretary Of the Treasury paid th
principal Of the claim $4,000 and ref.ei pay tie nteres
for - years viz the Of S920 0Q0 The claim be
fore Mr Whltllesey the present Comptroller who also
Ieccd itbu il afterwards paid by Mr. Meredith, tht
opinion of Mr. Johnson.
The following statement OF facts IS forth in the New
York Tribune rabid Whig paper ani evidently indicates
in the opinion ri thar paper, that prominent unctionary
used his Official influence 10 pass antiquatcd claim
|. That this very old claim (none the for that
growing oat o certain transact lions 10 which Gauphn
certain Indians and the Royal Government Georgia
parties in 773 before the breaking Of the Reyo
luonary War;
That the State of Georgia recognized provd
ed for the claim (Which originally for lhn but having
disposed OF of her wild lands 10 the Federal Govern
men turned the claimant that Government for sails
faction.
3. That this claim, though So venerable and welbackod
was admitted by Government till 1916, theiea
bouts wheE bill got through both Houges directing
the Treasury Department 10 audit and settle il on terms .:
justice and equity;
!. That il audited and settled under Secretary
Walker, ana the full estimated amount Of the original LAIN
paid over TO the helrs and assigns OF the original claimant
the sum being about Si9, 600;
5. That tins duly pocksIed, but the claim -i
prosecuted Tor afterwards revived for interest Oh tho amount
accorded for the years intervening since thu
origin OF ;ie demand
g. That Ex-Governor George w. Crawford OF Georgia.
U States Secretary af Var formerly agent Of :ie
claimants in prosecuting their cam though he no longer ap
l. Tha Mr. Meredith Secretary ni the Treasury directed
the proper officer 10 his Department 10 reexaminc this claim
for interest," and that officer Comptroller mhitiesey) lid
and reported thu. there nothing due The clant,
c"rdns I" the principles established the Government ic
The settlement Q. Claims;
That Mr.. Meredith permitted directed appeal
b- taken from his decision 10 the Attorney General (tev-
erdy JohnsoE) who reported fdrOr of the validity and
equity OF the claim. whcreGpon
.. Secretary Meredith directed its payment, and II has
bsen paid Ia the amount OF some Sl9o,0UU.
correspondent, Of the paper gives another in
stance of similar transaction in which, as in the abovs
those high in place 10 be the honetciaros:
There has been another legal opinion given lately in an
other cases that is in direct opposition learn
10 the uniform decisions of the Treasury Department mos;
fbp off
not less than eight hundred thousand dotars and probably
than MILLION TO meet the long dormant aud rejected
claims that will spring up under this decision"
The Wing paper copies the letter of f. T. Montague
ESQ., late clerk in the First Auditors office Washington,
yndcating Mr. Crawford and adds tho following comments
We say that this explanation fails to satisfy us in
several particulars viz:
l. Ii admits that Secretary Crawford had direct pecunl
ary interest in the claim.
2 1t admits that this payment of interest is IAN innova
ton upon the general usage OF the department"
g. 1t conceas the fact that it was rejected BY The pope'
auditing officer under the present administration and finally
passed over his head by order Of the present Secretary oil
the Treasury, based upon opinion Of the Attorney Gene
against the proprey of the proceeding u surely has
ugly look about it, in SPITE of Mr. Montagnes decided
opinion nnd iasdious delcacy. And we don't like the
idea OF member of the cabinet taking the opinion OF 0
clerk the proprey of his holding and prosecuting such
II claim. We trust Nr. Cobbs committee will probe thl
matter fully and iearlessly.
is it not strange that Wing should select this very tin
aud the Cabnet-e-pccnly il is asserted in othe
Whg papers, that other claims have been allowed
by the Secretaries which roeclsd by previous admins
traons. The correspondent Of tie n \. Sun, who has de
voted much o the work ofsscertaning the sentiments
Whg Senators and Representatives towards the Admin
istration n whole" declares positively that
"o al twenty, from all sections Of the country, win
wnom convetsod did not find one not anxious Tor IN I'M
,T
10y less Of these gentlemen that tho Presidents af
anxious themselves 10 be rid Of ~ present COUNCIL no
hesitans Il say Ia them that wntie IT Cls lod eaoe
himself Eot from tic charge o Improperly OBTAINING
money from the Treasury he Che Presidency owes \
the Wing party Ia supply his place with saro othsf of
Ger Webster is being looked 10 US the successor OF Mr.
Cnvt6n and Mr. Butler King as the gentleman who s t,
.tep into Nh Craworls shoes. Mr. Cays speech deliver
, Friday designed il IS thought TO force the caoi
net u crisis terminate in it- dis lton though ~
excellent terms with the President, both himself and Mr
Webster understood express themselves InEky as
opinion that the interest Of The country and tie Wing part!
require speedy change in the parties holding the rns Of th
government Their demonstration in connection VIII
powerful wings of the Democratic party in favor of full an'
final settlement Of the slavery issues Is as much move
men against the Cabinet against the Free Solers, and
Messs Benton and Seward the former being ds ANXIOUS 10
take oil II settlement Of these issues as the after
This is truly nice concern 10 be commended 10 pucht
:lvor Bu the sronges. proof Of The ability Eonesy ano
fidelity Of the Cabinet advanced By the Wing il that II he
floJ TO cxpose the unprecedented dofacaon OF lis pre-
scrssors" Ii this be te what yigant sentinei' we have
NJ the head Of affairs But il cannot be luc or the NOUS
cr Truman Smithhc who the confidential agent OF the
aemins a,an held the people OF Indiana the hbt
Of Offices in reward for Taylor members of Congresshe
would hunt them up and expose them public condemna
ton But il is all fudge-and the Taylor Regency though
sustained by tho aid OF lis recruit the great Missouri
free soer will tumble by ts inherent defects and hee-
rogeneos elements For the good of the country we would
desire renodeing of the Cabnedd we seek party gain
alone would pray for the continuation Of the present
dynasty.
MR. RO. A. MAYO'S ELIGIBILITY.
The Wing have dropped this subject no doubt
satisfied that there no shadow OF foundation for the ooec
lion TO Mr. Mayos eligibility because he like any other c
zens sells tobacco the u s. Government IN business
way The Times however, persists ia the cayi and con-
tends that what the Government pays him for his tobacco
III emoument and therefore BY the law III the ne" as vel
the old Code he is disqualified asa member OF the egis
aue Wa shalt .etouch that question, as We cannot
make it palmer Ii Mr. Mayo be disqualified, then s Mr.
syme The representative of Petersburg equally disqualified
or Ike Mr. Mayo lie too receives pay from the L. 5 Gov
nd and tere