The New York herald., 1851-07-14
The Florida Interest Ctatsns.
wAsnrsGros Cnh g., June 30, 1851.
rs IN, ypIrOR oF THK NEs fJRs HsnALp.

the general accuracy of i,s s;at- 20 public men
and Affairs and have rrgrrtte. that you have
fallen rsp-c that called the
Florida interest claims c.n- inter ea in several Of
those claims attorney for c4 q 'orda in which
state lived before 60 ths cy the impression
that some your editorials may against those
claims the injury Of my cea' AMI Of MYSELF Is my
excuse asking you iusers h Alanation in your
columns
Prior to the purchase - tb. Spanish provinces of
East and Yves. Florida, ty th. cnd sses, they were
invaded three several tias o, rcts OF the United
States with waIlike purpases
The frst Invasion In q aud 10 ied by Governor
Mathews OF Georgia; Gen = smao, of Georgia Col
yohn Williams Of Tepnese- (drrward senator In Con-
eress); and Col Smith, ot the Uused states army
they marched into East lorda at@cSei st Augustine
and we're repealed aidd .he Patriots as the revou'
tionary insurgents uncur President Mcintosh we're
called and having got uto couhct with the Semnoles
under kim Payne we're out thu whole Of ,st
Florida was laid waste Cate were taken away houses
paged and burned eucer ana crops Destroyed and ne
Gro slaves carried off Pres lent son Ter author
y Of secret act Of Congress nanced this inva-
sion as public documents prove
In 1874 General Jackson invaded West Florida and
captured Pensacola and indsed the entire province
Similar losses susraned by the spinards by this
Invasion.
In 1913 General jackson again iovaded West Florida
bis army east beyond the euwannee river and captured
Fort st Marks His army was composed OF regulars
militia and also Of Greek herokes aud Choctsw In
Like losses occurred from his invasion, TO the
spanish inhabitants
spain demonstrated against these aegressons in the
strongest terms By tn, l'Ss o. nau'n. the United
States bound 70 indemnify The spanish sufferers for
ell their losses No lawyer Il reput- will sainsay this
If the Spanish terr'ory entered IN pursuit Of
end TO cbsstise the lnGians ad OWING 70 the inability
of Spain to keep them qa- yet by tn" tSs OF nations
the United States bnHud indemnify the spanish
fully all their dem indet that
l4demnty
In 1919 when Florda w,> c,ded he Uuited States
the 9th article Of the treaty then concluded, the
uited States solemnly stipn'at~t
The United states satisfs elton to be made
fnr the injuries if any which, by process of law shall be
etablished 10 have been suf red ny he spanish o,
aud individual spauh inhab tant- the late operations
q the American army in Florida ~
This is the English In spanish, the wor'
ate' is TO be found The correspondence Of the
negoators (Den 0nis and Mr. Adams SHOWS that all the
invasions intended b. provided for in the
e;iprlaton for indemnify The supreme Coprt OF the
United States have decided. the Of Purchemau,
aud in other that the ash version Of the treaty
must govern in deciding To- tpulatons by the United
states.
Congress delayed passing carry out this treaty
til 1923 1t then authoiz the Judges of the United
States for the territory of Florida tn take testimony in all
Of ca under the treaty. report witch their
a1judcston the cai the Secretary of the Tres.
snry, who shouid allow ard pay such amount as he
egned and lust This rrerpnce to tbs Secre-
tary Of the Treasury is strangely e ned to be fair
pisnce with the r atty stipulation requiring the losses
be sscertsined by process Of law" but the claimants
Lsd TO submit The law passed the best they could
get"
The Florida United States Judges took evidence and
made decisions and report. ia All III. If 1872 1913
1914 and ISIS They adopted ~ rule OF decision to
saow the value f the propery list dsr yed and five
rer cent interest damages They allowed spec ula
tive or suppostious damages.
Messrs " II Crawford and r. Rush Secretaries of The
treasury revised their decisions auo decided all the
Out thoe 1918 were not embraced within the treaty
1he word late excluding th@n the claims Of
that they deducted from the All decreed by
'oe judge Largely and aso rfu all interest either
damages or otherwise
The claimants Of 1872 1873 aud 1914 were though ex-
cuded not dshearen-d After teu wars continual ap-
peal TO the Congress 1884 an additional act
passed. for the bepclt of the sui of lsal3
Those lslI hy some sJra ~ -ction we're still ex
cudrd The absence Of the word late" the Spanish
counterpart, Of the treaty dt covered. and this
ground the claims of lslZ and 1918 placed the
tae footing with those Of his aud Yet thos. of ls4
occurring between the other classes considered
net included in he treaty
a. hat o. ss23
The claims Of 1912 and 1919 have been examined al
mont under the act Of 1s2l ard evers hundred thou.
tand dollars have been paid fSr time to time. The
Judges Of Fast Florida rally awarded i've per cent
The Treasury Department has invariably revised the
Judges award. and has deGueted what decided by
tie examining clerk. the secretary agreed with him
20 be exrsvagan and in every the Interest awarded
wss disaowed by them. No Judges a~srd was
ever increased by the Secretary In instances.
yhe award of the Jude a. TO the value OF the
property destroyed cut down oue-htE in
othors one-thrd. and 90 on just as they though.
proper, ard without any general equitable rule.
but ~ the arbitrary exercise Of the departmental
veto" The mere fancy Of the Clerk and secretary
wa the scale Of allowance, the p-Ucers Of Law - for
lusinted with the witnesses with country ~h
the species Of property destroyed its value in the
10 stone once hs<e the j1dsasnt u neither could
hardly b. regarded being exercised in these
come most udicrous indeed approaching 70 ab
surdty, are given for some ~ the Deductions
1be same remarks msy b. made With entire truth
the GepsItoerts here for seti-msat IL l. mistake TO
suppo-e the head Of the deparimrnt examines closely
'nd eecides all such hlms-f il referred TO
caeik who reports upon IL This Clerk m-y be good
Indifferent or very judge Tie may scrunise the
case earyuliy aud ~, lack Intelligence and ability to
decide properly By Misunderstanding the facts aud
Therefore peryerting them by not comprehendns the
law end therefor. mhapplying II be may do <revous
trJuftIce and yet hs d'con stand. litle chance Of
icing reversed by the Secretary II Is qut easy By mis-
t'ating the facts Of the first place by sup
pressing part Of thin t. manufacture piau.ibie and
sppsrsutly very wire argument against claim. csps-
SaBy 10 those unsequained with it, cha aud his
tory Hence ss iD thes~ FLORIDA cass. very ofen the
eccisobs of the department have been lAuisd very
abe and satisfsctory then the ser really rsproaeh
20 the intelligence Of those in whose they
fhs FLORIDA interest claims. nov prsfsrrc are that
th- decrees q the United states judges may be paid
de pe The deductions aud ofthe Treasury clerks
ssc stcretsres The judic al asar,s all decree inte-
rfst' In terms. N paid interest eHinS. the
amount due should he paid damage losses indem.
nifty or remunsratiVn II ~ paid IA confirm npn Of
TIE tecryes u the Jucr tirg thus acertsined By
process Of law tn amount dus shOud bs yielded as
Ctbt Of the United 90 be paid ~ the treaty
~ IL true the s@rrrtsri.s succ-sdiDg Vim N Crsv.
ffd Az made their -ci-ions the Departmental law
tat b. having decided IL they YOU'D not open his de-
eli ~ and 80 Mr Nelson Mr. Crittead.n as Attor
rpya General dtcii,d. -ince VI CrawfOrd ever
decided Except IN this that he interest ought not
a. 10 paid aud the Attorneys oensrsl Just nsned held
thtt under the ceciion - Mr C. subseqaent -ecre
tsfy sccordng 90 d stie u.gs should pay the in
frics, tl % directed by Cohs.s " they hai done df
rtrty end ssd iutef-st du- " Nuuti DOT have
chs esd the the dcccn uf rbicn did bot apper-
tin % them.
Tli.e claims have cen Iiken.d 70 the oalphin case
rL.y have nohkt Lees tuu Her !. d-bt created by
t. aws cf nations recognized by sismu treaty.
cr.e-ad 10 bs rtsntd by uf Congr. 20 carry
,rt the treaty that dit l. fnl inisunity for lssss
tlstaned ~ wr-ngfu and uujast m itt-y spoliatpns
nti after thirty nine years pr0c~atinstl0n ard Dc
% the Spanish sufferers. 60 say that the United
States viii only DAY %. priuripal piIunt ~ tn
iu. of the PR perry destr tfiry nine years ago
,tt t.t to- wb.u he ,ai. re have ufsrd pay-neut
p, session q Coz -ince l. prspnstetosly unjust
"a iosnitous ID s trU. tie o"mu'ttee - ths Aous OF