The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1851-05-30

Mr secretary Corwln Will leave for onlo no41
Wednesday. He may, or he may not, come back.
The best interests Of the country and Of the whig
party can we'll spare him and his style OF admins
tering the Treasury Department. His interest in
the Mexican claims has yielded him, in lump,
$76,0O0-a fortune for Ohio freesoil politician,
which he, year since, hardly dreamed of. He can
now be at his ease, if he will, in Ohio, without
lcstation or hindrance at least until Congress shall
raise committee Of investigation, and authorize it
to send for persons and papers relative to the awards
upon the Mexican claims and the payment of the
game to principals, agents, and counselbsxs.
The story is true that Mr.. Corwin threw up his
contingent fee Of only $1,000, in the Florida claims,
at the time he wanted to go into the Treasury De-
spartment The agents for those claims wished to
retain him, and did not want him to 90 into the
cabinet; but when he found he could sell out his
interest in the Mexican claims, counsel, &c., for
all OF seventy thousand dollars and yet 90 into the
Treasury Department, he got on his high horse
relative to his paltry fee in the matter of tho Flo
rida claims, and cavorted before Senators at great
rate. lie swOre he would be released in the matter
And so he was released. In writing, he released
his employers, and they released him.
Now, If it should so happen that the Florida
claims are just, and ought to be paid, under our
treaty stipulations and obligations, and that the
Mexican. claims, for which Mr.. Corwin was inte-
rested more deeply, were, for the most part, spu-
IlOu5 anu rOJten, ana ought not TO have been paid,
what will be thought Of MIR. Corwin's disntercsted
patriotism in the matter!
One of tn Mexican claimants-Dr. Gardner, a
dentst-setS damages, Ilearn, at 81 ,600, 900. He
received Of the banker, Corcoran, some 81, 600,
more or less, in advance, to enable him to reside
here while the commission should hold its session,
and 10 procure his vouchers in Mexico. For his
advances, whatever they amounted to, Mr.. Corco-
ran received, as an award from the Board some
Spl07 ,0OO and DIR. Gardner some 100000.
DR.. Gardner was the agent Of Mr.. John III.
Meers' claim. The claims Of both these gentlemen
were endorsed by the came Mexican alcalde The
award upon Mr.. Meers' claim, by the Board, was
upwards of 100000. 1t may be all right; but
still, as there reliable persons in this city Woo
knew MIR. Meers well for a long time in Mexico,
and never knew him to be worth $500 in the world,
people will talk about the large award made to him
by the Board.
Another award is thus spoken of:-In 1884 man
owned house in Matamoras, not worth 5000.
lie borrowed money-more than the house was
worth-and gave mortgage on the house
rity, with a stipulation that if he did no. refund
the money borrowed in given time, the house was
TO 60 into the ownership of his Mexican creditor
He never refunded the money and 50 lost the own.
ership of his house In 1887, when Santa Annals
troops were returning home from Texas, they found
the honse in Matamoras, referred to, empty, and
took possession of and occupied it. And for this
the old American owner of the aforesaid house,
although the property in the house had legally and
cguitably passed out of his possession brought his
claim for damage before the Board aud the Board
allowed him over 100000! So we go.
received this Information from gentleman who
examined the papers in the case, and who has been
resident in Mexico.
WASHINGTON, May g. 1851.
NIoremests Of the Cabiad- VI. JPe5ste's BaEl,o
Speeot-Cai'onia Land Titles, &c, &c.
Mr.. Webster is expected at the State Department
On Saturday, and until he arrives there will not be
much done of importance here.
Mr.. Corwin leaves for Ohio some time this week,
to attend to his private affairs and recruit his health
Mr.. Hodge, the efficient and able Assistant Secre-
tary, will act as Secretary during his absence.
The great speech Of Mr. Webster, at Buffalo, il
rraisedby Of all parties here, except abolition
lists. 1t is a manly frank and able exposition of tho
position which he has taken upon the compromise
measures: and, whilst it proves that Mr.. Webster il
consistent upon the slavery question, it Mt tho same
time gives the best evidence to the South that the
compromises of the constitution safe in his
hands. No Southerner can believe a Northern man
who makes professions Of his great love for the pe
cuar institution" of that portion Of the Union. A
NortheP man with Southern principle is a man
with no principle at ala man who, like Van Bu-
rem ia ready at any moment TO take the sid, where
ne thinks his interest viii be benefited. But what
the people Of the South require is that the compro
mises Of the constitution shall be respectcd-that
their rights to their slaves shall not be called in
question by other states, who have as much to do
with it ms the Emperor Of Russia, and that the
clause Of the constitution, and the cnactment3 Of
Congress for the protection Of their property, shall
not be set at nought. Dir. Webster has boldly anil
unequvocally stated his views, and pledged MIN Golf
to carry out those views. Upon the broad platform
Of the constitution and the compromise measures
he has planted himself, and, sink OF swim, he will
abide by il.
There is nothing new in all this. When, last
year, in the Senate Of the United States, in the
face Of hostile public opinion, not only in his
MI lint fbr0n shout N 0nritp nf ihn
North, he declared his love FOR the constitution and
for the preservation Of the Union to be above all
merely personal considerations, he stood before
the whole country aud the civilized world ~ n
great ard noble patriot. Side by side with
Clay, Cass, Douglass, Cooper, and those other pa
triots who, for the while, forgot party, in their
struggle for the preservation OF the aion, he then
proclaimed his sentiments. which, ~ Buffalo, he
has reiterated. In Mr.. Webster's case il required
even greater courage TO forward as he did,
than in that Of perhaps, any other man. Coming
from state where such principles as Sumner aud
Garrison entertain, find deep root. he had no per-
sonal Advancement to look TO in stepping into the
breach. But an American, aud a. an American
alone, be forgot his own safety, and thought bat of
his country.
As has been said truly OF Henry Clay, 20 can
II be said OF Daniel Webster, that the Presidency
can add no additional honor 70 his name Both of
these eminent and patriotic statesmen viii live In
history and in the hearts Of their eountrymen,
long after the very name Of many a President Is
forgotten IL may be that tho people Of the United
states will elect Webster to the Presidency; bat
should they do 80, great and glorious a Chief Ma
cisiratc as he would make that period in his life
when, from. amid the excitement Of faaatcism, and
the turmoil ct sectional contentious, he rose supe-
rior to all other considerations, a. patriot aud
an American and helped to spread peace through
out the consederacy, would sim be regarded "a tho
eliminating point Of his history, beyond which no
thing could raise him higher in the estimation OF
ME country.
The Board Of Commissioners Co investigate Cali
fornia land titles will, Il Is supposed Immediately
organize in this city. y. l.. Green. Esq is spok en-
OF for solicitor Of tho board, and l. is understood
that DIR. Davis, formerly of the army, has been
rendered the sccretaryship. After the organization
the secretary and solicitor will, probably, have to
proceed to Mexico, and collect all the information
data, and papers, bearing upon tho California titles
with knos ledgc Of the subjects which win como
before them.
The dissatisfaction which the proceedings Of the
recent beard on Mexican claim, has caused, will