The daily union., 1852-04-15
CONGRESSIONAL.
DEFERRED DEBATE.
MONDAY. APRIL IL, 1852.

MONDAY. APRIL IL, 1852.
report. We republish the following debate in cor
rected form
SENATE.
THE TEXAS DEBT.
Mr.. UNDERWOOD. Mr. President have the me
mortal OF Leslie Combs citizen OF the State OF Ken
sdeation OF the Senate In order 10 explain it, beg
leave 10 state some acs in regard 10 The legislation OF
Texas liappears from the laws of Texas. which have
been placed in my hands by Mr. Combs that the goth
oil March, 1sis, that State passed law requiring her
creditors to present their claims or before the second
Monday in November, 1919. The claims were to be
and the auditor and comptroller 10 give receipts for
the claims thus presented specifying upon the face Of
each receipt the value OF the claim al the time the debt
was contracted In other words they 10 scale the
claim and receipt TO the holder for The value oil the claim,
according to IFS rate in the market at the time the
debt was contracted The act goes on to provide that
The claims that not presented by the second Mon
day OF November, lS49, should be postponed.
On the sth OF February, 1850. another act was passed
extending the time TO The Isl OF September, 1851 and
that day should be barred Nr. Combs says that he
has claims against the soc OF Texas, amounting TO
$6a 00 without interest He says that he did not pre-
sent them by the days that specified in these acts,
and that he could not present them for various reasons
which he assigns in his memoIial-among others, that
the evidence OF his claim had been filed, with his
lease. in the department here according TO the act of
Congress of September, 1850 The consequence is, that
by the failure to present these claims within the time
specified, they now, by the law of Texas barred
Ii further appears, from the legislation which he has
placed my hands, that act OF Texas went into ope
ration the lst of May 1850, by which the holders OF
claims, audited and reported 10 the legislature under the
ad of 2oth March, lS4s, authorized 10 surrender
their claims the commissioners oil the land Office and
receive land certificates at the rate OF fifty cents per acre.
payment OF their claims BY that act Texas provided
for the paymen, Of the outstanding debts that had been
audited and reported TO the Legislature by the auditor and
comptroller under the act of lsiS, in land But no pro-
vision was made by that law as Mr. Combs says, which
could embrace his claims. BY acl Of The 3st of jan
uary, 1884, passed by the legislature oil Texas that State
appropriated 81 100000 OF the United States stock she
held, pay the claims against her which had been sub
mied TO the auditor and comptroller for adjustment,
under the act of Goth March, lS45 and out OF these
2Oooooo thus appropriated by The act Of 1862, no pay
ment was 10 be made except oi those claims which had
been submitted to the auditor and comptroller to be
scaled in the which have stated. The act fur
ther provides that payment shall be made even out
OF those 81 100000, until the authorities o Texas were
informed by those OF the United States that this govern
men was ready to issue S. 000 900 U stock, which ye
remained behind And il further provides that the pay
men not then to be made unless the holder OF claim
will give receipt 10 the accounting officers OF Texas,
stating that the amount received s in full satisfaction OF
the demand and also releasing the government o the
United States from all Liability to pay The amount OF the
demand
These are the facts which have felt il my duty TO
state, by way OF explaining the petition which MIR.
Combs has desired present He states that he
not willing to submit 10 be scaled in this way and he
exhibits report showing that such debts as his have
been rated at fifty cents, al thirty cents, AT
twenty-five cents, and some as low twenty cents
on the dollar. One Of these acts stops the payment OF
interest on the part OF Texas alter the st OF May or st
OF July, 1850 He sets out all these facts, and states
that he is not willing to submit thus TO be scaled and
looks upon The government OF the United States liable
10 pay the amount OF his demand-having, by the pas
sage OF the law OF September, $780, assumed the debts
for which the duties pledged by Texas were liable All
his claims OF that chaTacerfalling within the de-
scnplon OF those that were 10 be scaef at the rate oil
seventy cents on the dollar.
There also decision OF the Secretary o the Treasury
made part OF this petition, which perhaps ought TO
state. The Treasury Department, have required the whole
oil the creditors OF Texas who were provided for by The
legislation OF Congress, to file their releases before the
retained 5000 900 can be handed Texas; and,
considering all these debts OF Gen. Combs, embraced in
the provision made by Congress- his claim cannot be paid
anil all the creditors release their claims.
These are substantially, the facts OF the and 10
show the urgency of it, will conclude by reading the
latter part OF Gen Combss petition He says: "Your Pc
u,oner has thus plainly presented his case TO the Con-
gress OF the United States, and hopes he will not be
sdered mportunate in urging their early attention 10 his
individual claim or 10 the passage OF some general law
which will afford him relief when he Informs them that
wife and children has been levied by the sheriff, and
must be sold, justice is either much longer delayed or
refused him" Now, under This presentation OF facts
move that the petition be referred TO the Committee
the Judiciary; and beg them to consider the urgency
and take the subject into immediate consideration.
Mr.. RUSk. Mr.. President, desire TO say a single
word. We have had good deal OF pdrte lecturlng
upon the subject Of the Texas debt both in and out OF
Congress and do trust and hope that whatever com
nitire this petition shall 20 to will furnish with
report which shall legitmaley bring that subject for
discussion II not mistaken, the honorable senator
from Kentucky himself. in argument in regard 10
certain bill which passed here appropraiing $4,000 900
to Texas, assumed that what be terms the scaled
debt Of Texas the real debt, and offered some
cons why that amount OF 900 should moi be appo
priaed, because less amount would pay the debt.
remember very well that when was before the Commit
tee OF Thirteen stated what was the amount oil the
Texas debt II was upwards OF $i2,000,0 900. The ap.
propatlon made by the government OF the United States
was only 10 the amount OF Sl0,000.000.
do not intend 10 20 into this matter but hope
bill will come before Congress- by which the whole
OF The facts in this be saied and pledge my
self then TO show what government II IsTexas or the
United States-thai in this matter is the repudator.
will show where the IepudatIng is. know that the
theme for stump speeches all over the country; and
whenever this matter comes before Congress in such
shape as to justify its Invesga ion, will show that in
any court OF conscience equity, the United States are
bound for than thirds OF the debt OF Texas, by
a policy which in any other government would have
been dsgracefuI. II
MIR. UNDERWOOD. 1 cautiously avoided expressing
an opinion upon the subject to which called the aten-
tion Of the Senate felt sentiment OF delcacy that
operated upon mel prevent OF any opinion
oil mine whatever, and Intentionally avoided II. II IS
true, the gentleman from Texas well knows, that
have expressed my opinion heretofore against The liability
gress settled it against my opinion did not intend to
revive thai; but merely called the attention OF the Sem
ale TO the facts represented by the memoras with
out giving any opinion OF my own. II the gentleman
supposes that intended TO make any reflection upon his
State, or 10 commit myself In way or the other ne ~