The daily union., 1852-10-13

that this rather worse principle than the Gaphn claim
and that II exhibits refinement iinaneering be
ote revealed in the administration oil any government
ndesd, requires aeueness o perception 10 under.
stand IT. aud good deal OF faith 10 believe II when it is
understood. Here is claim amounting originally 10 81.
i2V, according 10 The committee (see page b. paid oil
twenty years ago. and now paid over again with
compound interest partin all S32 O00-ihe princi-
pal Increased 10 $1,000, and the interest computed at
$2So0Oa debt (f ii can be called) swollen from less
than 800 10 than S32 900, and all this increase
gong on after has been fui'y paid and discharged
IL used 10 be thought in old times when debt was
paid OF that there end Of it, Let humbly hope
maj THIS may still be The rule IN private transactions.
But IN The administration OF the government at Wash.
ingon our whg friends appear 10 be rejoicing in some
new revelations in respect 10 the law OF accounts The
old systems are exploded. Taking this a stand
ard, claim against the treasury, with whig cusodans
to guard y is worth after i is paid of than il was
before When Is exiinguished by payment the prin-
cpa by marvellous process, goes increasing,
not only carrying with a what we, who go by the old
arthnscs. consider lawful interest, but carrying with
compound interest also, which we have been taught
TO consider usurious To do them Justice however the
executive officers did not defend the usury Mr.. Ewing
SAID that the compound interest paid by mistake,
King difference 4 my computation 's correct OF 600
S2SOOO INTERESTS 900 OF it usurious and paid by mis-
take Let me stale the again, for it is one
which will bear repetition: debt of 81 ,729, paid of
tweny-seyen years ago. and now paid over again The
principal increased to $4 400o-lhe interest computed
S2SOO0-$S,OOo OF II usurious and paid by mistake
Such the msmanagement Of the guardians of the
uy under the present NAL administration OF the govern
ment
But Mr.. Ewng's financial achievements, like other
painful visitaons OF fortune, do not come sngly Like
Messrs Meredith and Johnson he has illustrated his
genus ior finance by an Indian While those gen.
temen were adjusting an account OF seventy five years
standing with the Creeks and Cherokees, Mr.. Ewing
was busy with comparatively modern one only sixteen
years old) with the Chlckasaws.
In 1884 by treaty with these Indians, the Chickasaw
country, it called, ordered to be sold. and
the proceeds invested for their benefit. In the prog
cfth thaQn Init ha,,
indebted to them, 10 the amount OF $4,000 Hall
this amount claimed by OF their agents aor-
neys The case was brought before Mr.. Medill, the
Commissioner of Indian Affairs under Mr.. Polk and
jected. An appeal made to The Secretary of War;
Governor Marcy, 10 whose department the Indian bu.
reau al the lime belonged, and the decision OF the Com
missioner rejecting the claim was affirmed state these
facts on the authority OF majority OF the committee,
from whose report | take them. (See page IA Of the
document last referred to 1t is bat fair TO add that
minority of the committee all of whom wings, dis
sented IRON their conclusions and from the statement Of
the facts on which those conclusions were founded.
(See page 2l7 same repori.)
When the Department OF the Interior was created, the
Indian bureau was transferred 10 It, and this rejected
CASE. as the majority OF the committee term H. taken
up and allowed by MIR. Ewing under the opinion OF the
Attorney General Mr. Johnson. do not intend, fellow
czens 10 offer word OF comment on this transaction.
VIII simply state the conclusions OF the committee in
Their own words, with some immaerial authorizations
affecting It's merits. (See page Ia as abovel The COM
mlee say:
FIRST, The claim was rejected by the Commissioner OF
Indian Affairs, The proper officer and the rejection
approved by Governor Marcy Secondly, i was after
wards paid by order Of Mr. Ewing Thirdly, ii was SO
paid against The earnest protest and remonsrance OF the
Indians nnder copy OF power OF attorney, without date,
executed under circumstances casting great doubt lis
valldiy-a power rejected by the Indians spurious
and -u.e original oi which had been lost. Founhy,
though there were subscribing witnesses 10 the power,
their testimony seems not 10 have been taken to the
RICHNESS OF the copy Filthy, the copy presented and
sworn 10 by the party IN interest appears 10 have been
the only evidence required by the Secretary OF the lnle
rior TO justify lhe payment And the committee conclude
their report with resolution that the money was Justly
due 10 the Chickasaw Indians, and improperly paid
page IS Id
Such fellow citizens. is the Chickasaw case and it re-
qunes very nice powers OF discrimination 10 determine the
order which these Transactions should take in the scale OF
Official acknowledgement
might pursue tins investigation further il had The
lime; but have said enough TO show that our financial
nent and all who connected with IT, Indeed, its mis-
will draw down dshonor upon you II you DO
not stamp II with the mark OF your condemnation Nay
norei transactions like those have referred to lead 10
consequences lar more serious than those which concern
The public reputation. They calculated TO render
public men loose hTs and impure sleTwaFdsto surround
he capital with individuals whose only aim is 10 fasien
themselves upcn the treasury the agents of public
plunder 10 destroy all accountability in the executive de-
parimens and, what rs worse, 10 impair the confidence
1f the people ~ the government itself
wish you TO bear IN mind that the facts have stated
are drawn from documents published by the House Of
representatives and that have referred 10 the pages n
against the claimants The bias every man il ami to /
have 10 favor OF his own cause may yey we'll make the
prosecution oil clam ny paay IN interest consistent
with eniye fairness, even though oihea who have no
such bias, may consider utterly groundless. Nor have
intended 10 charge The high public funclionaries con
cefned 10 these Transactions with impure motives
make no such charge now Their offence against the
community is in carrying into The administration OF
The constitution and laws aKity o Insrpre ation lead.
ng by direct and inevitable tendencies TO mpury and /
corruption, and resulting Daluray, il not necessarily,
RON the loose principles BY which the whole policy Of
ouF opponents is guided. higher responsibility rests
On of the parties As tgeiaber OF the government
le has contributed "a demoralize il By an ex,ortion in
which he was one Of the chief participants.
there are any OF our political opponents within the
each OF my voice, wish To call Their attention to sig.
lihcani TACT Is sad that most OF those who were so
lTomlnenl IN the transactions referred TO were among
SeneFal SCOTS warmest supporters Why is lhsl Is
because they do not consider Mr. Webster and Mr. |
fillmore well qualified General Scott Ia administer
he government Or IS II because, under Chief Mags.
rate VINO has no experience in civil government, better
opportunity ls Afforded for the practices IN which they
A0fS so conspicuous part Is the official msmanag
which was successful for time under one military
president TO be renewed under another II these nQui.
es can be satisfactorily answered, sincerely wish
hey may, then deglss TO popound another OF graver
IMPORT hecanse u affects party and not few ndlvd
isis merely. Mr.. Ewing the late Secretary OF the Int.
nor, was chosen from all the eminent wings OF the
ny TO preside at the Lundys lane ceebraon.a meeting
iesgned TO make the national response OF the wing party
% Their nomination at Baltimore. Why this pre-.
sRinence given To- him by the united voice OF that nu.
neops and respectable assembly, is the praclce OF
All parties on occasions o unusual magnitude and import.
ance opace the foreground those Who Fo their esab
sned repuaons may serve as an index to the principles
and The policy by which the united body Is governed
Was thIs The design in giving to Mr.. Ewing the
I'D tha tnhtr narfu tnfn nd 10 10