The Democratic sentinel and Harrison County farmer. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1851-1852, 1852-09-15

lied States ought 90 pay interest from 1856,
Thirteen wears. This WAS in June, l849,
three months after the new administration
Icnnmtnevd But thirteen years interest
amounted only 10 about SS4, 900, (not as
much interest rs principally sum aItegeth-
er unequal to the expectations Of the claim
ianiss lt,was, however, q POI gained; and
with this adyshtage. tie case was referred,
lin Angus, TO Mr.Whit,lesey, Mr. McCul-
Ioch's successor in office, who was IA whig
and an honest man. and who reported ad-
lverSely lot the payment of any interest what
ever. Ills report IS a clear and conclusive;
aud he closed il by saving that if they
would give him tige he would enter into Il
ifullvr Investigation, and show by numerous
reports, and 10y the action of Congress, ths
genera! pripcipal that iulereStwas not ALLOW.
cd in such cases, Now this was pracilely
what theclaimants and one member oi the
Cabinet, u least, did NOS wish Mr.. Vhiule-
Sey to SHOW, and he WAS troubled With no
further reference or inquiries on the subject.
tie WAS obviously not the man for the occa-
sion; aud in September the case was referred
:. to Attorney General johnson, Coy. Cyaw
turu'S associate in the Cabinet, D very ac-
r ,complshed lawyer, but who it is to be ho-
red has been more successful in protecting
r ,hc interests oi his clients than those of the
i United States. Mr.. johnson appears not tc
=, have been Embarrassed Is any one of the
difficulties encountered by !hr u5lic officers
referred to; and he repored that he United
/. States ought TO pay interest for seYeo y-three
years, amounting to Sl9l ,O0q-netling
iNl88, 900 To the caimaHtS: and i WAS NC:
= cordinyly paid by Mr.. Meredith, who endorS
. ed Mr. Johnson'S opiRiQn, against the opin'
t ions Of two successive ComptroilerS of the
n Treasury. Mr.. Meredith appears to have
e been from the beginning in the condition OF
e Barkis, in David CopPeffeId; he was "wiI-
, ling" and he only required sufficient iTcour'
+. agement to UNLOCK the doors of the Treasury,
g and admit the claimants INTO it, with the
! $4,000 warrant in their hands. Indeed
he seems to have been determined to pro-
1t cure an opinion in favor IT the claim from
h somebody In May he applied to Mr.. Comp
i trollcr McQ Qulloch, who after having gone o4'
d of office, consented to modify an Official
/ opinion, given while in Office, IL most Rnpre'
A celentcA procee4ing,) aid, as We have seen
l. with partial SUCCESS. In August ho applied
!, to Mr.. CQnlptrpIIgr Whitt!cscy. who turned
: out badly 70 the claimants, and reported
i against .py payment Il interest In Sep.
i tsmber he applied to Mr.. Attorney Genera
!, johnson, and i'll February the desired opin
O ION was obtained. Gov. Crawford received
his S94 900. the other claimants received
: their sd 600, (S30OO having been paid fol
\ al a ttstn ri
u to the satisfaction of all parties. Untortu.
l. nateIy, however, Congress was in session,
|, and the facts having bec9me kno1n, the
House gf Representatives appointed COM
;, miltcc to investigate the cast, and the result
" Of their deliberations was that Il he ina GRITTY o.
- the commi.tc pronounced the payment ofin
tegest unauthorzed by the actof CongressVn.
> der which it was made, and violation both
~ q precedent and Iaw-$l9l, 900 Of interest
: paid unhwtuly on a principal of S43, 800!
- Mr.. Brooks, a Wing member OF Congress
! trom the city of New York, denounced the
% wh4Ie transaction, and especially the con
duet Of Messrs. Meredith and Johnson, rs
: : ''mqQstrous" in principle, and not 10 bt
V maintained before the people. Mr. Sckcnck
" wIliy member OF Congress from Ohio, con
dcmped he conduct OF Gov. Crawford, him
self the head OF department, interested ii
! ami pruEec uling claim before another de
- prrtment OF the government, otwhi;h he wa
u component paris
Extracts fom ha Sp cch Of Hon. JAS
Brooks, page G22, vol. %, part J. Appen
, dix to Globe, tst session 3lsL Congrss.
!" , "When the Comptroller ol the Treasury
: EEK mining anil adjusting the Galphil
: clam unIer the treaty Of 1878, refused in
! tcrcst, AMI two Secretaries of the Treasury
|" hal declined to take the responsibility OF al
- loving it, no opinion Of the Attorney Gencr
:, ii oI tht to have overrulei and ovrrriIder
u this decision Of the accounting officer, ant
=, to have given nearly five time III int .rcst
II the principal that WAS decide to be appro
} pria,cd by law. Ii an Alto. ney General ha
such authority over accounting ohieers-l
II his opinion is law, an he is law naker-i
,, he cln thus appropriate and disbirse th'
- public money, there is no use in Il Congress
D n and the Att,rgey General is the Su re-,
'N Court Of the Unlted States, the prcsdent
t, the Congress, the Secretary of the treasury
~ the Treaurer the every thing, in fact. Tin
= treasury key is, by construction AMI impll
IL ! cation, in his hand"
a. "rhere are two very important question
le involved in this matter which would com
" before the House and the country, and b.
as settled Immediately. The first is, whethe
x the Secretary OF War should be interestin.
u i'himSclf in claims, or in collection OF claims
U while holding the Office of Secretary; anc
L. the, second IS whether the the Scc5etary o
10 the Treasury should pay triple, nay, nearly
e. f,air times tile amonnt of principtiof claim
II rs interest when Con 5res] is IN session, ant
n when. by law, hc has been called upon 81
!" examine" and 'tto adjust" the claim Itself
z II tic executive departments OF this govern
tment haze any such power, there is nc, ne
'e ces>ity for this Ho1se; there is no neccssit
'e fr Congress; and it is N vain that the peopi
id elect representatives here to hold their purse
r. strings, il the accounting officers ofthe gov
" ernnlelh ere thus TO be overrulcd BY the At
H. torney Gcncral, al to di,burs. the pubIi
n,. money Without an appropriation on the par
VI Of Congress, Here are about $40, 900 prin
" cipal, whick it is said have beena appropriate
no BY Congress, Though never thus approplIa
y" tel, think, ard rcarly'S2o0.o0J intres
cc'I which have beer, appropriated cisewher
Is upon a construction By the Attorney Genel
m al. ovcrrulim5 overriding the decisions {
the Comptroller Of the Treasury. TIE prr
n. Ia Il p,nnstrnifs 1nd no m IN ran aaint nj