Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-09-18

matter Of law, the interest was awarded and paid,
without the Intervention of any other than the
Accounting Officers Of the Government.
With respect to the Gardiner claim, the matter
being now under investigation by the Judicial au-
thority, we have no opinion to express. But, should
it turn out that there is any vice in that claim it is
upon a Democratic Congress and not upon the Ad-
ministration that the responsibility rests for its al
lowance. 1t must be remembered by most of our
readers, that in President TAYLOR first (and only
Annual Message to Congress, he with intuitiye sa-
gacity, pointed out to Congress acat legislation oas
necessary to preclude the success of any possible
scheme of fraud in the prosecution Of claims before
the Board Of Commissioners under the Mexican
treaty. To refresh the memory of those who have
forgotten or overlooked the fact, quote from the
Message the terms of his recommendation
ssIn the adjustment of the claims of American
citizens on Mexico, provided for by the late
Treaty, the employment of Counsel on The part
Of The Government may become important for
the purpose of assisting the Commissioners IN pro-
tecting The interest ofMe United States, | recon-
mend this subject to the early and favorable con-
sideraton Of Congress"
To this recommendation, as to all others contained
in that Message, Congress turned deaf ear, fol
lowing, perhaps, the lead of the "Union" news
paper which bolted out the following merely fac
tous objection to that part of the Message:
1--WE can very well see," said the Union, !" how the
claimants would be interested in having counsel te
oppose improper claims; but cannot 1ehat inter
est the Government has in except TO create place to
some faeorie!n'
We shall not stop here to repeat what we said in
reply to this unmannerly cavil at recommends
ton which nothing but praiseworthy regard tc
the public interest had prompted 1t requires
no ghost from the grave to give assurance to oul
readers that if the wilfulness of the Democracy in
Congress had not defeated this wise recommends
ton, no fraudulent claim would ever have been
attempted if it has been) to be imposed upon the
Commissioners. Men may be culpable, in every
station in life, not only for what they do that is
wrong, but for whatever they omit to do that their
duty requires. Upon Congress, therefore, and not
upon the Administration rests the responsibility for
the payment of this claim, if it turn out to be a
fraudulent one. The Executive Officers of the
~ op1ionJ vi VIC iaoC VI tiic
awards by the Commission, to pay the claims which
Congress had by law ordered them to pay.
We have occupied 50. much space in what we
have already said as to leave us no fit room for the
exposition which we intended to make of " that
honest system Of economy" and that "rigid system,
Of accountability, holding every public officer re-
sponsible to the performance of his duties accord
ing to the letter and the spirit Of the lao," which
Mr.. DOUGLAS says q has distinguished Democratic
Administrations y Though the satire against the
Democratic Administrations by these claims of pc.
culiar sanctity for them will strike most rejecting
men, we do not know but we may yet find it neces-
say to devote another article to show that the fea
lures of even the most lauded of the Democratic
Administrations could not be recognised in the por
trait which the honorable Senator has drawn Of
them.