The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1853-03-24

nav As 900 600 upon certain contingency which
ngency has not yet happened The question IS. under
The past legislation OF Congress- whal ought we 10 DO
Without going into the reasoning at length, VIII Tell
you what am for doing am for voting for the propo-
stion Of the gentleman from Indiana, Mr. BRIGaTl
am willing TO vote TO distribute the 30OO,O0O which we
have agreed 10 pay although against my Judgment, bat
mol another cent except the interest on IT. which the org
NAL may convey How ought that 10 be donel Shall
II be done by the scaling process which Texas has adopt
ed or is II 10 be done upon the basis OF liability which
we have incurred and which we have acknowledged by
The boundary act, IL seems, against the judgment OF
good many OF us
II is said that by that this government has acknowl-
edged us liability to pay such debts OF Texas as her
arising imposls had been pledged dis
charge. II seems, from subsequent information which
have derived, that these debts now TO about
81, 100000 Therefore, the 80 100000 which we have
appropriated for thai purpose would leave about SO $780,
900 unpaid. Now, if the proposition be good that
originally bound TO pay the IS 900 900 proposed i
may be said that we are bound TO pay the additional
$35o0,000; That may be question Tor those who
voted for the IS OooOoo but il is not question for me.
who believed that we were never responsible Tor cent
not willing, therefore, TO enlarge the responsibility
of the government. leaving II to those who voted the
SIS 600 900 TO vote 3, 500 900. ii they do It, But
is part OF the law of the land upon the staute-book
that appropriate $5, 5,e00 900, am willing 10 do
that
Mr. RUSK deny it,
Mr. UNDERWOOD. Does the gentleman deny that
there is any statute law for that
Mr. RUSk. do. Aud say that the reverse is the
fact and that if the senator will read the law he will
see IT,
Mr.. UNDERWOOD. | have not read the act more
than twice since it passed but according
my recolecon-and in that the gentleman correct
II am wrong-it makes this provision: that upon the
filing OF these debts bonds GAINS, for which her
revenues arising from her customs were pledged with
release in the treasury OF the United States, should
issue stock for the S5 100000
MIR. RUSk. To Texas yes
Mr.. UNDERWOOD: That is the substance ol the
ACT, as recolect it Now, sir all these persons have
never filed their claims and made their releases. Then
as have already stated. the contingency upon which
the 50oO0oe OF stock TO be issued has hap
4 hau and 1ntht ha h,
gentleman from Texas that the stipulation to issue the
stock in behalf OF Texas to enable her to pay The
debts that was to enable her to issue stock upon The
contingency happening That argument is very strong,
based upon the statute. And perhaps we were to ply
the debt directly, Texas might hereafter round and
say 10 the government OF the United States, You have
not fulfilled your slpulallons according TO the act OF
Congress You have not given to us the 5000,Ooo OF
stock which you promised to gives but you have under
taken to distribute il yourselves"
What answer is 10 be given 10 Texas in case she
should assume that position 1t is this: We agreed to
give you the $5O00oOo OF stock upon the idea that we
were responsible pay those debts for which your
toms had been pledged. Whether were mistaken or
not, it the basis upon which that act passed
We agreed give you that upon the idea that
we were to released from those debts but your sub
seQuent legislation by scaling the debts and providing
only Tor part of them, has left those creditors who
were scaled at low rate 10 in and demand the
fund of US These creditors may say to u.s. Your lsgs-
aton based upon the idea that the whole amount OF
these claims 10 be paid to US Texas has only paid
part, and you bound to pay the residue In that port
of vew il Texas were TO get the whole IS, 100000 and
by scaling process pay with 81 500 900 debts amounting
on their face $500 900, it would leave cedorsto the
amount of SO 10000 the attitude of coming 10 the
Congress OF the United States and asking TO pay the
SO, ,O0o 900, the ground that We had acknowledged
our liability from the beginning.
Sir have got into these difficulties by improvident
legislation shall not go into that but ask you TO
look at the statement which have made and TO say
what become of the six millions if Texas pays upon
the scaling process only two and a half millions You
will hear the last Of It until you have paid the
whole amount OF the claims am not willing to bring
about that state oil things
few words now in regard to the proposition OF the
gentleman from Virginia, Mr.. MAsoN] | think that
proposition is very unjust and very improper think
ought be superseded by the amendment OF the gentle
man from Maryland, Mr. PEARcE,l IN the hrs place,
and then that amendment superseded by the amendment
OF the gentleman from Indiana, [Mr BR1GHT.l Let US
examine the amendment OF the senator from Virginia and
what provides. II provides that il shall be law
fu for the Secretary Of the Treasury, at time after
the first day of July next issue to the State OF Texas
such portion Of the stock mentioned in the first proviso
and on, giving description OF the act, " as shall be
equivalent amount to release the claims OF the creditors
Texas against the United States when snail De tnen
filed at the treasury.
Now want TO put this Suppose that BY the
first of July five millions of these debts should be filed in
the treasury them according 10 the proposition as II reads,
you have issue the whole hive millions OF stock, as un-
dersand it. II ha, be done, what IS 10 become OF the three
and half millions which may afterwards be presented
al the treasury They go unpaid entirely IL lexas
shall the whole five millions in paying the hve mil
lions fled what is TO become OF the balance OF the ced-
torsl Is that right Ii Hseems to to be entirely wrong
But sir there class OF not provided Tor at all
and is a class which embraces petition which pre-
sen,ed TO Congress at an early day from OF my
stituents.
II Mr BUTLER Leslie Coombs, | suppose.
/ Mr. UNDERWOOD. Yes, sir, that case is not en-
braeed by the amendment of The senator from Virginia
though is embraced by the amendments OF the senators
from Maryland and Indiana | understand that by the
leg sation of Texas all the claims not presented al
particular time to be scaled barred by Limitation
which she prescribed The case oil Coombs TO which
alude falls within the provision OF that statute and
barred because he had, II am not mistaken, before the
legislation OF Texas filed bis claims here TO comply with
your law before OF limitation OF Texas went into
operation II the whole $4,000 900 shall now be issued
TO Texas and the stock be placed in her hands pro-
vision will be made by which the claims filed here in
pursuance OF your and which have not been returned
TO Texas be satisfied. II TO me that that VIII
be a process entirely UNJUST and cannot vote tor any
legislation upon the subject which will fall unusy upon
the head OF any Of my constituents.
Sir do not intend go into any consideration OF re-
marks which were made, to which know una, g1!'
Coombs took exception but IL appears iron the let
ter which has already been Published, exception has
been taken TO certain remarks, Will say something IN
reference 10 that point He and other creditors con-
tend that they those specuators mentioned by
nv friend from Texas [Mr. HousTos in bis speech the
other day. who bought up the claims OF Texas at such
great sacrifice as he represented. How that matter
stands, of course have no knowledge II is enough to
know that there differences of opinion the sub
lect Some OF these creditors insist that they not
speculators the bonds and funds OF Texas but that
they invested their money, relying upon the authorities
of Texas, which regarded as sufficient guarantees
at the me that they should be paid the whole amount
that be the CASE and the United States have passed
law providing for the payment OF s. 900 900 TO discharge
these debts, 1t seems 10 II far acknowledg
men OF the justice Of those claims that ought to hold
on TO the 600 until all these liabilities prop