The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1853-02-04
clam. General jackson knew, and the country
knew, that Mr.. Forayth admitted this. Il was not

L knew.
knew, that Mr. Forsyth admitted this. II was not
denied. lie was Secretary Of State, and admitted
Inc fact before the committee. Here is his evil
dence Yet no one censured Mr.. FORSYTH and no
one then dared to impugn his honor for it. That
then and now stands above reproach, because II
was MS legal night to do So The Secretary of the
Treasury was by the law of 1889 prohibited from
prosecuting or becoming interested in claims against
the Government. But, as have said, there is no
law prohibiting this in the heads Of the other De-
partments. Now, beg the indulgence of the
House, by way of DEPRESSION, to allude somewhat
to this claim, which others have associated with
Gardinerism,'' as they call it. addressed for
-mer House upon the same subject. But there are
many here who doubt not know but little of its
merits. The gentleman from Ohio, Mr.. OLps, in
his speech, alludes to /" Galphinism,' or g the
Galphins.o He says, that after the decease of the
iamented Taylor, when Mr. Fillmore entered this
Hall to take the oath of Office, followed by the
Cabinet of General Taylor, Corwin heard the
murmur from the galleries, " there come the GAL
phins, . which reached every part of the Hail.
Well, Sir, the gentleman may have heard such a
murmur, but did not, and never heard Of it until
saw it in his speech.
Now, sir, intend to say something on this Gal
phn claim. Gentleman may, if they choose, con-
tinue to cry out Galphin Fraud but they shall not
do ii without the exposure which is due to truth as
well as right and justice.
Mr.. Speaker, / am here to-day to defend that
claim against any one who may be bold enough to
assail it. hold myself ready TO say and maintain
that there was no fraud in the Gal hin claim
saw this claim alluded to in paper the other day
az 6 the Gaphin swindle.n Now, Mr.. Speaker. /
ask this House to hear, not as partisans, what
have to assert in vindication of the truth in this
matter | feel it my duty to do it, in vindication
of the people whom know, descendants of Galphin.
and men who under him have received their Just
rights-rights which were long delayed at the door
of public justice. Some of these gentlemen reside
in the State of Georgia, and some reside in the State
of South Carolina-as high-minded, honorable,
and chlvalrous men as ever trod the face of the
earth; men who would scorn to take dollar from
the Government that was not Justly their DUE
Some of these parties / know-and will vindi-
cate them, and will vindcate the truth of history,
whenever they or their conduct in this matter are
assailed or maligned There was, sir, no fraud in
the Galphin claim. In the maintenance of what
say, l shall assert facts and nothing but facts.
which are uncontroverted in the past and ncontro-
vertlble for all time to come And when am
done, want to see the man rise up here in the
face OF these facts and say that there was fraud in
thepayment of that just debt.
These are the facts: In 1773, the Cherokee In
dams and the Creek Indians in the State of Geor-
gla were indebted to certain traders to consider
able amount of money. They had nothing to paw
il with. This was while Georgia was a British
colony. These Indians agreed to cede to the
Crown OF Great Britain a certain amount of land,
two millions and a half of acres or thereabouts-
IN consideration of which Great Britain was to take
the lands and discharge their debts to these traders
The treaty was made in l773. On the I'd MAY,
IT'S, certificate was made out by commissioners
appointed according to the treaty, to George Gal
phin for f9, 79l l5s. Sd. The war of the Reyo-
luton broke out in 1776. The land was not sold
by Great Britain, nor the debt or any part of it
Paid and IN l777, Georgia took possession of the
lands. She gave them as bounty to the soldiers
who would go and occupy them. She used them
IN our national defence in the war of the Revolu-
ton; and George Galphin, in that dav, did your
country and the infant colony of Georgia most es-
sential service in preventing the Indians from max
ing lnroads upon the defenceless inhabitants of
that unprotected frontier.
| speak from history and the records of the
was true to the cause of his
country and her struggle for independence. And
state here, that the only section of our State
which was not at some period of the war taken by
the British, was where settlements were made on
those lands, In the county of Wilkes. There the
British flag has never waved since the declaration
of Independence. Nay, more: fort erected by
these settlers, bearing the name of Washington on
the site of the present town Of Washington--the
name continued from that day to this--was the
hrst place, as Ibelleve, on this whole continent,
named in honor of the Father of his country.
This, say, believe. do not state this as his
torIc fact; for there may have been some place so
called at an earlier date; think not, however; and
until the contrary be shown, / shall claim this ho-
nor for my State, and the people of the county
nv birth. VEL.
But to proceed with my narrative. The State
IF Georgia, in 1850, passed an act binding and OBJ
lgatng herself to pay to any of those Indian
claimants who were true to the country the whole
mount awarded to them by the commissioners
lpder the treaty, and for which the lands were
pound in equity and good faith with interest at six
Der cent George Galphin was one of them By
Ter act she assumed this debt of Gaphin for
t9,79l lbs. 3d., with interest at per cent. per
lnnum. Did mot this solemn act create a lust
lebf But Galphin died in 1880, very soon after
he act passed. ~. @
Sir, George Walton, a signer of the Declaration
If Independence, from the State of Georgia. testif-
d himself, in 1900, that he knew George GaIphin,
hat he enjoyed his friendship in his lifetime
hat he was patriot, and had rendered essential
services to the country. MIR. Walton further stat
d that he was on the committee in the Georgia
legislature that framed the law of $780, providing
or the payment of these claims; that he chair
nan of that committee; that he drew the act, and
veil recolected its motives, lis sincerity, and its an
ertion of Justice - and that it an honest debt,
lue to that venerable man." Did George WAL sl
on want to 'ss,Oindle' anybody Did George
Walton plot fraud against your 1reasu,y?-George
Walton, the man who risked his life for the liber-
les you enioyi Was he sneakng about to get his
rm into the Treasury? Sir, he was made of
terner stuff, and you may howl against the Gal
hlns as long as you please; but while stand upon
ne testimony of the man who stood by this soun-
y in its darkest hour, shall feel no dishonor in
efendIng the rights of that man whose friendship
e enjoyed while living.
say there never was a juster claim against the
tate of Georgia than this. She pledged to him
re amount Of his debt, which was f9, 79I I5s.
|. in sterling money, and six per cent. interest.
Veil, the old man died month or two after; the
enerable old man, as the patriot Walton called
i'm. saw some time ago a toast given at a
inner, with this idea, that the history of this
administration would be written in the blood of
e Galphins. And who, sir, was Galphn' He
as one of the most distinguished men living on s
e frontiers of your country; a man who stood by
Q patriots who won your liberties and achieved
e Independence of your country. | state further,
at his daughter was married to John MiIledge,
Georgia, man whose name the capital of our
ate still bears in the city of Miledgeville and
e do not feel dishonored by this perpetuation, of
9 name of man who was thus connected and
lied with George Gaphin! And whoever wants
e history of this Administration written in the
cod of the Galphins, wants it written in the blood
some of the purest and noblest men who periled
cir all for the rights and liberties oftheir country.
Now, sir, this claim was presented to the Iegis-
lure of the State of Georgia in l793. NV his son