Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-01-29
tAis solemn act create just debt But eaphla died d

he
his friendship in his lifetime = that he he was patrio
and had rendered essential services the country NJ
walton further stated that he the ia the
Georgia Legislature hatframed the law Of $780, providing
Tor the payment OF these claims that he chairman Of
that committee that he drew the act and well recoect
ed = as motives rs sincerity and lis Intention Of justice
and that It was an honest debt due to that venerable
man. Did George Walton want to " swade any body
Did George Walton plot fraud against your Ireasury
George Walton the who rsked his life for the ber-
ties you enjoy? Was he sneaking about to get his arm
into the IL easury Sir, he made of sterner stuff
and you may howl against the Gaphins as long as YOU
please but while stand upon the testimony of the man
who stood by this country in its darkest hour shall feel
dshonor defending the rights of that man whose
friendship be el joyed while living
there newer was juster claim against the State
of Georgia than this She pledged to him the amount Of
and six per cent interest WE'LL the old man died
month AFTER the venerable old man. as the patriot
Walton called him. saw time ago toast given az
dinner with this idea that the history of this Admins
tration would be writ en- the blood of the Gaphins
And who sir CALI hin He one OF the most dis
tinguished living the frontiers your country
man who stood by the patriots who your liberties
and achieved the independence of your country state
further, that his daughter married to John Mcdge
of Georgia, whose the capital Of our State
still bears in the city of Medgevie and we do not feel
dshonored by this perpetuaton of the OF man who
thus connected and allied with George Gaipin And
whoever wants the history of this Administrator written
in the blood Of the Galphins wants written in the blood
Of of the purest and noblest men who pere their
all for the rights and liberties of their country.
Now, sir this claim presented the Legislature
of the State of Georgia in 1893 by his son. The commit
tee to whom referred reported in favor of it, And
was presented to several Legislatures after that
1926 but it not paid though almost every commit
tee to whom it referred reported in favor Of it
just debt against Georgia. Do you ask why it
paid? will tell you; in my opinion, simply because
they did not have the money. For the same reason,
fear that of States will fail to pay their debts
when the question shall be between refusal and very high
taxation.
Well, why ii presented here? | will tell you. In
1870 the General Government passed what is known
the assumption act That is, the General Government
brought into general the contributions of each
State either to the general defence the particular de-
fence Of the country during the struggle
Of the war for our national independence At this time
Galphin dead and Georgia had not paid this 1871
l5s 3D. She had pledged herself pay the lands
she had taken possession Of and disposed Of but she had
not paid the debt and did bring it into the account
on the settlement under the assumption of 1890 The
settlement under the assumption act thought for
long time in Georgia to be final settlement and that she
could go behind it. Well in 1892 the State OF Vir
ginia before Congress and presented claims
large amount under these circumstances: She stated that
just before the closed she had by law promised to all
officers Of certain grade and class certain annuites for
life if they would enlist in the service of the United States
during the These had been called into
service before the termination of the Revolutionary
But they had enlisted and claimed their pay according
to contract Virginia resisted and finally the courts
PEELED her to those claims and the State then came
and asked Congress to reopen the assumption act of
$780, at least pay these claims upon the principles
OF that act because she said that her liability to officers
Of the nature the advances for the particular
that she had made and which had been brought
into the assumption act of 1890 Congress, in 1882,
sumed the liability and paid it, and in doing that Con-
gress did right; because Virginia in 1890 did not know
that she was liable would be liable for these claims.
You paid under that act nearly million of dollars, per-
haps more.
Now then, the representatives of Galphn came and
asked the General Government pay them e9,791 l5s
3D., with interest at six per cent. which the ab
ty debt of Georgia. incurred for the particular defence
of that part Of the common country not included in the
act of $780, just they did the Virginia claims, and
identcay upon the principles of equity, and JUS
tice and right In 1886 the Senate passed resolution
requesting the President of the United States General
Jackson to write to the Governor Of Georgia get all
the Information in his possession upon the subject In
January, 1887 General jackson wrote; and Governor
Schley, of Georgia. political friend of Gen. Jackson
answered the inquiries after, and amongst other
things said, that there Justly due the heirs Of George
Galphin The Of nine thousand hundred and ninety
one pounds teen shgs and fee pence sterling Of
Great Britan," DC; " and the only question pheter
Georgia Me United States ought 10 pay he money" The
claim like many Others remained for several years but
In August lS4o Congress passed law requiring the Sec
rotary of the Treasury to examine and adjust it, and
to pay the amount which may be found due to Medge
Galphin executor of George Gaphin out of any money
IN the Treasury not otherwise appropriated :; and in
debt paid That, sir is Gaphinsm Its height its
length its breadth and depth There it stands in all its
naked defornty Look upon it, examine it, scrunize
| il, and tell me where is the spnd" and who have
Il
to Congress, whose hands it put into? Into the
hands Of George McDufe of South Carolina. Who pre-
sented it? George McDufiel Did he want to commit
fraud against your Treasury? Was he swinder? 1t went
before committee and who constituted that committed
Messrs Ashley, Breese Berrien, Westcot and Webster
They made report to the Senate and spread it before
the country in lS47 The bill passed the Senate. There
formidable opposition, because the grounds upon
which it presented and sustained too clear as
believe, to be avoided. Here the net of Georgia
obligng her pay that debt-as solemn a debt
was contracted. 1t for particular defences and
put upon precisely the grounds of assumption
the Virginia claims and could escape the force Of
the
In 1913 before the committee in the Senate
The committee composed Of the gentlemen who
constituted the former committee, with two excep
tionsa committee of able and practical They
ported again in favor of it. We're they the Galphins
who perpetrated this monstrous fraud The distinguish
ed Senator from Michigan (Gen Cass when Secretary
of War; said that there doubt but that the claim
just and the only question was which should pay it.
Georgia the United States Was he of the swind
lerss
Early in 1848 the bill into this House, and was
laid upon your table. The report printed, and the
referred to committee of this House. have be-
fore me the names Of that committee, and they all
honorable men, and unmpeachabe. One of the gentle
upon that committee MIR Pettt) is nominated by
his party to be Senator from the State of Indiana
Was he q swinder? Did he think it n great fraud
Was he trying to cheat the public? Is he of those
with whose blood it the desire of write the his
tory of this Administration Do you want write the
history Of the Administration in the blood of Gen. Cass
Mr. Forsyth, Governor Schey the blood Of the Ju
dietary Committee in the Senate and in the blood Of the
distinguished ndividua1nto whom have just alluded
Are oil these men Gaphins? l believe the gentleman
from Ohio said that they the "Gaphins buried