Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1854-06-22

The distant public may as we'll understand
his fact at once. as at any future time, after
be current Of events may by possible chance
'sve made il the duty Of the United States to
'triks for the island at all hazards. &
Avery Important Decision.-we hear that
the question having been officially referred to
hat officer, tho Attorney General has given an
| opinion, declaring that claims on the Post
Office Department for alleged breach or vari-
alton of contract by the Department are In
! The nature Of damages. and do not constitute
| accounts subject to the jurisdiction Of the
Auditor and Comptroller. This action can
| hardly fail to prevent al enormous leak in the
Uni cd States Treasury. If such claims were
| % Do subject to audtorial adjudication there
would necessarily be neither limit nor check,
~ which their payment could be regula ed.
As thus decided, parties presenting such claims
must go to the head Of the Post Office Depart
| nent, who can settle with them as far as the
law gives him power in each particular case
50 to do. Their appeal from that functionary
is to Congress only, We apprehend.
The Mexican Treaty Money.-It is con-
ceived by those in public life who are &C.
quainted with the details of Col Benton's
history as a statesman, that the newspaper
accounts crediting him with an intention Of
dllibustering against the payment of the
money due 10 Mexico under the treaty, must be
mere fancies of the brains of writer's hard run
| for paragraphs and probabilities on which to
| speculate.
The part Col. Benton played as General
Jsckson's right-hapd mau, az it were, in the
iatter's difficulty with France, forms the basi.
# this increduIity. It will be remembered
that when the General swore to make France
pay up what she had agreed to pay us BY
treaty, the Colonel was very loud and en-
phatic, indeed, In justifyipg that course on the
part of the old Hero's administration. Louis
Philippe, BY treaty, agreed to pay us so much
| money in consideration of release from Ger.
tain claims for indemnify, held by American
citizens The lower chamber of the French
National Legislature, which at that time was
| ruled by influences inimical to the government
| of Louis Philippe, hesitated for long time be-
fore making the appropriation to carry out the
treaty; on one occasion positively refusing to
make 1t, by direct vote, on the ground tha,
our minister, Hon. VIM. c. Rives, had spoken
the truth when foolishly boastipg that in max
ing the treaty in question he had over reached
The French dipIomatist. General jackson
took the responsibility of notifying Louis
Philippe, that if the money was not speedily
forthcoming he would take it by force, in the
shape of prizes-pf the seizure and con iiscation
Of French property found on the ID seas
| Public opinion throughout our land justified
the high handed policy which jackson pro-
posed to follow, on the ground that having
pledged herself By treaty to pay the money
We could not be put off by the excuse that a
body in the French State, not legally or off,
cially known to the American Government,
had taken the liberty of Withholding the
~herewitbal, wi hout which France could not
meet the engagement made by her constitu-
| tional treaty -makin power.
Though the venerable Colonel has perpe-
trated any number of vagaries since those
| times, he has always prided himself upon the
consistency with which he had adhered to the
| liked principles on which he entered public
life. AS he still cher ishes the idea that his
principles should be uppermost in all he docs
in public affairs, it is judged to be quite i'm.
possible that he will venture to afford some
| fellow.member the opportunity Of reading
quoting, in answer TO an argument Fl ON his
In
carry out the Mexican treaty, its entire refu-
| taIion 10 be found in his record on the French
affair above referred 10.
Lands for Railroads The enactment of
the Minnesota land donating (raiIroad) bill by
the House, on the day before yesterday is al
| ready bringing around the lotbies Of both
branches OF Congress the persons who are al
| ways on hand in crowds when measures IF the
same character are under consideration. Per.
hips twenty such gentlemen, who left hero in
disgust soon after the failure of tho series OF
railroad bills first reported by the House pub
lie lanes committee, have already returned
Their presence is significant of a very genera.
effort to log-rOIl most Of the so far.defeated
schemes through, together with the host OF
others which were not ventured, only because
the season seemed unpropitious. A few of the
bills In question are, doubtless, merito, ious,
and should receive favorable action at the
hands Of Congress. That is, such As contem
plate the donate Of lands for railroads, which
In turn, must su increase the value uf the pub
lie land in their immediate vicinity as that the
National Treasury cannot fail to make nor
than it can possibly lose by the operation. OF
course, the friends Of ali such schemes max.
that plea. But it is clearly the duty OF Cou.
gress to scrutinize the representations of such
parties with the utmost rgor; more especially
because it is very cear that very many OF
these projects are mere contrivances to pu,
money in the hands Of q particular gang OF
spectators. or to benefit particular towns in
actual existence, or existing at present only in
The brains Of those who have caused them t.
be mapped out. Again, we say to Congress ON
this subject-Look out,
Brevet Pay.-A breveted officer applied at
the Treasury Department for arrears of brsr..
pay under The law Of July 6, 1872, for com.
manding posts &C., at various periods from
1887 to 1853 In the settlement of his &C cunt
!. hold hot ~ Al