Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1857-06-30

American law and Of State rights. oou'N - IA
have designed to confer on any NC .,.,o
Federal Government power so Suo'..
a,on;,v and OF settled American la" ''''"" "e'
Sscond,y, the Scrip Bureau has s'rahge,y 'r'eu )"
.,;a. ,bs ,i., sions of The Virginia Executive
s - .videncs and fact. the land bounty
$3.50 -, " ,yuia expreely authorize her Governor
ccuucil 10 allow land bounty claims, on any er'
,.,,, satisfactory Ia them. Then, when ths United
States government processes to take the FIrg MIA Ia"
a, it, guide til matter, las tie Scrip Act itsel' 81
pressy req,ires and when the evidence {" sat''ac''
~ to the Virginia Executive on what just prncp'sS
# that a department of the Federal Government may
reverse the Judgment of the State tribunal OH Tue LOO
tmony and the facts?
We have never kr own go sihsu'~ ~ .-.,.,,,,
We have never heard Of proceeoihs' o eH Co..
yersiye Of all State rights, aud 80 aef's"'''' W
dignity and honor. ,, ,bo ascrses of her
,,r Executives, and her Courts, are 10 %
-o,,i.od nv a subatern clerk OF government "'.
.,.a r,.rs creature Of her sovereignty. we narve'
,bs, such an indigny should have ever creP' A'o
n-sc,;csl action of the Federal Government
From paper embodying the facts oil the caSe'
and ,rsnsred evidently with great care we hno many
cssss e.smplifying, most pslpaby, the nara opera
ton of the action Of the General Land onos upon
,ho r,bts Of those claiming under the scrip act OF
August, 1852. ,s..,oa .,., no.
The heirs of John Paul Jones are rs'"seu ''.p' 70
cause he was not q citizen OF Virginia i"e "ovo''
nor and council decided that be a0as aotzen OF VIZ
on;s: the clerk of the Scrip Bureau says that ne l"
10, .a,s6sd that the lsurelsd Commodore Of the
.;uoo that tried mems souls tcos citizen OF Vir'
o;ns. and 20 rejected the claim OF his heirs.
Can't Jacob Cohen was certified by the Marquis
De LA Fsyets to have been an officer OF the regular
continental army: an inferior clerk OF an inferior oe
nar,ment of the federal government, sitting in Judg
mon, m the decisions of court of last resort OF
orsun State, decides that Capt. Cohen belonged to
the militia and that his heirs have no oialm 70 bounty
,bouvb the Governor and council decided exact
| ly the reverse!
| The claim of George Watkins, pilot OF the state
navy, who suffered years Of captivity In BRITISH
| dunoeon. and whose services were proved oy LII.
p,;sr,;n franklin Com. Barron, and ten other Wit
oosoo "a wall az by the evidence of the record was
reneatedly rejected though passed by the virginia
EIscutive after the severest scrutiny and most r's'o
investigation.
IA illustrative Of the whole subject We shall con
cuds our notice of the subject by quoting tue S'a'e
m.ut contained in the paper before aiuaeu TO- "pu
addressed by way Of appeal for JUSTICE 10 Inc Se0fo
tsry of the Interior.
,s,or .,a,;no that the claim of Watkins had been
,;ao,.d ,bouyb proved by the evidence of the re-
! cord and of dozen Witnesses II says
"Apd, yet, the land office has decided .na IN t ,s
o.,e the warrant was not issued in pursuance VI ~.
Ga,e' IS viruin;. and has withheld, and does Still
withhold, the scrip. ,-o,;,, nv nroofs has, per.
haps never been presented under 'ile o. q, aInraas
and tbs parties in interest DO not hestale ~
tbp;r solemn conviction that the testimony lsey nas
COLLECTED in support Of their claim 10 W
the fairest reputation in the land, or 10 doom "ny
however exalted his position, to the galo"eI "'u
;ury of twelve men could not be impannehea III 'le
limited States that would not after having inc es
depce read instantly render verdict III Ine
.trh, Gaze presents, truly, strange anomaly. ice
law of Congress requires warrants 10 oe Isou1 W
pursuance of The lars of Virginia. Inc laws OF t
p ,n;s amtbor;ze her Governor and Council to make
eowancep of warrants SATISFACTORY eeesMee.
The Governor and Council take up inns case .. az
kins and after subjrcng to the test oil tnree
Investigations. finally say me su,aea'd dnsr,n.nt
| rv N MS. let The cldim be aA0red. A department y
,Sa Eedsral 3oyernment-and an inferior department
| Of that poysrnmenr-yea, all inferior oureau u al
;nfarnr denartmept takes up the same case aua Pro
claims 70 The Governor and Council OF virginia. u
tones of defiance, tile epdence IS slD'cent 10 co'V
You but il as not sufficient 10 satisfy U.s. or'ng ~ or
proof OW reject your tcorthtess cfd.m. Douo.
less, indignity to Virginia is meant; OUT ~ non
the ess an indignty that it is 9ndesgIeo sp,
insult to her dignity, rendered. ,n.sir.-.,
from being accompanied by the sacrihee OF inc Ju'
rights of her citizens Whatever may be the rraSon
the lact seems to be- that, as to the Oh .
yinia there is no confidence, no trust. contrary .
- ..s 5.aI done a Wong Hass: s&sGz tn:na
v.rsal presumption, indeed seeu ;5;,v Of those au
of the base corruption or utter '''p
thorities' ,,- -.d, .e " en-
All this to US tSsRe s the redress. We ask
~>y''nar IN this case as in all others, the great prn
cipies OF State Rights be practically applied; tina,
o'a'0 1'sniy aud State honor be respected; that tn
o"""o' VI ~'bordinate Federal officer, reyisin
aud reversing or affirming, at hisopfon the decision
of the tribunals Of Sovereign Stptes, be subverted
in word, that the uncontradG,ed DEGREES of Virginia
courts may stand as law aud right, and the rights o
her citizens arising under, and affirmed by those DE-
crees may be regarded and enforced.
We trust the present Secretary of the Interior viii
take the subject under grave consideration, and b.
his action in the premises vndicate the honor ant
dignity Of our State, and the rights Of her people.
| sN-
THE RUMORED NEWSPAPER UNION.
that the Enquirer and the Examiner were about to bt
l'combined into one journal. The rumor, though mo-
unfounded, is premature. consolidation of the two