Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1859-05-27
From the Memphis Bulletin.

From the Memphis Bulletin.
Not merely a ssSpIinter,o but a Whole
Fence Rail Sin his heeI''-Gov.
Harris and sc aIphinism.o
Those of our readers who were present at
| the discussion between the candidates for
| Governor at the Gaiety Theatre in this city.
will remember the broad, sweeping and un-
qualified charge brought by Gov. Harris
| against the old 1cItig Administration, on ac-
count of the "Gaiphin Claim" characterZing
it as "FRAUD," by which the Treasury had
been robbed. Every auditor, who belieUed
| what he said on this point, must have gone
away under the impression that the payment
| of this .-Gaph Claim was huge and cor
rupt "swlndle" The Governor may not
have known any better. There is a class of
| small politicians, whose political information
| is mostly derived from one-sided partzan
| newspapers, and who thus do not really
| know, when they are stating the facts of poll
| tics whether they are giving the WhoLe truth,
| or only garbled portion of it. We do not
pretend to determine whether Gov. Harris be-
| longs to this class or not We would chart
tably hope he does. At any rate, he was
most assuredly of the track of history, when
he INDUCED in his TRADE against Wing Adj
| ministration, on account of the Galphin bust
ness. We will allow Mr. ToOmls, a democratic
Senator, and the right arm of the present To-
cofoco Administration, to instruct His Excel
lency a little touching this matter. In his
place in the Senate, on the 18th Of May, 1858,
this identical act OF paying the Galphin
Claim happening to come up in debate. Mr..
Toombs thus rebuked and put to shame the
miserable twaddlc about wing corruption.
We commend his declarations to the repent
ant consideration of Gov. Harris:
Mr. TooMBs.-This is rather an extraordi-
porv DEALING with Questions for a
Senator to make an allusion without intend
ing an imputation. | do not understand it
that way. So far the claim of George
Galphin for revolutionary services was con-
cerned, say that it received a unanimous
vote in the House of Representatives. There
are many members upon this floor who sat as
members in that House with me at the time.
and voted that it was just, that it was right;
and the DENOUNCERS OF IT WERE MIS-
ERABLE SLANDERERS AND EDWARDS.
The gentleman connected with it was every
way one of the most honorable men in the
Republic; AND l UNDERTAKE TO SAY
THAT HE WHO ASSAILS THE JUSTICE
OF 1T OR THE MOTIVES OF MY FRIEND,
THEN SECRETARY OF WAR. CANNOT
MAINTAIN AS A GENTLEMAN WHAT
HE WILL SAY AS A SENATOR. That is
all intend 10 say on that point. | have said
before, that claim received, SO far as | know.
the unanimous support of the Senate again
and again; when it passed, it received the
unanimous support of the other House, and
the signature of the President of the United
States; it was a asst claim. founded upon re-
evolutionary service. That it was assaulted in
the newspapers is true; but ii seems that Sena-
tor now does not choose to intimate or know
on what point the clamor was made. The
clamor was made upon the allowance of in
terest by the Secretary of the Treasury OF the
limited States at the instance of another dis
tinguished friend of mine, then member of
Gen. Taylor's administration-the Hon. Rev
erdy Johnson. The complaint tcas as 10 the de-
JJqTtmental declSiOR dIOt0mg interest. The ntegri-
ty aud the validity Of the claim have never
been assaled, in my Judgment, by anybody;
but if there is any. should like to hear from
the Senator from Wisconsin what fact he
knows against il.
Mr. DooLITTLE. | will say that had sup
posed the honorable Senator himself was in
strumental in pressing theclaim; not only the
original claim, but that he urged that the in
terest should he allowed upon it, about which
so much was said. II l am mistaken in the
facts, am willing to be corrected. have
not made any imputation as to motives.
Mr.. TooNBs. You are at all mistaken
In the fact When that interest was allowed
| DEFENDED IT IN THE HOUSE OF RE-
PERSONALITIES. AND L DEFEND 1T
HERE. know that then the Secretary of
War came TO the House of Representatives
and demanded that the question should be
referred To the Supreme Court of the United
States, pledging himself to refund the money
If the decision WAS not affirmed by the highest
tribunal OF his country; and partizan ma
joriiy in this House put IL down. / suppose
the gentleman got his information from his
allies; AND DARE SAY MILLIONS OF
DOLLARS HAVE BEEN STOLEN IN THIS
COUNTRY UNDER THE CRY OF
GALPHlNISM. 1T Is THE CURRENCY
WHEN THERE Is A DESIRE TO PLUM
DER THE PUBLIC TREASURY. ! will
give briefstatement of the case now to
refresh the public mind.
George Galphin was an Indian trader in
the State of South Carolina. He bought from
the Indians, with seven other traders, n large
tract of land. The amount of his debt,
CO 900, was audited by Governor Wright, at
the commencement of the Revolution. The
British Government were to sell the lands
and to pay the traders debts. There never
was dispute anywhere about his debt. II went
from Congres TO the Legislature of Georgia,
and from there here, the dispute being who
should pay. Georgia said the United States
ought TO pay; the United Stats SAID Georgia.
Georgia said she never used the fund; that
the land had been used in the particular de-
Tense and in the general defense of the United
States. This man, being friend of the Rev
olution, called upon his own Government.
The other seven traders were Loyalists; they
went To the British Parliament aud were paid
| hold that the Government Of the United
States were bound 10 pay the money, a. they
had in 1890, assumed the debts OF all the
States incurred for the general or the parti-
cular defense. The Hon. George McDuflie,
of South Carolina, reported the bIll in this
body, aud the Senate passed IL year after
year. Il came TO the House of Representa-
lives, aud there was It's ready defender. Ii
went Ia the Judiciary Commits, OF which
the lion. Joseph L. lngersoll, of Pennsylya-
MIA was chairman, and that COMMITTEES re-
ported unanimously la favor Of the bill, and
II passed the House unanimously, ss will be
r,rulleeted by the SsnAtoF frvm Arkansas,
Who was then a member OF the other House,
aud who was present on the oceasion.
When Gen. Taylor came Ia, the question
whether IL should draw interest, according 10
the act OF lS32 as all such claims did. was
reierredhy the then Secretary Of the Treasury
Mr.. Meredith, OF Pennsylvania, who nov, 4
believe, belongs 20 the republican pbalanx, %
the H.,n. Rryerdy Johnsoa, a friend OF mine
thea aud now, noble aud true a man as
lives On t.ie lAes ~ tae eagti, Wha hsd Dcsa
counsel twenty years before be came there
aud. without the least knawl,dse oi who the
parties concerned were. be decided that the
Interest was due. That l. the history OF
Galphlnism.
This cry know has been The common
siosh of party newspapers. bat did not sx'