The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1870-03-21
The Massachusetts Claim against the
GSveFmmcmt.

During the war of 1S12-15 with Great
Britain, Massachusetts, advanced for the use
OF The United States, rather for the protec-
ton OF her own territory, with the under
standing that she would be reimbursed by the
United States, $685., ,924.74, instead of $S43,-
349.6O, as claimed. This sum was allowed
and paid by the general government in two
instruments; one in the year 1880, the other
in 1859. BY the articles of separation be-
tween Massachusetts and Maine, in 1920, the
claim for these advances was divided between
the two States in the proportion of two
thirds to Massachusetts and one-third to
Maine, and both States have recently assigned
their unpaid claim for interest to the Europe
an and Northwestern Railway Company,
which corporation is urging the claim. The
ground upon which the claim-whlch in the
aggregate amounts to s767,947-is based, Is
that the general government has uniformly
paid interest upon advances by States for war
purposes. The acts of Congress August 5,
1890, and May 81, 1874, allow interest to the
States whether they had advanced money on
hand or obtained it by loans. A more re-
stricted rule was adopted, viz: that States
should be allowed interest only so far as they
had themselves paid it by borrowing, or had
lost it by the sale of interest bearing funds.
Interest, under this rule, has been paid to all
the States making advances for purposes of
States paid are Virginia, Maryland, Delaware,
New York, Pennsylvonia and South Carolina !;
and in the Indian and other wars, under the
same rule, to Alabama, Georgia, Washington
Territory and New Hampshire. In regard to
the Mexican war the acts are amended so as
fix the rate Of interest at six per cent. The
interest claim has been pending for long
time. Several reports have been made by
committees Of Cangress, the last by Mr.. Sum-
frrvrr fho To - To-
Relations, April 1, 1869, fixing the amount
adjudged due by the committees computa-
tion at $767 ,947, the amount claimed.
The claim is now pressed by the European
and North American Company in the House
Committee on Military Affairs. 1t will come
up for consideration on Tuesday next. The
special recommendation they urge for its i'm
mediate payment is that they need assistance
in constructing a railroad from Bangor one
hundred and twelve miles along the border
between Maine and Canada, to connect with
line nearly completed by them to st. John,
N. B., where it will connect with Halifax by
line nearly completed, and whose unfinished
part is under contract by them, to be in run
ming order by the last of the present year.
They urge their undertaking as a matter of
great importance to the defense OF the north
ern frontier, to the commercial relations with
the British provinces, and its bearing upon
the future destiny OF the provinces as con-
the United States. The projectors are Amer
lean citizens of Maine, and have in view also
the eventual construction of line to COM
pete with the Intercolonial line, subsidized
by the Canadian government, between Hail.
fax and Quebec.
The question of payment has been so often
considered that the committee is we'll inform
ed on the subject, and it IS probable that an
early report will be made. Whether the re-
port will be for or against paying the money
there are no present means of determining =
Wash. cor. N. Y. Jour. Com.