The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1879-01-16
FROM HON. ID. WYATT AIKEN.
WAsIIISGroy y q Ia, II

WASHINGTON, d. c., Jan. 10.
MAI. f. Il. Mr9RAY-.Dea- ALs;or-
You and l, and all other true lovers of
South Carolina, are always gratilicd to
see the Press speak we'll of our public
men. Perhaps I, moro than you, ain
jealous of any opinion Of the Press that
is calculated to withhold from any meri-
torio-s public servant his just awards.
The editorial squib in last weeks INTEL
LIGENcER, relative to the effort of Gen.
Hunton, of Va, to secure payment to
his State from the United States for
money loaned, is to my mind one of that
class of publications that excitcs the
jealousy alluded to.
General Hunton has done Just what
you say he has done, only in q little
broader sense. He introduced a Bill to
have similar debts settled with all ether
States to whom this money is due, South
Carolina among the number. His Bill
was referred to the committee on Military
"A Hairs, and by that body referred to COL
Evins to examine and report upon, and
ne some months ago submitted his report
to the Committee, who authorized him to
report it to the House rs the unanimous
sentiment Of the Committee on Military
Affairs.
Except by unanimous consent no re-
port can be submitted from any commit
tee with ono or two exceptiousl until
the call of such committee comes in its
order. Whether the call for reports from
the Military Committee will be made
before the 4th of March, time alone can
tell. 1t may be made in week. Itmny
not be made at all. When it is made
Col. Evins will submit TIE report.
have thus written you myself, to
show that your "hope," in the editorial
alluded to, has Leon anticipated, and
that if the interests of South Caroline
are not watched here it is not because
this claims not looked after.
Ther> is much historical interest con
nected with this matter, and therefore
think q somewhat minute report of il
mny not be uninterestios to your readers
After the Revolution of l776 the Gen
eral Government was barely able to pay
current expenses, and hesitated about
engaging in war with Great Britain be.
cause OF the lack of money. AT once
tho then independent and wealthy State:
came forward and patrio.ically loaned
all the money the Government wanted
Maine, Massachusetts. New York, Penn,
sylvania, Maryland, City of Baltimore
Delaware, Virginia and South Caroline
advanced all the needed money. A few
years after the War OF 1912, MARYLAND
applied to Congress for the payment o!
the money advanced. Abont 1920 Con
gress authorized the payment of tho
principal, but said nothing about inter
est. In 1929 she again applied for the
interest, and Bill passed both House.
of Congress ordering the interest of the
debt. together with the simnle interes
that had accrued upon that interest, te
be paid.
President Jackson vetoed this Bill, be.
cause it was contrary to the usual method
OF settling claims against the United
States, to wit: the United States usually
paid her debts then in installments. and
always applied the payment to the prin-
cipal, and after that was liquidated then
computed Interest due herself for money
paid on the principal, deducted this
amount from the interest that had ..cu.
mulated upon the principal, and paid
the balance, not allowing the interest
due the creditor to draw any interest at
all. Really this was novel method OF
paying debts, but it was Jacksonian, I
suppose, and if adopted now in the set.
tlement of State debts would-well, yca
know the balance.
Maryland persisted, however, until she
finally got her money.
About 1856 an effort was made to settle
these accounts with the various States,
and the Comptroller General of South
Carolina reported to the Governor of
South Carolina that tho novel method of
computing interest and paying debls by
tho Treasury of tho United States would
deprive South Carolina Of $50, geo, duo