Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-12-09
THE NATIONAL CAPITAL.
HISTORY OF GEORGIA's REVO.
LUTIONARY CLAIM.


ing to the State of Georgia $35,555 AZ
which passed the House Wednesday, wa!
introduced December 18th, 1881, by Gov
ernor Alexander H. Stephens, and referred
to the Committee on Claims. January
18th last Representative II. G. Turner
from that committee, reported the bill bacl
to the House fayorably. The full text o
the bill aSeit passed the House is as fol
lows:
Be it enacted by the Senate and House o.
Representatives of the United States O
America in Congress assembled, That the Sec.
retary of the Treasury be, and he is hereby
authorized and required to pay to the State oil
Georgia, or Its lawfully authorized agent out
OF any money IN the Treasury not Otherw ise
appropriated, the sum of thirty-five thousand
five hundred and fifty-fv dollars and forty
TWO cents; the payment herein directed to be
made being for money paid by said State for
supplies for the troops in seventeen hundred
and seventy seven, under the command of
GENERAL James jackson, engaged in local de
tense Tor the common cause of Independence,
and which sum was not included in the ac-
count of the State of Georgia in the settlement
with the General Government under the as
sumption act OF seventeen hundred and
ninety.
The story of the claim is an old one, but
may bear retelling at this time, and the
lCAAAhS tOulO nOb DG DGileE uOUt IMAM Ill
the report made by Mr.. Turner. That re-
port is as follows:
By an act of Congress passed August 5, 1890.
known as the assumption act" the United
states assumed the payment of the reVolu- =
tlonary war debts Of the States incurred in
the common defense Of the country and in es-
tablishlng the independence of the United
States. The law provided for the appointment
of commissioners to make the settlements and
declared that they should be made according
to general principles of equity.
In l777 the State of Georgia incurred a debt
for supplies purchased of one Robert Farquhar
for the troops under the command of General
James jackson at Savannah. The supplies
were necessary. There was a controversy
about the claim, and it became the subject of
litigation. In 1893, however. the State of Geor-
gia pledged the faith of the State that it
should be paid, so far as it should be found to
be just. In 1894 1t was audited, and the State
issued certificates of indebtedness therefor.
One Peter Trezvant married the only dauE!i-
ter of Robert Farquhar, and became the own
er of the claim. He was a resident of Great
Britain, and the claim seems 10 have remain
ed dormant for many years. In 1888 TreZvant
applied, by petition, to the State of Georgia
for the payment of the certificate and the
claim became again the subject of
controversy in the State of Georgia. and
in 1898 the Legislature of that State pass
ed resolution authorizing the Governor to
appoint three fit and proper persons to inves-
tigate fully this and other claims to be refer
red to the same commission, and report to the
Legislature 1.-THE facts connected with the
same; the liability of the State to pay them,
any part of them, and whether interest is
allowable upon the same; together with such
facts, If any exist, showing the discharge of
the State from such liability, and all other
facts connected with said claims as shall be
useful in determining their validity"
Under this resolution Joseph II. Lumpkn
(afterward Chief Justice of the State) Will
liam Law and David G. Campbell were ap-
pointed to discharge the duties imposed fy
thp rpGOlUtiOn They ma1Q thafp Oft tay.
full investigation and say 'that the State is
bound by every principle of honor and Justice
to redeem the certificates held by Mr.. TreZ-
want"
Notwithstanding this report, no provision
was made for the payment of the claim until
lS47, when an act was passed providing for the
payment OF the sum OF $22,222 p, being the
principal of the debt, without interest, and
on the lst of January, lS4S, the State issued
bonds at per cent. interest. PAYABLE in ten
years, for the amount. The bonds were paid
at maturity (January ], 1889, amounting,
principal and interest, to the sum of $35, ,555 A,
which sum the bill now before the House pro-
poses to repay to the State of Georgia.
The State Of Georgia made application to
the Thirty sixth Congress to have the amount
refunded. The memorial for this purpose was
referred in the Senate to the Committee on
Revolutionary Claims, and that committee, ON
the 2Sth day of February, 1850, reported unan-
imously in favor of paying the claim, and
presented bill for that purpose. 1t was not
reached on the calendar, and failed to pass
that Congress.
A bill was introduced in the Fortv-third
Congress revlvng the matter. 1t was referred
to the Committee on Revolutionary Claims in
the Senate, and on the 4th day of May, 1874
they made report in which they say:
This claim was not embraced in the settle
ment made between the United States and the
State of Georgia, because at the time il was
not acknowledged by Georgia, and was only
afterward established in a clear and satisfac-
tory manner after full and exhaustive ex-
animation.
Soon after the payment of her bonds, as de-
scribed, the State of Georgia presented her
claim to Congress. The Committee ON Revo-
lutiOnary Claims at the first session of the
Thirty-siXth Congress reported bill for the
payment of the amount, hut Congress ad-
lourned without acting upon 1T, and the war
intervening the State of Georgia s again pre-
senting herself and asking reimbursement.
Your committee are unable to see any good
reason why the United States should not pay
this debt. 1t was valid against the State of
Georgia; it has been paid by her, and is already
covered by the spirit of the law Of August 5,
1890.
Your committee think the United States
should pay the principal of the debt claimed
but not the interest, and they report the bill
referred to them back to the Senate with
an amendment, and recommend its passage
The bill was not acted upon by the Forty
thlrd congress; but the recommendation Of
the committee was in accordance with prece-
dents, and sustained by the action of former
Congresses in similar cases.
III 1o0z tAe oldIe OF virginia presented to
Congress a claim for a large amount, which
had been. adjudged to be due from the
State under an agreeTnent by which
certain troops were Raised for the particular
defense Of the state, and Notwithstanding the
claims of Virginia under the assumption act
had been audited and settled. Congress assun-
ed the liability because it was incurred in the
revolutionary cause, and provided for its paw
ment in an act passed in that year.
Again, by an act passed by the Forty first
Congress, July s, 1870, $6TS, 1862 Al was allowed
and paid to the State of Massachusetts, for in
terest paid by her on money expended ON ac
count of the war Of 1872 with Cheat Britain;
by an agreement between Massachusetts and
Maine, the State of Maine became entitled 10
one third Of this sum,
These cases rested upon the duty of the Ma
tlonal Government TO assume the payment of
the expenses Of the general military defense
and the claim of Georgia. now
under consideration, rests upon the same
obligation. As said by the Senate Committee
in their report in 1860 ssThe revolutionary
war debts Qf all the States were assumed nnon
this principle in 1890, and its correctness ia NOT
now open to question" The State of Georgia
paid on the first day of January, 1858 the s1n
Of $1,000 AZ, incurred in the common defense
and this sum has never been refunded To her'
! our committee think it should be paid ana
report back the bill and recommend ttspae
sage. F''S
A CONTRAST.