The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1886-02-11
me states I.aian War Clai..

The states Indian War Cnat0.
This claim is now about thirty years
old, and for that period has been, as it
now is, by far the most important to the
State Of all matters demanding the atten-
ton Of our Senator'S and Representatives
in Congress- As far back as 1858 it was
by the people of Florida deemed of so
much importance that its collection
when only a year or two old figured
prominently in the popular election.
1t would seem after these long years,
and after having been the subject of so
much consideration, that its nature should
be we'll understood. Such, unfortunately
for the State, is not the case. 1t is mixed
up in the minds of some Nth the unpaid
soldiers OF the Indian war, or their
widows and children. This confusion of
things so entirely distinct in a matter
so important to the State is to be re-
GREETED.
This claim, aggregating almost as much
as the States outside Indebtedness, is due
exclusively to the State of Florida in her
own unqualified right, being for money
paid ont by the State for the use and
benefit of the United States, aud at the
request, it may be said, of the President
and Secretary of War. No unpaid sol
der or unpaid anybody else has any
more interest in or claim to that money,
or a single penny of it, than to the
money which the tax payer is every day
paying into the State Treasury. When
that money is paid back to the State, it
goes into the State Treasury, and for
tunately and wisely the people of Florida
have placed door to that Treasury
which according to the views Of the
present administration at least) even the
people in convention assembled cannot
open, much less can any other power
within or without the State, unless armed
with an appropriation made by law"
There is nothing in the nature Of this
claim, nor lack Of Constitutional safe
guards thrown around the disbursng of
the States money, to Justify the condl-
tioDs which-but for the Governor Of the
State, as appears from the I. :. Senate
proceedings Of the 30th January-one Of
our Senators would have Congress to at
tach to the payment.
Whatever my be the Governors views
As To the principle or the construction of
the contract entered into between
Governor Drew and Mr. Wales, he prop
erly maintained that that contract was a
matter with which the State Of Florida,
and not Congress, had to deal, and that
any condition attached 10 the payment
which implied that the State was incapa-
bic Of managing her own affairs, and pro-
tecting her own treasury, was retiec-
ton upon the State which he, a. her FIX
ecutive, was obliged to resent.
This was clearly his duty as Governor,
whatever might be bis individual opinion
as 10 what construction ought to be
placed upon the contra t.
We doubt not that our distinguished
Junior Senator was misled by his misun-
Outstanding Of the nature OF the State =
claim, aud by contounding it with the
meritorious claims of unpaid soldiers to
be pail by the United States, for other
wise it goes without saying that his we'll
known loyalty to his State, and his pride
in her honor, and jealousy for her dignity
and rights as a State, would have led him
to be foremost in defending her from,
rather than subjecting her to, any such
ImputatIOn.