Newspapers / Milton Chronicle (Milton, N.C.) / Aug. 1, 1850, edition 1 / Page 1
Part of Milton Chronicle (Milton, N.C.) / About this page
This page has errors
The date, title, or page description is wrong
This page has harmful content
This page contains sensitive or offensive material
sit ill ;i iiH it : VOLUME IX. BY .V. 1?. IiYA. THE GALPHLr CLAIM. Speech of Mr. E. Stanly, or N. C, in t THE HOUSE OFREPRESEXTA- I TIVES, . Saturday, Julv 6, 1850. .1 14 . ! The Report of the Select Committee, made on the Letter of the Secretary of "War, concerning the payment of the Gal phin Claim, being under consideration. Mr, STANLY aid : ' ' ' I regret very much, Mr. Speaker, that the House' refused to ;lay on the table the report of the Galphin claim. I voted in a small minority to dispose of this matter by laving it on the table, and I did so with the view of enabling the House to proceed . with the public1 business. The appropriation bills, which are in dispensable for . the support of the Govern ment, are not yet acted on. California is still cruelly kept oat of the Union. Thou sands of laboring men in our country are begging us to protect them from the ef fects of the British tariff of 1846 a'Tariff which we are informed gives great satis- faction to England Hundreds of honest u" claimants are supplicating us to act upon bills reported for their relief. nei. ixii uiese attention, while. matters are demandmour we are-wasting our time m ridiculous ef- ortsjo make, or to prevent making, par - ty capital out of the Galphin report. Let the Government stand still let California , , V,, r l 7 WiaJ smile at the folly of the Americans, who, ooasung oi uieir ;irceuoiu, aic. mug j themselves as dependent on England ma as n we were still her colonies let honest creditors suffer, the Galphin claim alone demands all our patriotic consideration. If gentlemen on the other side of this Hall, who have elected their Speaker snd their Clerk, and have control here, will insist in thus spending time, it is becoming and proper tbAt wbi-ssd improper conduct; among ineir menus. 5iut firsta few words on the Galphin jairn I regret, as every gentleman in the country must, that the Sebetary of War continued (to act as agent of this claim while he held his place in the Cabi net. It is a matter of taste and of delica cyi about which we may differ, as it seems we do 'differ. But I think there is an opinion nearly unanimous that it was not becoming m Mr. Crawford to act as an agent of this claim while he was in the Cabinet. As a member of a party, his conduct, was inconsiderate, if not .unkind, towards the other m embers of the Cabinet But no honorable man has imputed any thing dishonorable toi Mr. Crawford. His conduct has been unfortunate and Unwise, but his Integrity stands fair and unim peached. ' The Whig party are no more to blame for this act of his: thari the Democratic jarty is for Mr. Van BurenJs bad conduct, or" for the indelicacy or impropriety which marked the conduct of General Cuss, in obtaining'stxry-eig-A thousand dollars for extra allowances, which Congress never authorized to be paid, nor for his forming a company, while in the Cabinet, to specu Jate in puouc lanas. Neither the conduct of Mr., Crawford nor of General Cass has been criminal. Both, in my judgment, liave been unjustifiable.' J As Secretary of War, General Cass could have advantages hieh citizrens of ths country ceuld not have. He had opportunities of enabling his campany to monopolize the choice tracts of land, to know when ihey would be in market, and then to raise the price and sell them to settlers who were com pelled to purchase. The W big party have not endorsed, and never will endorse or sanction, Mr. Crawford's conduct. The Democratic party made General Cass their standard-bearerjunanointed and unariea led with all these, sins on his head. When they shout Galphin, Galphin, are we notjustified in retorting, Sixty-eight thou sand dollars extra allowances- specula tions in public lands ? I do not intend to assail General Cass personally. I only , refe r to well-know n facts . No W hig, who has any self-respect, or any regard for public opinion, will violate all the; de cencies of hfe fcy:x uttering such stutYin relation to this gentleman. And he who imputes dishonesty to either Mr. Craw ford or Mr. Casst merits and will receive the contempt of all fair-minded men. They will both comfort themselves with the reflection - f Tis but the fate of.plaee. md tf rough brk That virnie mart jo threofb. ' It is only to be recretted that they did net further reflect, that PLEDG'D TO NO PARTY'S ARBITRARf BW AY WE RANGE WHERE .'Thiafjs done weit, ..read, was hastily written by him at his And wub a eaie, xrmpt 'rhe msejvea from fear;ldeskJSn this Hall, for ihe purpose of saving Thtogs done without example, in their iuae J the maiL But he considered it due to the Are to be feared . ' ji President to say, that he had never had a They are to be blamed for a bad exam-1 wor.a Wl pie; they forgot that 'all things are lawful 1luhJcct nd that he had no peculiar means unto me, but all things are non expedi-, jf information.-.- What he , wrote was a ent ; mere expression of opinion. A few words more on the Galphin claim.) STNNLY. But the gentleman had The act forth-relief of Galphin is in jevidently watched .tJeprV.gresipf the.biU the foHowing-words: K - Mth-interest. As MrtjPblk had jetoed Beit enoct&r:.; jTM .lhe Se- cretary of the Treasury be, and he is hereby authorized and required to examine and of Georg Indians, in the year ; 1773, and to pay the amount which may be found due lo Milledge Galphm, executor pt the said George Gal phin, out of anr money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated. Approved, August, 14, 1848.' The wrong in this case, if any wrong has been done, was in passing this act. I do not understand it is denied that George Galphin had a claim. -It is admitted that tit trier j h f trcnttl rp T prrPn c In? r aim nt i r , r i . .i i i QajQ wag a(jmitteJ to be due. Theh ih i nf -'n - , anthori?- and t--- qUirerf the Secretary of the Treasury', to -t htt T "tnnfiPP th trpciv mlA UJ e n' u ;Creek and Cherokee Indians in 1773 ' 1 , , nav th amftUnt . wh:'h mav b' foun(j UfSt fhe Secretaries who paid lne prmcipal and interest, (Mr. Walker jand fvjr Mrcredith a were not to be blara- d f obevin9. an act of Congress. Con- gress is to blame, not the Secretaries, f - blame rests anywhere. And let it not be forgotton, Mr. Speaker, that Mr. Polk ap proved this bill; he seems to have been in formed of the merits of the claim. How this is, can be explained, perhaps, by the honorable member from South Carolina, Mr. iJCRT.lwnen he addresses tne House. hat gentleman now thinks, 'that the claim of the representatives of George Galphin was not a just demand against the United States.'; The gentleman did not think so in August -1848; for I have before me a letter, published evidently by authority, from a Ceorgia paper, which, a part of the history cf this case, I read to the House. Here is the article which Mr. S. had before him: - From the Augusta (Ga.) Chronicle and Sentinel. i THE GALPHIN CLAIM MR. BURT. . You are requested to publish the fol lowing letter. .The original has been sent to Washington : J Washington 14th August, 1848 i 'Dear Sir: I have the pleasure to say that the bill in which you are interested has just been signed by the Speaker of the House, and will be approved by the President. With great respect, your obedient ser vant. . . ARMISTEAD BURT. Dr M. Galphin.' Frail memories"require remembrancers. Thev are now supplied, because thev are I refreshing. The bill for the relief of Galphin passed on Saturday, the 12th of August. It was approved on the 14th, (Sunday interven ed.) W hose -heifer was v ploughed' with! in the meanmxXThe witt.Ot"the then! President was Vyien of as affixed fact.'! His approval was known. in advance, or the guessing was so close as to have as tonished the artistic skill of the East. As 'a dolphin of the woods and a wild boar of the aeas,' we subjoin the following resolution: 'That the claim of the f epresentatives of Georgia Galphin was not a just demand against the United States.' Verily; 'the pleasure' of '48 acidified in '50. It had a vinegar twang, and fit only for common 'pickling. ' ' I In good sooth, the 'will' of the President was pinched, in 1848, into an 'approvedl form. In 1850 it has been snubbed or! smashed. ' Oddsbodkins ! Mr. Burt is clever on congratulation and resolution. Let us be thankful, and watch. Omega.1 Now, sir, it does seem that the gentle man from South Carolina had informed the President, Mr. Folk, of the merits" of mis oiu. , , 1 1 Ir. BURT (Mr. Stably yielding the floor for explanation) ,desired tosay a sin- gle word, and no more. - It was faintly in his rememberahce that such a letter as the rentleman from North Carolina had arHiist thp rWtm at the late tieorsre Cial-wucu uib udiumnwaun was uifccu-. luaious, ivnssissippi. phin, under the treaty ' made by the Govern- sed inCongress. f he gentleman from j within rm n f Kenrcrin. Tjyith th Creek amd Cherokee iSotfthCarohna evidently thought the claim ; In Mirch, MILT luc rrr.ncn spunauoa wu, ne ro i gn i wuu much propriety have vetoed this; for Mr. Polk was Speaker, if I mistake, not; in an honest one then, for he raised noobjec-! tion, aa he might" have done. He ssems ! to have been acquainted with the passage ; of the bill, and informed his friend the j bill will be approved by the President;' for he watched its progress with parental ! solicitudewatched when the Speaker l signed tne4 bill, and lrUonned Dr- ;VJ. Gal jphin that the bill .'will '.be approved by the President.' The inference is irresis- nin p inui inn fnairman: rvt tho i.inhm committee had informed ir. Polk of 'the ...v v..u... hj uuj iiuu merits ot the bill; that Mr.. Polk thought i !l ne ciaim was Jusl ana cugnt to oe paid; i !and that he personally and officially ap-' the claim Proved the bill Then, as far as this is : a party matter, Mr. Polk, who approved the bill, Mr Wal- jHer wno examined and paid the principal, ; wno stanas mgh in tne fisumation ot his party who is chairman of the committee of Military Affairs -these tliree distinguished Democrats are as thoroughly 'Galnhinized. as any three Whigs can be, in or out of th Cabinet. Let it be principally observe that in his testimony before thecoramitte Mr Robert J. Walker said ol the Galphi tlaim, uhe facts being-of a peculiar cha acter the claim tor interest remains an rC4 Huto""- vuu au aiu, -utai he entertained serious doubts on a question oi law, and demanded the opinion of the Attorney General on that qnestion, he would abide by his opinion. The attempt is now made lo give this matter a party aspect to blame the Wrhig party for it- The gentle man from Ohio, on the committee, Mr Disney; has exerted his ' talents to the ut termost, on the question of interest. The gentleman has signally failed in his effort io juaityMr Walker for paying the princi pal, and to blame Mr. Meredith for paying the interest. The gentleman, I j take it, is. no lawyer, if he ever studied law he did so but a short while, and quit many years since, for he is evidently lone of those sehol lars who 'holds the eel of science by thetail.' His speech haa shown he was notwell infor med in legal matters. The law is ajealous mistress, and requires undivided attention : and when- a lawyer turns politician, he oon finds his law knowledge leaves him faster than Bob Acres, courage ozed out at the ends of his fingers. 1 1 have no respect for the legal opinions of lawyer poliiicans. This same gentleman, in a speetjh made in the early part of this session, declared thai though he held the Wilmot Proviso uncon stitutional, yet he should be guad of an op portunity of sending a bill withahat provi so m it, to the rresident. lo do a great right he would be willing to do a little wrong, was the argument used by the gen tleman. ; " .-"!' . ' " Now sir I want no ibTPttet reply to this speech and argument of his on the Galphin business, than the, fact," that he thinks he could support, the Constitution of the United States, by sending an unconstitu tional measure to the President t Truly, Mr Crawford has little reason to be hurt at the opinion this gentleman may entertain of the propriety of his conduct. But Mr. Speaker, I wish to call the at tention of some of those who have come on the stage within two or three years past, to a dark page in the history of ihs Demo cratic party in this country. Soms of the loudest in their denunciation are evidently uninformed in the history of Democratic Galphanixing ; I invite the attention ef the youthful Democracy to. reports of com mittees of 25th Cotigress, 34 "Session, 1338 '39, Report No. 313. After ; the whole country had been astounded; by the defal cation of S wartwort, and - by the corres pondence between Mr Woodbury and cer tain recievers 4of public money, a commit tee was appointed,!, who investigated and made the report I have! referred to . Let me mention a few cases ra this report: -Mr. William Linn wat a receiter of public mo ney at Galena. Oa the 23 of June, 1 834 mark the dates Mr Taney, Secretary of the Treasury, began bis complaints, tht RIGHT ASD DUTY FOCTTjrilB WAT. Mr Linn did not promptly deposit the mo-1 Mr. Mitchell, a late receiver at Cahaba, nev ia his hands in bank. The correspon- j is indebted fifty four thousand six hundred St dericej continued by Mr. Woodbury, as twenty-six dollars and .fiftyfive cents Secretary of the Treasury; in October 1834, j ($54,626 55) to January 26, 1838, when Mr Woodbury . The next case of Democratic 'Galphini informed him his resignation was accepted ;xing, is that of Mr. Childress, receiver at byHhl President; and Mr. Woodbury re-J Helana, Louisiana : on page 199 of the re gretteVso large z balance stands unadjiist-1 port it is said : r ed in ydur hanls Balance due from Linn, I 'Balance due from Paris Childress, fijty-five thamid mne hundred and sixty- twelve thousand foul hundred and forty two'doflaxsancl six ccawi:ot272 06.-- nine dollar ajidvntr-tSxients Ia-lfhmlzmf ormf " 1 40 76 -an: : Taie another case. Rpp. Nor 31 3, page The next ease is that Of Mr. J. Allen, 167 : 1 W. P. Harris was teeeiirer at Co- receiver at Tallahassee: on'pa 21 of the re I t 1 The correspondence commences in January 1834. j 1834, iha Secretary makes com- s plain is of Harris's conduct. In- August, , l835,? Mr. Woodbury threatens to dismiss hira. In" the correspondence is a letter frdm John F. H. Claiborne, dated Septern-) ber 15, isi6, in which he speaks of Harrisl as "one, of the main pillars cf the Demo-1 Tratici cause, and one of the earliest and 'mostidistinuished friends of the Adminis- : 'traiion in Mississippi. His family and 'connec.ions are extremely influential, and a s. nn.Htm nnth na in iha ' uu Hiejii ai c- wru in aviii" ruu uo m arduous struggle which we are now roavj 'kinffj;' Mr. Harris is re'Msented. as an honorable man ot 'diitused and deserved noDuliritv.' This letter was sent by Mr. Harris to tlie SeoretarV of the Treasury or the President. ' In irlueusU 1835 Mark the dates Mr Harris writes a letter to the Presidentr ten dsrin his resignation, in which he uses the follownig language, which 1 read : 'In conclusion! will taker the liberty of recommending to "ybi, for appointment as my successor, Colonel Gordon D Boyd, of Attaly coumv. You are probably acquain ; ted with his public character,- 8as he has j been tor several years a prominent mem ber of our State Legisleture andhas been throughout ail ardent supporter of your Ad iiiiiviitralion and an uitielding advocate of the princtpTes of Democracy-', ; Iti' was also recommended as the 'warm Jj Ot page 184 of Rep. -313 ir this short sratetkient: !, ' , Bilance due from Mr Harris, one hun. dred land nine thousand, one houndred and sevetity ei'iht dollars and eight cents ($109, 178 08.' see statement. Is this 'Galpanizihg: or; only support ing the principles of Democracy ? Is tliis all ? Not quiie. . ; In; December, 1836, Mr Woodbury com mences his correspondence with 'Colonel Gordon D. Boyd,' and continued not quite; which he: removed to his present resi a year llernfcmber,Colonel Boyd was an ldence. Better let it be ' ardent supporter of the Administration, ; In answer to this, 'Better let be Mr and 'an unyielding advocate of the pnnci ' Woodbory wrote as short a letter to Mr. pies of Democracy,' the chosen successor Hendricks as General Cass did lo theCbic of General Haris who 'enjoyed such a dif- ago Convention. Hear its - fusedand deserved popularity,' and was one Treasury Department of the 'main pillarsjof tlie Democratic cause.' September 71836.' ) Well, what was the, result of Boyd's ap- ' Sirr( Your letter of the 3 1st ultimore U pointmem ? In June, 1837, Mr Garesche. received, and I am happy 4. to . inform you appointed by Mr Woodbury to examine the that Mr. Spencer'i explanations have been affairs of the otlice in Columbus, reported such, that he will probably continue in of as follows, and I call the-particular atien-?-fice. ; tion of the anu-Galj)hin orators to it. BjrGa resclje says to the Secretaryof theTreasury: NfT;he man seems really penitent, and I am inclined to think, in common with his friends,that he is honest,and hasl)een led a way from his duty by the example of his p're decessor, and a certain loosness in the code of morality, which here ddes not move in so limited a"' circle 'a's'it-iewith: us at home. Ajiother receiver would probably follow in the footsteps of the two. You will not, therefore, be surprised if I recom-' mend his being retained, , in preference ' tc another appointment; for he has his hands full now; and will not be disposed to spec ulate any more? Page 189 of report 3 13 And .was Colonel ' Gordon D. Boyd, the 'warm perslhal friend of General Harris,' the 7th of October, 1837, Mr. Woodbury acknowlsded the receipt of his resignation! On page 389, is this short statement : G. D. Boyd is indebted flfty thousand nine -hiindred and thirty-sq ve dollars, and twenty-nine -cents, ($50,947 129.) as per ir omv sustaining receiver 3t Helena: on page 192 of the re port,is this etatement . tVJ; 'Balance due from Mr Hawkins, one hunrjred thousand dollars ($100,000,) as per last settlement' at Treasury r Mr. A. G. Mitchell, receiver at Chaha ba : ion page 196, ii this remark- the 'iinyielding advocate of the pnnciples" money . for' their pwa 'pvrposea.Vt j 1 i of Democracy, the reaHy penitent' Colo-: Let me say, Mr: Speaker; in parenthes nel Hoyd-rwas he removed ! No. sir : on es, what I think of General; Cass letters - Ialthis Galpninising,or only sustaining the principles of Democracy ? v ? Next is thp case'ef Litdebury Hawkins, NO. XXX, THURSDAY, AUGUST 1 1850 jport, it is. stated that' - Mr. Allen if indebted to the Govern rnent, twenty-six thousand six hundred and ninety - one dollars and fifty-seven cents,' ($26,691 57.) Then there is a correspondence between Mr. Woodbury and Mr. Spencer, receiver at Foft VVayne. I wish to read one or two interesting extracts. r . . Mr HARLAN stated, for the inform- tion of the gentleman from North Carolina and of.the House, that Col John Spencer was not now, nor at the time to which tho run omTi n pre a npraniTAr- Trt ino I -nv .v.u, .w.v.k. w m.w vw ernment, but, on the contrary, was both then and now a creditor of the Govern ment; and a previous Congress and the Ex ecutive officers of the Government have fo decided. . Mr. STANLY said, that he was glad to hear that one man had paid what he owed. Mr. DUNH A M explained that Colonel Spencer was improperly set down as at de fault, the Government being in fact in hit debt. . M r. STANLY. Was not judgement ob tained against liim by the United States ? Mr DUNHAN. It was improperly ob tained, and was afterwards released when the facts were made known. Mr. STANLY said he should be glad to know how the release was obtained : was ' it because h$ w a plUp of Democracy V But it was not me amount of the defalcation in this case that I was commenting on. It was to the reasons given ty Mr Hendricks, and Mr Woodbury's answer, to which I ask attention especially the reasons, why Mr. Woodbury ought not to remove him. After "various compliments from Mr. Woodbury, Mr William Hendericks writes to him in behalf of lr. Spencer. In that letter Mr Hendericks says It would to some extent produce excite ment, if he were removed, for he has many warm anu lnnuenim jrtenps, Dotn at rort Wayne and in Dearborn county, from I am very respectfully. Your obedient servant, LEVI WOODBURY. Secre tary of the Treasury Hon, William Hendskicks: The reason of Mr Spencer. continuing ia office will be known, when we hear th following from his letrel6'Alr Wocburv, Mdated October: 30, 1836 :: - . v. i My Demoera::irte&a:lbinkV-that I 1 ought not to leave, until after yre hold tn election for President, on the 1 7th of No vember, which I have concluded to .wait, The Democratic party the election the main pillars of the Democratic cause 1 the unyielding advocates of the' principle ; of Democracy" these were the reasons assigned for keepingmen in bfHce, who had That he was more unfortonate in his Nich olson, than in his Chicago letttr. We never couM agree in the South, in construing the Nicholson letter Gener al Cass was as clear and definite in his let ter as Iinlot in tb; Merchant "of Ve nice was. when he gave old Gobbo diree tions (ot finding the , wajr to tfie Jew's house. . , 'r- -j'." ' '?:- ';". v. ' Gobbo. Master ' young' gentleman. I pray you, which is the way to Master jew?- ,, : ,: v . XJjunffor, Turn up on your rignl hand, at the next turning, but, at the next turning of alt, on your left; marry, at the ve ry next turning; mm off no hand, buttura down indirecUy to hi Jew's house- i
Milton Chronicle (Milton, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
Aug. 1, 1850, edition 1
1
Click "Submit" to request a review of this page. NCDHC staff will check .
0 / 75