the payment of their claims, as Georgia had merely succeeded to the
trusteeship of the King of England. The claim was prosecuted and pressed
for many years without success, it being contended that, as the lands
had been used to pay for services in the Revolution, the government of
the United States was properly liable for the private injury that might
have been sustained. In 1848 the Legislature of the state of Georgia
passed resolutions directing their Senators and Representatives in
Congress to urge the payment of these claims upon the General
Government; and Hon. GEORGE W. CRAWFORD was engaged by the claimants as
their agent, and was made interested to the amount of one-third of the
claim. Congress, at the session of 1848, passed a bill directing the
Secretary of the Treasury to examine and adjust the claims, and to pay
out of the public funds whatever might prove to be due. The Hon. R. J.
WALKER, then Secretary of the Treasury, examined the question, adjudged
the claim valid, paid the principal sum which he found to be due,
amounting to $43,518, and left the question of paying interest upon it
to the next Cabinet. In that Cabinet Mr. CRAWFORD held a seat, having
first transferred his agency for the claimants to Judge BRYAN, but
retaining his interest in the claim. The matter was pressed upon the
attention of the Secretary of the Treasury, who consulted the Attorney
General as to the legality of paying interest on a claim of this kind.
Mr. JOHNSON gave a written opinion in favor of its payment. Mr. MEREDITH
paid the interest, amounting to $191,352, Mr. CRAWFORD receiving his
share. The subject has been before Congress for several weeks, and has
excited a very earnest and somewhat acrimonious debate. The House, on
the 8th, adopted a resolution affirming that "the claim of the
representatives of George Galphin was not a just demand against the
United States," by a vote of 142 yeas and 49 nays. The same day they
adopted another resolution, declaring that "the act of Congress made it
the duty of the Secretary of the Treasury to pay the principal of said
claim, and it was therefore paid in conformity with law and precedent,"
by a vote of 112 yeas and 66 nays. A third resolution, declaring that
"the act aforesaid did not authorize the Secretary of the Treasury to
pay interest on said claim, and its payment was not in conformity with
law or precedent," was also passed, 118 yeas and 71 nays. Soon after the
adoption of these r