Harper's New Monthly Magazine, Volume 1, No. 3, August, 1850.Various
History
Harper's New Monthly Magazine, Volume 1, No. 3, August, 1850.
Various
American literature -- Periodicals; Civilization -- Periodicals; Culture -- Periodicals
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 resolutions, Mr. CRAWFORD addressed a letter to the
House asking that a suit might be commenced against him for the
recovery of the interest which he had received, and payment of which the
House had condemned, in order to bring the question to the test of the
judicial tribunals. No further action has yet been had upon the
subject.--The House has also taken action on the application of Mr. HUGH
N. SMITH, a delegate from New Mexico, chosen by a convention of her
people, to be admitted upon the floor of Congress, not of course to take
any other part in the business of that body than to be heard upon
questions affecting the rights and interests of his constituents. In the
early part of the session the application was referred to the proper
committee, the majority of which reported against his admission. On the
19th the whole subject was laid on the table--equivalent to Mr. SMITH'S
rejection--by a vote of 105 yeas, 94 nays, and 29 absent. This disposes
of the question for the present session, although substantially the same
issue will indubitably come up in some new form.--The next day a similar
resolution was adopted rejecting the application of Mr. BABBITT to be
admitted as a delegate from the Territory of Utah, or Deseret.
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