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but was refused. He applied to Congress in 1794, and he, and his heirs since his death, have been, for almost the entire period since, urging Congress to provide for his payment.

It appears, then, there has been no laches on his part; and the payment of interest will be but in accordance with the uniform usage of the government, in similar cases, for a period of more than fifty years. It is also believed to be a well-established rule, that a creditor of the government for a sum certain is entitled to interest when laches is not imputable to him, and payment has been withheld.

The committee, therefore, believe interest on the $2,400, allowed and paid to the heirs of Doctor Baird, should have been paid from the end of the war till the passage of the act for their relief on the 23d of June, 1836, which amounts to $7,656, and which, added to the amount paid, makes the sum of $10,056. But $2,400 being then paid, left the $7,656 still due. Interest on this sum till the present time makes the sum of $16,230, which is believed to be the amount to which the heirs are now entitled, and for which sum the committee report a bill, and recommend its passage.

INDIAN APPROPRIATIONS.

[To accompany bill H. R. No. 555.]

FEBRUARY 20, 1855.

Mr. HAVEN, from the Committee of Ways and Means, made the

following REPORT.

The Committee of Ways and Means, to whom were referred the amendments of the Senate to bill (No. 555) "Making appropriations for the current and contingent expenses of the Indian Department, and for fulfilling treaty stipulations with various Indian tribes for the year ending June 30, 1856," beg leave to report:

That they recommend that the House of Representatives do agree to the 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th, 13th, 14th, 15th, 16th, 17th, 18th, 19th, 20th, 21st, 22d, 23d, 24th, 25th, 26th, 27th, 28th, 29th, 30th, 31st, 32d, 33d, 34th, 35th, 36th, 37th, 38th, 39th, 42d, 43d, 44th, 47th, 49th, and 53d amendments of the Senate.

That they recommend that the House of Representatives do agree to the 41st amendment of the Senate, with an amendment. Page 39, on line 935, after the word "of," strike out "twenty thousand," and insert in lieu thereof, seventeen thousand two hundred.

That they recommend that the House of Representatives do agree to the 45th amendment of the Senate, with an amendment. Page 42, after the word "lands" on 12th line, insert the following: or such parts thereof as he may deem proper. Page 42, after the word "aforesaid" on 19th line, insert the following: nor shall any land be sold at public sale at a less price than one dollar and twenty-five cents per acre. Page 42, after the word "law" on 20th line, strike out the words, "Provided that the President may order a new treaty to be made with the Delawares, Iowas, Weas, Peorias, Kaskaskias, and Piankeshaws, or such of them as he may deem necessary."

That they recommend that the House of Representatives do agree to the 46th amendment of the Senate, with an amendment. Page 42, after the word "Indians," on 8th line of section 6, strike out the words, "and also one other agent for the Kickapoos, at the same salary and upon the same tenure.'

That they recommend that the House of Representatives do not concur in the 1st, 2d, 3d, 40th, 48th, 50th, 51st, and 52d amendments of the Senate.

RICHARD S. COXE, TRUSTEE, &c.

[To accompany bill H. R. No. 751.]

FEBRUARY 20, 1855.

Mr. F. P. STANTON, from the Committee on the Judiciary, made the

following

REPORT.

The Committee on the Judiciary, to whom was referred the memorial of Richard S. Coxe, esq., trustee of the Union Land Company, having had the same under consideration, submit the following report:

The claim of the memorialist originated in certain contracts or concessions made by the government of Mexico and the State of Coahuila and Texas in 1826, 1828, and 1829, to Lorenzo de Zavala, David G. Burnet, and Joseph Vehlein. The Union Land Company derives its title under the four contracts made with these individuals, who combined and united their several interests into one; and a company was formed in the city of New York, composed of the three Empresarios, together with a large number of citizens of the United States, for the purpose of carrying the contracts aforesaid into full execution. The leading condition of these agreements was, the introduction of a certain number of colonists into Mexico, each one of whom was to be at once invested with a perfect title to the quantity of land apportioned to him.

The company thus organized, and those deriving title under them, are admitted to have been faithful and diligent in the performance of the conditions prescribed. They engaged colonists in great numbers, employed numerous surveyors and other agents, and otherwise invested large sums of money in making preparations and despatching colonists with ample means to carry out the enterprise. These agents and surveyors were arrested and imprisoned or driven from the country, and the colonists were dispersed and denied the privileges which had been solemnly guarantied by the express terms of the colonization law. The consequence was, that this extensive scheme of colonization, which promised to promote the interests and avowed policy of Mexico by settling her waste lands with an industrious population, as well as to reward the energy and enterprise of the contractors with a rich return, was crushed in the very hour of its consummation, to the overwhelming injury of the parties who had been deluded by the false promises of the Mexican government.

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