1855 - US Court of Claims forms for cases against government
What claims were the Mexican American vets making against the govt?
Now the Mexican American war is another rabbit hold to investigate regarding the civil war. Lincoln was agin it. lots of north south issues in it. that war caused lot of discussion on slavery.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Court_of_Claims
The Court of Claims was established in 1855 to adjudicate certain claims brought against the United States government by veterans of the Mexican–American War. Initially, the court met at Willard’s Hotel, from May to June of 1855, thereafter moving to the U.S. Capitol.[1] There, the court met in the Supreme Court’s chamber in the basement of the Capitol, until it was given its space to use.[1]
This reminded me of a quote from the Lincoln bio that made me smile. The Whigs were debating among themselves about how to address the issue . . .
"When someone asked Justin Butterfield, a leading Chicago Whig, whether he would condemn the Mexican War as he had once denounced the War of 1812, he responded, 'No, indeed! I opposed one war, and it ruined me. From now on I am for war, pestilence, and famine.'"
An ancestor was running a mill on the Missouri near what is now Hermann. The mill had been reinforced and was called Best’s Mill for use by the militia in the War of 1812. The Sac and Fox Indians were paid by the British to wage war against the Americans. The Indians attacked the fort, stole all of his horses and his household goods.
He filed a claim. Since there was no Claims Court, the claim had to be dealt with first a Commissioner in Missouri, who denied the claim and finally by the Congress who also denied the claim in the 1830’s after Best had moved to the Austin Colony in Texas. The reason for denial: lack of a properly executed assessment of value for the horses. Depositions from neighbors confirmed the numbers and quality of the horses and testified on what the price should be out there on the frontier. Not good enough.