Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1814-11-02

Urescntatlves--Wasr referred to the military
committee. who after a few days reported
It with smendnepss. This bill with It's a.
rnendments awaited the call of the chairman
Of the military committee, who on their res
port to the House, had got il referred to the
committee Of the whole house. The chair>
man at length consented to the call Of thi bill
The House went into committee upon it,
and after some discussieh, in which the OPP
position of the charimat, 6 even of some Of
the members from Virginia to this bill was
manifested--A motion was made Tor the
committee to rise. ThiF rotion was carri-
ed and the House refasen leave 20 this ccm-
nditte to set again. For myself am per-
fcctiy unconcious that rs a member Of the
committee above slluded to, was author
ised to,settle the principle Of bill for affor-
ding relief to our state, and 4 am equally.
urconcions that the Virgins Delegation
merit the ccnsure of suffering this bill to
slumher. without any adequate cause assigns,
ed. The Governor's informant knows that
the chairman of the military committee was
opposed to this bill. and that he reluctantly
at last consented to its being taken uDs
know that when takenup he opposet, 4
succeeded in preventing its passage through
the House OF Representatives..
HUGH NELSON.
Jshn w. Eppes. Esq.
WAsRINcroN, January LIST, 1914.
DEAR SIR,
YOUR letter Of the 9th inst.
was received in due time. During the last
session of Congress was confined with in.
disposition for several weeks to my room.
Thismay account for my having never seen
or heard Of your communication to the del
eegation through Mr.. Giles.
understand by your letter that Mr.. Giles
stated 10 the executive "that the committee
appointed by the delegation conversed
with the Secretary of War for the purpose
OF adjusting the principles On which the in
Identification law should pass. That
those principles were agreed upon and be
came the basis of law unanimously passed
IN the 'sSenate, WHICH law slumbered In the
House of Representatives. have consui-
ted several of the members of the delega.
sion who are totally unacqbaintcd with this
fact. The law WHICH passed the Senate
was introduced by Mr. Smith of Maryland,
without any knowledge on the part OF the
delegation from Virginia of its principles or
objects twas considered as dcsixned by
Gen. Smith TO cover a particular class of ey-
penfifnrcs incusredty the state Of Mary
land-It was referred to the Military com-
mittee IN the House Of Represent atives. and
was neither approved by the Secretary of
Waror any memberof the Executive Of the
United States. The Secretary of War was
decidedly hostile to its principles. and in
fact caused its. postponement-l vas one ct
the small minority opposed to the postpone
ment OF the bill. bit am certain TO m sn
who vUted for or a ainst il considered it as
having any bearing ON the claim of Virginia.
The law if passed gould not have covered
any part Of her claim --0n this subject I
enclose yon a letter from Mr.. Nelson, one Of
the members OF The committee appointed to
w:sit on the Secretary of War.
If the committee had reported TO the del
egatiop the result ftbeit cnns ersation with
the Department OF War, bill might have
been introduced inthe House of Representa-
'tives, and the claim Of VIRGINIA provided
for at their last session. No report was
made. and some of the most respectable
members ofthe delegation. particularly Mr..
Peasants, never heard of your compuni
cation, or the appointment of the commute
by the delegation until since the receipt of
your letter to me.
The laws of the United STATES prescribe
the principles on which accoup:s SHAH be
settled From the opinion of accounting of
6cers on the constitution of these laws, there
is no appeal except to Congress-T The
course therefore which ought to have been
pursued, asto the claim of Virginia, was to
require the accounting officers to pass on
such items as under the existing lav's could
be allowed and for such as were disalIow-
ed to apply to Congress.--If this course
(Which must ultimately be resorted toy had
been pursued. the state of Virginia would
long since have received the amount Of her
advances.
Mr.. Giles being absent from this place,
applied on the receipt of your letter at the
different Offices of the War Dedartmen.. to
know what was the situation of the accounts
Of Virginia. and how far they had either
been admitted or rejected. 70 my great
astoDishmentI End no account existing in a
ny Of the Offices except one, for 8 1858 81.
from the Auditor Of Virginia, dated on the
26th Of February. 1919 Il presume this
81, S85 81 cents, is part OF the balance due
to che state on the gath day Of May 1873
This, together with long and well written
letter from Messrs. Campbell and Mercer,
are the only evidences wb'ep have been a.
bic 20 find in the War Department of any
claim on the part of Virginia-The &C
counts for the 8 81 ,847 80 cents, stated in
the Auditors account as due to the state
on the 24th day of May 1913, do not exist
IN the officers of the Department Of War
For the large advances made by Virginia
since that period, amounting to 2o2 900 dol
lars, no account has been rendered or il
rendered is not 70 be found 10 the Office of the
Department of War.
1.-THE accounts had been at the Office of
OF the accountant Of the War Depart
meme. would have been enabled to state
to you with certainty the portion which the
accounting officer would allow, aad the
part for which It will be necessary to apply
to Congress. Such Of the accounts as are al
lowed, would Of course have been admitted