Rutland herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1823-1847, 1839-04-02
corrs,yondsnes Of the Jour or cOnm,Tes.
Washington, March 4.
Revolutionary Clairss--.Mr Hall Of Germoat.

for revolutionary services. Tho report which is
unravotable TO the claims gave great dissstisiac-
ton to n portion Of the VitgiOin members, who de-
clared their intention TO make use Of every means
in their power to prevent It's being printed. On
"wednesday, after some debate on the motion of
Mr. Hall 10 PRINT, II was moved to lay tina; motion
on the table out by yeas and nays the motion TO
lay on the table rejected, l2i to 40 thus In
dlcaing a strong disposition in the House to print.
The morning hour Of Wednesday having expired,
the question on printing was again debated on
Thursday by Mr. Briggs IN favor OF, and by Mr.
Mallory against it, when on the previous question
beng moved Mr. Wise called for the reading of
the report of length. This the Speaker declared
the right Of any member. and the Clerk com
mcnced reading the report which continued
through the morning hour of that day and Friday,
interrupted by occasional efforts from various quar-
tors Of the House, to get rid of the reading. and
come to vote on the printing This righi of
member to call for the reading Of any paper, before
vote could be taken fattemped to be exercised
in of the thousand reports which annually |
made to Congress, from committees, and from the |
executive departments, would efectualy block up |
all the business ofCongress as not tenth of the
papers presented could be read during the whole
OF the session. In the present case the right was
exercised as the only means Of defeating the ev.
ident determination of the House TO extend the IT,
sual courtesy to the report by ordering it printed.
This effort successful for Saturday mornings
hour being taken up in motions to suspend the
rule for other business, and IN a call Of the House
moved by gentlemen from Virginia, the report re-
mains on the table n part Of the unfinished bus.
mess of the session.
Whether the extraordinary course taken against
this report will have the effect to increase the val
ue OF the Virginia claims is at least questionable
The report, which would make some 40 or so
pages OF printed matter, contains a great mass Of
historical and other facts connected with the claims
on which it treats. 1t seems Congress in 1890
on application of the Virginia delegation passed an
act granting over 800 900 acres of land scrip TO
satisfy warrants issued by the State of Virginia
for services of her continental and State troops
during the revolution and that since that tire 9TH
or grants have been made to the amount of mil
lion OF acres or more and the legislature of Viz
GINA, by resolutions sent to Congress, is soliciting
still further grants. These warrants are issued by
the authorities Of Virginia. and have been satisfied
by the United States without any examination of
the evidence on which they were granted. And
after person claiming to have been an officer Tor
as is universally the case, his representative OBJ
tains his warrant from Virginia he often comes to
Congress with certificate that i. was granted for
services TO the end Of he war, and on the strength
OF the decision IN Virginia to that effect claims
allowance of five years full pay. according to his
rank, from the United States. Several hundred
| thousand dollars have been paid from the Treasury
within the last few years by special acts of Con-
gress, allowing claims Of this description to indi
! yiduas.
The report mikes some curious Developments,
and will be likely to pu. an end to the payment of
these claims by the United States. 1t seems from
the report that the allowance of land 10 the officers
is very great, ranging from $4,000 acres to Ma
| jor General To 1886 acres 10 a subaltern thus ma
! king the temptation to obtain these warrants very
strong. The report shows from historical facts.
that much greater number OF allowances TO Off
GERS have been made, and a much greater quantity
| Of land taken up, than could have been required
for the troops which the State had in the service
| during the revolution. aud that these allowances
prove cooclusively that the excess has been ex-
uavogantly large. Thus The report states that
not more than Ais officers ofthe continental line
could have been entitled to warrants for services
al one tme and that 34l have received warrants
for more than six years services each--their ser
vices taking up the whole term ofthe places they
filled, leaving but II other places to be filled by
officers who would be entitled for three years ser
vices. Whereas the whole number ofpersons who
|
FIVE and six hundred as on liberal estimate it
nigh, be expected TO be, is os3. The excess be-
iur so great as TO leave no other way to account
for it, but by the supposiion that great portion
Of the claims unfounded.
The claims for FIVE years full pay or commuta-
ton many ofwhich have been allowed by Congress
and over hundred more Of which are nnw pend
ing, and are SLOWED under a resolve Of the old
Congress Of Oct. 1880 and have been lately claim
ed and allowed on the ground that the officers in
whose behalf they were made. were len out Of
service under the reduction u the army which took
place by order Of that resolve. The committee
have brought TO light the board Of officers who
made tie reduction Of the Virginia line urder that
resolution, from which il tppess that the whole
number o. officers then left out Of service was but
49, every one Of whom received their commutstion
pay al the Glaze OF the war thus overihrowing the
superstruc,ure which the great mass Of these
claims q modera date have been rased. The re-
port also gives particular siatemen, Of over 20
individual claims for Communication, which have Ell
ther been SLOWED by special acts. are now pend
Jog in Congress with fsYonble reports BY commit
tees, In which il appears by documentary evidence
IL. a. i -. - -.