Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1842-08-05
Ft ,-,\--
VG}u rllu0tanD
FRIDAY MORNING. AUGUSTA, la42.
correspondence Of the Free Press


WASHINGTON, n. c., 25h July, 1912
The speech Of Mr.. H,GnLaNp HAIL, Of
your State, delivered in the House of Rep
rcsentstivos some time in the loter part Of
June on the Virginia Bounty Land Claims,
has Just been Published. This speech has
been very highly complimcn,cd by many of
the leading papers in the country, and is said
TO have produced as favorable an impression
in the House as any speech w'lch has been
delivered during tho prcscn, session. was
absent from the House at the time Of IFS de-
livery, and did not, therefore, have the pleas
IRE of hearing it, ! have read it, however,
since it has been printed and will cndeavor
to give you a brief analysis Of ii.
Mr.. Halls frs, speech was made on res
olu,ion introduced by Mr.. Stanley, from tho
Committee on public expenditures, which,
as modified by him, proposed the appoint
mcnt Of select committee to enquire into
tho character Of the Virginia Bounty Land
claims. Claims of similar character had
been paid by tho United States, and Con-
Crcss was asked to make still further appro-
priations. Several gentleman from Virgin
ia charged Mr.. HALL with unreasonable hos
tili,y TO these claims, and Mr.. Wise parlicu-
larly undertook to establish their merito-
rious character. Mr.. Hall answered these
gentleman in an argamenta,ve speech, which
was conclusive against the claims, but per-
tec,ly respectful towards the Virginia mem.
bcrs personally. 1t appears from his frs
speech that these claims are ostensbly fol
bountics of from 2666 to 5000 acres o
Land promised by the State of Virginia t.
each Of her Revolutionary officers according
TO their rank that the claims Which hav,
been paid by the United States and other
for which payment is now demanded, amour
to several millions Of dollars, and that the
have been recently allowed, by the Execu
tive of Virginia, without any examinatio
by the authorities Of the United States
Mr. Hall. also showed most concusvely tina
these claims we're either fraudulent or un
| founded and those which were original
, good had been all satisfied by Virginia 500
= after the close of the war. He spoke wit
; grea, freedom and severity, though in coul
tcous language, Of the course of Virginia
regard to these claims.
: In reply to Mr.. HALL, MessIs Underwoc
: of Ny. and Gilman, Goggin and Coz ode,
D Virginia, spoke each an hour, Mr. Gilm
: in particular going on, of his way to mai
=. an unprovoked personal attack upon M
o HALL, assailcd ,herevolutionary character
: Vermont.
y Mr. Hall replied, in speech of an ho'
: to each of,hese gentleman, and administers
to Mr.. Giimer in particular very thorout
h and satisfactory hagelation. From ii
y speech we make the following extracts:
lg Mr.. HALL said that the course which the disc,
On sion tins resolution had aken-the debate haVl
:, IN great measure, been aimed al hn-seemed
call On HIM 10 make a brief explanation TO the hoI
r OF the manner IN which he had become acqualn
O. with these claim, and of the relation IN which
;, STOOD TO Them Mr.. IL. said that when he came il
w Cohgiess' seven or eight years ago he found cl
ny u pi,a,e Chains passing through he House with
his tIoi, p ",,paily from Virginia, called COMMIT
DC uon CLAIMS, They thus continued silently 10 y,
o. an'l us colleague, the Hon. iieman Allen, favoia
the Known to all who wereIn Congress with HIM
M gentleman of nigh character for integrity talents
usefulness called the attention of the House 10 III
30 IL was 'hcn customary 10 allow, not only the PR
US pal sum OF continuation but also interest from
revolutionary period. His colleague felt i, his c
to OBJECT N the House to the allowance Of in,eres
US an Oh ho claims and, also, 10 oppose the allows
we OF the principal in some OF the cases
IN For this temerity, his colleague had been ass
az by several gentlemen from Virginia, very much
Oh the manner ~ which he (Mr. H. had been no
We on this OCCASION though in mllder terms, HIS
i, league however, maintained his ground, and sucC
)" ed in all his efforts. The position of his collcs
APP for whom he entertained tue highest respect anC
of gard, attracted (Mr. II, said his attention to
claims and lac was not certain but he might
|" aided him in opposing them on one or two occas
eSts Al any rate he would have done if such aid
nm been necessary. At The commencement of tho
Congress, when his colleague had ceased to be a II
va Der, he (NIr H. had the honor Of being appon
But member ofthe Committee on Revolutionary CT.