The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1849-08-22
WASHINGTON, August 18th, lSa9.

Inc COUetttoh OF CtuIWS III V0WtugtOW.
To an active, enterprising man, or coPartner-
ship, possessed of tact, of knowledge OF the rou
tine and books of the departments of influential
acquaintance with the members of Congress, of
skill and industry, the collection of claims at
Washington, is often a very profitable business
These claims are of an almost endless variety,
and the numerous bills of relief passed at every
session, appear rather to increase than to diminish
the catalogue. Among them are revolutionary
claims, for psnsions-claims for services in tho
last war-clalms for balances, losses, &c, in the
Florida warand, latterly, claims arising out Of the
Mexican war claims of Indians and Indian agents
claims of contractors in public works-claims Of
mail contractors-cla of consuls and CONNER
cial agents-claims of widows and orphans of old
soldIers-claims Of merchants and navigators-
claims of inventors and experimentalists in inven-
tions-and innumerable incidental claims, arising
from the extended and multIfarous operations OF
the government
Many classes of these claims are provided for
by general laws, requiring only the presentation of
he necessary vouchers TO the proper department.
for the payment OF the money. TO produce the
proofs required, the papers OF the department, In
most cases. have to be overhauled by the agent
employed, and hence knowledge OF the records
of the departments and Of the nature and forms of
evidence required, are Indispensable to the sue
cess of the collector; Hence, too, we find that
land office and Indian bureaux. according to their
| talents and activity, make commissions sometimes
equal to their salaries as clerks, from the coec-
ton of claims before the departments. There arc
others, however, who make the business mere
pretext for lingering here IN hopes Of some ap-.
pointment after the next presidential election, II
not before.
The most profitable claims, however, to tho
agents engaged their collection, are OF that mis-
ceaneous class which require a special act by
Congress. The commission varies from fraction
Of one per cent 10 ten per cent upon the bill &C
cording to the character and amount OF the claim,
and the trouble, labor, and expense OF getting 1t
through. Without a pretty large acquaintance
with the members, and some personal influence
with several Of the most influential OF each house,
an agent IN this branch of the business gets on
slowly. Often by the little timely vigilance OF a
single member, bill is passed, which, If suffered
to rest upon its naked merits, would go over inevi-
tably to the next session. These personal IN
fuences, too, will account for the success OF the
most desperate and extravagant cases, and the
want Of such influences for the repeated failures OF
the most mentorous bills. IL is almost necessary
for u claimant to have defendant or two IN the
lobbey, the case, unless unanswerably clear, Is
deemed defenceess. On the other hand, II a beau.
tiiul and talented woman, the charms IN social
life, Of her friends among the members, ~ present
in the gallery when a claim comes up in which her
sympathics are known To be Interested, ten to one
IT 10 passed, Her smiles are irresistible,
and there is no necessity for call tor the ayes
and noes.
Were il not that the members Of the two houses
were beyond susp,con-dd we not hold them to be
incorruptlby honesi--wc should suspect that the
calendar Of private bills affords the most inviting
field for bribery and corruption. AS il Is. good
dinner, now and then, fails not Of good impress
sion but that loan 81 a thousand has ever fol-
lowed the passage of bill of ten or twenty thous
and, are not uncourteous enough To believe.
We apprehend that the business OF the collection
OF claims on the government Will be overdone at
the next session. from the number OF clerks lately
erected, who viii probably embark in it and from
The fact that several ex-members OF the House may
be expected to turn their attention into the same
channel, afiordlpg the means Of meeting, m
part. the expenses of the destinations OF winter
in Washington, from which, though excluded by
their constituents, they often find II hard to exclude
,h,ms.lves w