New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1849-03-05
The Winding Up-At Hand.

WAsWSGToS, Friday harcn =
The House has done more business this morning
than it usually does in the first month Of a Session
The doings were last becoming OF interest at the
close.
The bill providing for the adjustment and pay
rpent Of the Claims OF our Citizens on Mexico,
assumed by the United States as part OF the con
sideration for New Mexico and California IN the
Treaty of Peace, was taken up. The Treaty sets
forth that the United States accepts full satisfac
ton for those claims and agrees to pay the claim
ants. but sets forth that we shall pay only Three
and Half Millions of Dollars. Mr.. j. X. NIGER
SOILS amendment proposed that these claims
should be promptly ascertalned and, so last as
adjusted paid in full without regard to the limita
ton aforesaid. He and others very fairly argued
in support Of this amendment that the limitation
to Three aud Half Millions could not in equity be
worth straw MS against the claimants Tho were
in no wise parties to it-that the United states
had voluntarily placed themselves in the stead OF
Mexico. received valuable consideration therefor
and so was bound to pay % the last iarthIng' On
the other hand Hon. TRUMAN SMITH and others
waived for the present, the question OF the extent
of our liability and insisting on the practical view
of the matter To open the Treasury without
limit TO these claimants was TO invite and secure
the presentation Of Claims to an enormous amount
probably Fifteen to Twenty Millions But by
limiting the aggregate as by Treaty provided and
dividing that pro rata upon the approved
claims It was made the interest OF each claimant
| TO scrutinize every competing claim and keep out
every fraudulent one, and thus the amount would
be kept down to something like just standard.
After the whole ground had thus been gone over,
it would be time TO determine whether we owed
a farther sum to these claimants, and II so how
much. This reasoning prevailed, and Mr. Smiths
bill was approved by large majority.-Shall we
ever, ever have done with paying debts and claims
growing out OF this glorious War
Mr. BURT of G. made one Of the best speeohes
against the Ingersoll amendment, ripping up the
whole matter of Mexican Claims in a style most
edifying TO hear He called the claimants and their
agents everything but gentlemen, and stated that
many of their claims were SO preposterously impu-
dent and baseless that our Foreign Minister at
Mexico refused evento present them. He said they
| embraced such items as 81 900 and over for two
dozen bottles OF Porter and that the whole busi-
ness was foul and putrid with rascslity From
member of the party which made these claims IN
| good part the pretext of the War his speech was
peculiarly rich. Finally, the bill passed
through every stage and sent to the Senate for
| concurrence. IL was queer but not surprising to
| see most OF these who had been so eager to Kill
Mexicans because their Government did not pay
these claims promptly enough now vote against
even investigating them since zee have assumed
the responsibility OF paying.
The House lost hall an hour on a motion to sus
| pend the rules and take up bill providing pay
ment for more Horses lost damaged the Mex
| lean War. ('Morer More - More for that Wa
| eterEally.l Ii was voted down, but those who OBJ
tanned the Yeas and Nays on 1t bad accomplished
their object-they had manifested their zeal in
behalf Of the Horse claimants.
| Then came up the Civil and Diplomatic Appro-
| priation biil returned from the Senate stuck all
| over with amendments $50 named on the same
| principle with Bottoms Dream providing for ad
| ditionsl expenditures here, there, everywhere
\ for the District of Columbia many thousands Of
dollars $50, 600 for the additional papers of Gen.
Washington, 1--WE have bought lot at a higher
price already y 100000 for the papers of Presi-
dent Monroe, &c. &c. Having ordered the debate
i stopped IN Ntc MINUTES, iiuuec IN
went rapidly through these observation-disclosures
| ing to some, disegroeing to others-generaliy fol
| lowing The Report OF the Committee OF Ways and
Means-rejecting that OF the Senate which pro-
poses to strike out the Anti-Flogging proviso
| with regard to the Navy by Ayes 100. Noes ~
and finally came square up against the Senate's
Interpolation of a civil Government for California
and part Of New Mexico with the exclusion OF
Slavery For this the Committee OF Ways aud
Means had voted 10 substitute different provis-
ion merely authorizing the President to keep the
peace in the New Territories until Congress at
the next Session should have time to act in the
premises.
Mr. WENTWORTH moved the Wilmot Provlso
| as an amendment 70 the original section. Lost
Ayes 81, Noes 90. 1t is the beginning OF the
d.'-Here the hour of recess arrived, and the
| House dispersed 10 dinner.