The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-05-08


Napoleon who. saw The valuable uses to which il nigh
be adapted, remodelled it, and gave judicial charac
lsr lie made the tenure Of ofce for life, and filled III
places with Intelligent and efficient men. and made thu
audit and reysal OF this court necessary to the RELEASE
q the receiver and payer of the public money Coun
iolie, who contributed so largely 10 the construction
the financial machinery Of France, has shown high ap
preclaton OF the value Of this institution ln his leite
to Dr. BowTing he dwes upon the benefits derived from
this institution and after enumeratng It's functions, he
says:
Each year then developed the beneficial o. the
court OF accounts ia the recognition aud discussion OF facts
submitted 70 the chambers and the administration wa
secured BY the assistance 81 an r.
aid 10 the rapid and necessarily imperfect investigations Of
The legislature by rs oyer-scfapaous ana p.oouna re-
the finances of the State which had not existed under the
ancient monarchy, &c &c.
Again he says, in the same letter:
Finally the Is become the indispensable snppor
the supernendence of the chambers and of the govern
ment since il yerfes the outline q the services reports
iestaton the results of the ministerial accoun explains
as sd pSr s ss pee ss S
the three branches OF power by its observations and
searches.
Such. SIR, the view Of the importance Of this por
ton OF that financial machinery generally acknow
edged to be SO skuy adjusted in all its parts Such.
least is The testimony as to its excellence which is borne
by one OF the great ministers who did most to create
regulate the system How II worked was, perhaps, bes
proved by the report of the Minister OF Finance who
said he had reduced under the existing system the num-
Der Of employees and the expenses Of the different nan
cal departments half, and effected yearly saving
more than "a 100000 How it worked for individual
claimants and Tor the general accuracy of the public
counts may, perhaps be best understood from the fac
that all accounts with the government must be settled
within twenty -one months after their inception.
MIR President, do not suppose that the board proposed
to be established in this bill will produce much benefit
here as the institution of which have been speaking
accomplished in France The powers Of this board are
not so large; the machinery with which it is to operate
is not SO complete But still i is to be remembered thai
to this court OF accounts and our board II established
would probably be useful in the same way That its in
fuence would be highly salutary in the departments
cannot permit myself to doubt
But Mr. President, there is another class of duties
proposed 10 be devoved upon this board by the bill be-
fore which interest the two Houses OF Congress more
nearly and personality mean the duty OF examining and
reporting upon the pecunary claims OF individuals. which
are founded upon equitable considerations and Of the
character OF those which usually presented to By
the petitions OF individuals. Their power OF pronoan
cling finally is confined to such as those in which
final judgment is now given in the executive depart
ments-cases founded upon positive law and regulation
But, upon this second class Of founded upon purely
equitable considerations. it is designed give them
other power than that Of recommending that they BIZ
either rejected OF satisfied by appropriations 10 be made
by Congress But they are required 10 examine these
cases Iudcay, according to the principles which pro
mote the investigation OF truth and regulate the law
evidence This board will have the assistance of coun
sci and proper officers the United States will be defended
by It's own attorneys and the board ITSELF il is to be pre-
sumed, will bring to the decision of the an mparia
Judgment and reason enlightened BY experience study
and much OF that special knowledge which is necessary
IN determining such subjects according to truth and jus
tlce When the case is examined the court will ascertain
the amounts in dspne and state the facts and principles
upon which It's opinion is formed. II is probable tina
these cases. so reported will be referred to the appropriate
commees thatfew which they have rejected will ever b.
passed by Congess and that OF those recommended ae
an examination which will be made easy to those commit
tees the whole nearly the whole will be reported in
BILL which in all probability will take not near the tint
which Is now devoted to every OF the general appro
prahon bills Compare the probable working OF such
system with the present, and there be doubt
the relative superiority between them Indeed could
be worsted by any change in the present mode OF hear
ing and determining private claims by the two houses
Congesss In examining this subject have turned with
much interest to quite able report made in 1913 by
former member OF the House, Mr. Rockwell, of Connec
tcut II IS report upon which he has obviously be
slowed much investigation and although was prepared
TO expect facts TO show incompetency tribunal
determine claims yet those which he has there collected
show the neglect the inability of Congress try sucf
tons presented 10 both houses Of Congress By pr
vate claimants and OF these 30Sl were not reported
by any committee and in the succeeding years Their
were presented 1873 petitions to the House of Repre-
sentatives, and SPAS were not reported by any com
mlttee-msre than half the number" The result OF hi
tablesnany OF which are TO be found in that reports
show that the proportion which the cases not acted upo
bear TO those acted upon by Congress increases rapidly
with the extension OF territory and the addition
population Nay, sir, il shows rapid an increas
IN this proportion, 10 short period OF years. as to Prov
attempt to determineihat Congress short time henc
can hear and determine the half Of the private claim
which will be presented TO itcaims which destine
TO increare in number and importance with our growll
in population and wealth Sir how is il possible tina
the House OF Representatives q mention that body be
cause it is the larger. consisting OF $50 members
investigate properly complicated case Of account
pecunary claim upon which chancellor, with the assist
ance OF counsel and the proper officers might spend four
FIVE, perhaps six weeks order TO do full Justice to th
parties And we all know that many such are pre-
scented for consideration Shall IL be said that th
labor will be taken by the appropriate committees |
too much TO expect that members will bury themseye
devote weeks 10 the examination OF an old and obscure
claim, for which they get neither honor profit
II may be said perhaps, that they will at least IN,
pleasant consciousness OF having done good deed
yet this is doubtful for the time thus bestowed MAJ
have been lost the consideration OF subjects OF genera
interest, which their constituents deeply in
teresied
Mr. President. IL il be probable that Congress is unabl,
10 decide half OF the private claims presented for ia
consideration, the argument conclusive in favor oil the
proposed change. But there other consideration,
equally persuasive. The proposed change would aort
the government additional securities and guarantee
against false and improper demands. As it now stands
the evidence upon which we decide claims is entirely
Ger pdrte"it being prepared by the petitioner himself
in his way, and without the presence OF any one
represent the interests OF the government II his pc
ton fails he may Withdraw his papers, rules
upon former trial, and reproduce The with
face, and different statement Of facts II the demand II
very large he may such agency and influences a
will keep alive from year 10 years and their being nc
statute OF limitations 10 bar him before Congress, IL u
demonstrable from the doctrine OF chances that the
end he succeed Ninety nine refusas IN the course
OF hundred years will not bar him, according to ou
huf no sncceeds only claim