The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1854-04-18

submit the candor of my friend whether fair 10
argue IN rsisrence e the obligation Of this soys"sns 70
and the tobacco burnt Maguders Ferry, by statement
IA reference TO the tobacco Cedar Point which is m
sadsd IN tins bill 30 far as am aware m any bill which
has been reported from the COMMITTEES Of CLAIMS
In the neat place. the senator from Delaware refers to the
evidence of the loss In this He says; Ale
The evidence Of loss in This case IL founded ON what are
called tobacco notes They were certificates issued BY the
inspector OF the warehouse, ang that many hogsheads
OF tobacco with certain numbers and malks had been de-
posted there, to be delivered to the deposior his
DER and Of them bearer About the
notes 10 bearer and the other half order Now,
a. legal proposition, submit any gentleman in this
body, whether, when instrument of that Kind, payable
10 A. B. order presented evidence Of properly you
can 4 the instrument be unendorsed justly make ground
relief 10 party who merely forward as the hoide
without any evidence Of a transfer of tide"
Now, Mr.. President my friend certainly must have
omitted TO read The bill upon which the Senate are rcqucd
to vote or he could not have made as an objection 70 the
facts which he has stated and the argument which he has
made predcaed upon those facts u the part hn speech
which have just read The bill is for the relief of Hodges
Lansdale and Of the legal representatives of Rnaldo
Johnson and Of Ann Johnson, deceased. provides;
Tha, the proper accounting officers Of the treasury shall
audit the claims of Hodges Lansdae and Of the legal
Representatives Of iDslao johnson and Of Ann E. john
son, for tobacco destroyed by the British in lS at the
warehouses Noinshanund Magruder's Ferry, IN Prince
Georges county. ryand, and from such competent
proof may be exhibited to them, within six months after
tho passage of this the quantity and value Of
thsir tobacco destroyed and that the amount
otherwise appropriated 70 the sd Hodges Lansdals and
the lse representatives of Rnado Johnson and of Ann
johnson, deceased" at
So that isto pay those individuals for tobacco actually
bslougng to them at the two warehouses designated in tho
ebiE Now Mr. President my friend will admit that ii this
bill passes whom tho parties to the Treasury Department
he obliged to show ,hns they are entitled TO lie tobacco
notes which they bring forward the evidence of their
ownership Of the tobacco and any is payable
dor endorsed they from the government
under this BILL payment for that tobacco that this atgu
mont has application the facts Of the before the
Senate. et /.
which, respectfully submit has nothing to do with tho
merits Of the case, made in these WORDS:
"Again there is another difficulty all these
In one the frst presentation Of the claim was IN and
the other in $780, and excuse whatever gwen for their
misrepresentation earlier day. and the parties represent
themselves holders Of these notes. without giving any
evidence Of how they Obtained them have examined all
these tobacco notes in this and find that not one OF
them issued to Hodges Lansdale. They We're
issued A. B. and c. and great variety of names and
they have the possession of these parties
whether for their full value or upon the chances specua
ton, il impossible for to say All know Is, that at
the time of its dcsiructon according to any evidence before
the Senate the property wasnot theira."
Sir If this property was properly destroyed by the enemy
because of s by officers Of tho federal government and
fla consequent obligation upon the part Of the government
opay fer was created cannot matter to whom the to-
bacco belonged ut the time it used by his govern
men and the time it destroyed by the troops of the
government OF Great Britain. But in point Of fact, the
,seacco did Al .heamei was taken and DESTROYED belong
to these parties. Hodges T. Lansdae were the largest
tobacco buyers within the limits Of Maryland Public
rehoues established by law in which the tobacco
deposited The inspectors of tho warehouses
pointed by the State executive and when tobacco hogs
head inspected delivered tho Of the
togshead Whes he cold the tobacco he passed the right
,oit by the tansi,r of the The tobacco which
deposited at these warehouses belonged in point of fact
hcse merchants at the period which used by
forces and destroyed by the enemy
In an argument such my friend has made on this
cason, II was little out Of place, think, draw into the
discussion the idea that you pay these people be-
cause they were SPECTATORS BECAUSE they have proved
that they were the owners Of the property the time
destroyed IL is out Of place. think, that such considera
ton should be advanced connexon with the otherwise
very able argnmen which has been adduced by the honor
have shown, Think, by the repor, of the committee,
the facts of the and submit again. that the facts
ported by them must be believed by the Senate uness each
SENATOR judge examines for himself and asccrtns that
they are not correctly stated by the committee. therefore
pass from that portion of the speech Of my honorable friend,
which think II would have been better had to have
beea made BY him. Now, allow ask the attention of
a, least such listened the honorable gentleman
on last Friday justice TO these parties listen the facts
which are asoerane tn this by the committee
q The Senate After stating the occupancy of the Chesa-
peake and III uoary, the Paiuxent river by the enemy
during tic ofl64 and after ang that the Paiux-
eni was SO occupied until after the burning Of tho Capitol,
the committee g. on 10 -. t..4tse rrl
appear, from the evidence, that two public
houses hd been erected before this period
the margin Of the Paux for the inspection depose
Of the tobacco grown by the citizens Of Prince Georges
eoonyone at the villa of Nottingham and the other
Maerudefs Ferry that these houses in 1914 filed
with hossheads nf To aco, the property Of the planters Of
that county, of merchants who had purchas for
and tst the tobacco for which
claimed by the petitioner Johnson, led been deposited
IN the warehouse Mag Ferry and hattbo tobacco
Tor which payment Is asked iy tIoug,s d. Lapsdae
depoates the warehouse Nottingham Jhe evidence
eoncuGviy establishes the that the ala.
grucer's Ferry burnt by the British, with al, the
becco contained and that ali the tobacco the
house al Nottingham e,sher taken swcy burned Wy
the encyny. n tME
In inpes ang tho right OF the petitioners indemnify
,foin The ledcraf government your committee once per
ceie that the petitioners could csed inde1-
atty under the laws OF 1916 and 1871 the
relief designed to be afforded by those expressly and
excnssey applied ." ores 10 real property The Of
1916 provides, that any who, the time aforesaid
ss sust9it damages by the destruction Of his her
house o. ralns by the enemy while the
pied OK rnsry depps,te under the authority OF officer
or agent al the Uned States shs be allowed and paid the
amount e'seh d mage, provided t shall appear thar soch
occupation was TIE cause Of its Destruction. q
W unr unmee has been unable to recognise the
propnciy AZ the distncoa hc makes tbs United States
abi for moi property destroyed by the enemy and which
exemPs the government from baey for personal prop
ery destroyed under the they
obic appreciate the nstius Of rule which makes the
liable for house burned by the enemy and
exempts on liability for the personal property burned in
the house, 1855 = s#tl fs 10 IL ~ t<
Now corlSs the role which the committee lay down,
= Your committee OF opinion that the United States
should be held liable To reimburse her citizens whenever
he, M