Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1854-12-22
PRIYATE CLAIms.


nized as most serious grievance. Ia many
instances honest claimants have been forced TO
devote large portion of their lives and in
cur ruinous expenses in urging demands
against the Government, which had been re-
ported to be just and valid by the committees
to which they were referred. These Congress
sional delays have not only operated oppres-
sively, but they subject members Of Congress
to constant and harassing annoyances, and
effect, most unfavorably, the transaction Of the
public business.
Many suggestions have been made in and
out of Congress 10 facilitate the consideration
and decision Of private claims; but thus far
nothing has been actually accomplished. A
special committee has been raised in the Sen
ate, to which the bill we mentioned some days
ago, which was introduced by Mr.. Brodhead,
of Pennsylvania, has been referred. Since
then, Governor Brown, of Mississippi, has sub
mitted the plan we publish below, which pro-
poses to dispose Of the subject by means Of a
new joint rule of the two houses This pro-
position has also been referred to the select
committee of the Senate; and we earnestly
hope that scheme may be matured which
will render justice to claimants, whilst it pro-
tects the public interests.
Some of those persons who wish to remove
the existing evils, mistake the real point of
difficulty. There is no impediment to the pre-
sentation of claims, nor is there any to their
reference to the appropriate committees and
as general thing, the committees examine
the claims referred to them, and report upon
their merits promptly enough. The great
source of injustice is the failure of Congress
to act on the reports brought in by the COM
mittees. Prompt action on the reports and
the bills reported is the thing needed; and the
present grievances cannot be removed until
that end is accomplished In order to guard
against injustice and fraud, it is necessary to
obtain and examine evidence: This is one
step but after evidence is obtained and ex-
amined, an act of Congress is necessary to dis
pose of the claims by rejecting them or by pro-
viding for their payment.
In any scheme which may be adopted, Con-
gress must make the appropriations either in
gross or by particular items for the payment Of
claims. We presume that no one could
seriously advocate scheme by which the deci-
sions of Board Of Commissioners should
operate as an appropriation. The idea OF
appropriating gross amount annually as
fund to satisfy the judgments rendered by
Board of Commissioners, will not answer, for
no one can be expected to place confidence in
such a mode Of procedure until the Gardiner
case shall have been entirely forgotten. If, on
the contrary, the conclusions of Board Of
Commissioners should be considered as only
recommending the payment or rejection of GER
tain claims, there remains the necessity for
some device to obtain prompt action on those
recommendations.
This is a very important subject but is not
our purpose to discuss it fully at the present
time. We only wish TO call attention to the
matter and to the movements which have been
made with reference to it. Mr. Brodhead's
plan has been already made known to our
readers. 1t proposes to ensure prompt action
by means Of Board so organized that their
conclusions will carry great weight. Governor
Brown proposes new rule for the two houses
which requires the appointment of additional
committees, in order to guard against fraudu-
lent claims and places the consideration Of
claims on new footing with a view 10 ensure
action upon them in reasonable time This
is the joint rule he proposes.
Resolved, rhe House Of Representatives con-
curring) That the following be added 10 the stand
ing rules Of the two Houses of Congress
There shall be appointed standing committee
of the Senate TO consist Of seven members, and
another Of the House Of Representatives 10 con-
sist Of thirteen members, to be called, in each
House, the General Committee on Claims. II
s hall be the duty Of said committee in the House
Of Representatives TO report bill at each session
of Congress making appropriations for the pay
me Ut Of private claims. When the several COM
mitt ees OF the House report in favor ofany claim,
the export, with the evidence on which il is based,
shall be referred, and without debate and as a
matter ofprvlegs, TO the said General Committee
on Claims, and ifthat committee, after due exam
nation concur in said report, they shall insert an
item for the payment Of said claim in the bill for
the payment Of private claims and thereupon sub
nit a report and the evidences TO the House TO be
printed, or otherwise disposed OF as the House
may direct. When the bill aforesaid is reported
from the House 10 the Senate, u shall forthwith
be referred 10 the General Committee on Claims
in the Senate, and they shall proceed TO insert
thefein such items may in like manner in the
Senate as in the House have been reported from
the several committees, and have received also
the sanction Of said General Committee. The said
BILL before its final passage in either House, shall
be read by sections, and separate vote taken on
each section OF item, and this Notwithstanding the
previous question may have been moved and Sc
conded. In the order Of business, the bill for the
payment Of private claims shall have precedence
over other bills next afler the general appropria
lion bills.
In submitting this resolution, Governor
Brown made the following explanatory re-
marks
III do not propose at this time TO discuss that
proposition, bat, if the Senate will indulge me,
will make remark or two in reference TO it,
and then move its reference to the select COM
mittee which was appointed yesterday, aud to
which the bill Of the Senator from Pennsyl.
vania was referred / do not believe that that
bill will at all meet the purpose contemplated
by its advocates. The difficulty with us in
reference TO private claims has not been that