Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1855-01-27
The Lstchsr Am.ndmsnt-No, ,;th.,.nd

The Lstcher Administrators Withstand
ing the action of the House in Committee of
the Whole yesterday, on the amendments q.
Jared to the spolistion bill, we have every
reason to believe that the justice and obvious
propristy Of that of Mr.. Letcher will secure its
adoption, probably to-day. 1t is as follows,
viz:
Provided, That no insurance Office or com.
pany OF insurers or assignees of insurers shall
receive any indemnity whatever under this
act; and no assigues of original claimants,
other than insursrss shall receive anything
mere than they actually paid for the claims
they hold and it shall be the duty of every
claimant to lay his claim before the Secretary
OF the Treasury, showing its origin and the
character in which he claims, with the amount
actually paid by him when he claims As as
| signee; and the truth of all statements so
made shall be inquired into, under the direc-
tions Of the Secretary of the Treasury, by the
solicitor OF the treasury, and some accounting
officer, with power to send for ersons and ps>
pers, and to examine witnesses on oath. and
AXE their testimony in writing and in all
such cases the burden of proof shall lie upon
| the claimant, subject to be invalidated BY
counter testimony and no money shall be
paid, in any case, until the claim has been Sc
examined and reported to the Secretary Of the
Treasury, and approved by him.
Most Of the claims now being urged on Con
gress under tho bill, are to pay insurers, OF
their a'signees. The insurers, in most cases
VIGOROUSLY received q premium of forty o,
fifty per centum, the risk Of capture by the
French being, at the time the vessels left oul
shores, VIGOROUSLY equal to the chance Of
making safe voyage. The insurers were
practically gambterS-and winning ones, a,
that-in taking any risks under such circum
stances Now, they come to the 0svernmen,
by themselves, or their assignees, and ask to
be reimbursed for money paid to ship-owne.
under losses through such transactions. If i,
is right to pay assignees anything under these
claims, which We do not believe, it surely ID
not right to enable them to make pee ul ations
out of their purchase Of them, by allowing
ihsm any more whatever, than what they &C.
tlally prid for their interests in the claims
The manifest justice and propriety of this
amendment strikes all right.minded men whom
We have heard speak on the subject, with &C
great force as to make US believe that the bill
cannot pass unless il embraces this Who'll some
provision. ...
Senator AtcAison.-The chances for the re-
eeetion Of this gentleman are brighteni NC
News reached Warrington to- day that six Of
the Wings of the Missouri Legislature had
gone over to him in tae last ballot heard from
The Current Operations Of the Treasury
DepartmeDt.-On yesterday, tie 26th of Jan
there were of Treasury Warrants entered on
the books of ths Department ."
For paying Treasury deb.s ...... 50 965 90
For the Customs. ..............,. sc, 470 Ia
For covering into the Treasury from
customs. I'll OF
FOroovsriDg into the Treasury from
niscell aneOus sOurces........., 1872 40
Covered into the Treasury from
Lands .................... 4,7s3 50
For the War Department. ......,. 2l,799 AZ
For repaying in the War Depart
mont Observation-Disclosures. I.7s9 AZ
Fox tho Navy Depsr tment ....,.. 1904 IS
For t-e Interior Departne1t... 35.I35 Sc
For repaying in the Interior De-
-,artmept " , 2oe CT