Washington sentinel., 1855-01-05

MntypTa congress, exhibiting the action OF
Congress on each claim, with references to the
journals, reports, bills, &C., calculating its pro.
gress." The execution Of the work, in the
volume printed, is admirable, magnificent in
all its parts and when completed, it will be
invaluable, as book of reference and instruc.
ton, to Congress, to the Departments and to
the public.
The first volume of this excellent work en-
braces all the claims held by claimants whose
names range from A TO G, inclusive. 1t,
therefore, presents the name and claim of Mrs.
Darden, registered in due form" Dayden,
Ddrid, By Amy, aoidoao twenty-five
times, at twenty-five different sessions Of Con.
gress The first application was made by pe-
tition, at the first session Of the Third Con-
gress, and was, without reference, laid on the
table. The second was to the first session Of
heFourth Congress referred to the Committee
on Claims, and an adverse report made to the
Committee of the Whole House, was recon-
mitted-date of report, January 26, 1896.
The third trial was by resolution, at the second
session OF the same Congress, which was
referred to the Committee on Claims, and
favorable report made thereon, February a.
l797--referred to the Committee of the Whole
House. And thus the claim Of Amy Darden
went on from session to session, sometimes
reported upon favorably, but more frequently
adversely, up to the second session of the
Eleventh Congress, when the House reported
and passed bill for her relief, which was re-
jected by the Senate. After four more dsas-
trons trials at the third session of the Thir-
teenth Congress, bill again passed the House
tor her relief, and was again rejected by the
Senate. There, then, appears to have been an
armistlce agreed upon, as the battle did not re-
commence until the second session Of the
Twenty-hrst Congress, when bill was again re-
ported, which was strangled by reference to the
Committee of the Whole House. AT the next
session, however, victory perched upon the
banner of Mrs. Amy Darden; bill passed
Congress to remunerate her for the loss Of
Romulus," and was approved by the Presi-
dent on the 18th day Of June, 1882.
This was, indeed, long struggle. From
1894 to l832-thrtyeigM gears There are
many trite sayings in allusion to things con.
tested, costing the victor more than their worth,
such as "paying rather dear for the whistle"
costing more than they come to-" and "a
horse eating has head off," and really, if Ro-
mulus did not "eat his head off," provisions
must have been much cheaper at the National
Capitol, during his thirty.eight years keeping,
than the newspapers represent them to be at
present-uness the $50 pounds in specie
(about $3,750,) at which the gallant horse was
valued at the time he was impressed into the
Continental service in 1881, was at least
doubled, and compound interest allowed upon
it by Congress, which is not in the slightest
degree probable. But what must it have cost
Uncle SAM" in the pay Of members and
other Congressional expenses, for the time oe-
cupied in ascertaining the real value of Ro-
mulus, and whether Amy Darden was the
td,cfM widow and representative Of David, the
bona tide owner of the horse? Mr.. Carey puts
down the wages of Congress alone at sum
sufficient to purchase horses for the best
appointed regiment of dragons in Christen-
dom y and he only estimated the expenses up
to the year 1915, whereas they were continued
TO 1882, seventeen gears longer! Now, as the
expenses Of Congress annually increased the
cost to the United United must have been at
least double at the lastmentioned date, and
amount to sum equal to the equipment of
two full regiments of dragons in our plain
American style, and pay for their services long
enough to subdue the Kansas, Nebraska, and
other Indiano, trAd white on our western
frontier, whose depredations appear to be daily
increasing.
In looking over the Congressional proceed.
ings from the commencement Of the Govern.
ment, it will be seen that the "eyilr which
Senator Brodhead's bill is intended to remedy,
has existed for more than twice "twenty or
twenty-five years." 1t became an evil at its
first initiation into Congress, and has in its
rapid growth, only kept time with this "pro.
gressive age If blame therefore, is to be at.
tached to Congress for the existence Of this
evil, that blame should date back more than
twenty-five years, when it might have been
more easily checked than at present, and would
have prevented the intermediate incalculabe
loss in time and money, both to the United
States and to individual claimants At pres.
ent and for many years past, it has been n
physical impossibility for members of Congress
to examine, judicially, and pass judgment upon
the private claims pressed upon their attention
without entirely neglecting the public business
OF the country. An attempt to do so, almost
amounted 10 a mockery Of justice and good
faith, toward the Government and the people. !;
and it is only to be regretted that the project,
which has been adopted by the Senate, and is
now before the House Of Representatives, pro-
yidng for the organization OF "a court for
the investigation of claims against the United
States" had not been adopted by Congress
early in the present century.
The magnitude Of the work involved in the
examination Of private claims against The gov.
ernment, is glaringly exhibited in the Digest
ed Summary and alphabetical List of Prirate
Claims, dc, published by order Of the House
Of Representatives, to which have already re-
ferred. This work will be Of incalculable bene
fit to the new court, as well as to the public De.
partments and Congress. 1t Itexhibits, at a min.
utes glance, information which would take days
and weeks to obtain, by searching the old Con.
gressional documents. Members could send no
more valuable book TO their constituents: and
if il we're deposited at the seat Of government
in every State, and at the seat OF Justice in
every city, borough ana county in the States
it would save many good citizens much time,
labor and expense in looking after reported
claims held by their ancestors 1t would also
serve to keep honest but ignorant persons
(having good claims without knowing their
character or origin) out Of the hands Of sharp.
ers who often purchase such claims from this
class at one-fourth, or perhaps one-tenth their
value. On the other hand it furnishes an easy
detector to Congress; and if it had been ap-
piled to, would have prevented the recent ap-
X fba Gortb Corn1... -. r.