The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1855-03-21
The CoURT OF CLAIMs-The National Intel

Ks The CoURT OF CLAIMs.-The NationalI Int,
heI ligencer says that one of the most importa
IN bills which has passed congress within our
N, membrane, received the final sanction of Il
Sc legislative branch Yesterday We refer to Il
Of bill toestablish a court of claims, to which '
IS, ventured, not long since, to invoke the favor
ng the house of representatives, with whichittht
ch rested. We should not be surprised if it saw
it one fourth part of the session of congress no
n spent in the examination and discussion
e. claims. 1t will, however, operate beneficial
to IN variety of ways. It will not only secure
te just claims an early hearing and prompt settl,
d, ment, but it will get rid of interminable renew
le ais OF unfounded ones, and thus save the tim
C. of congress from being wasted year after yea
a In the discrimination of rejected claims Th
$ bill gives jurisdiction to the court to hear an
1 determine all claims founded upon any law c
Of congress, or upon any regulation of an execu
o tive department. or upon any contract, expires
e or implied, with the government of the United
Y States, and all claims referred by either hous
i otcongress The testimony in all cases is t,
) be reported to congress, and all upon which ia
u yorable decisions are given are to be accompa
t MED with bill or bills to carry them into eff
!, feet, and with briefs from the solicitor of the
. board and from the claimant. 1t will be thus
e seen that the court is to perform the work now
iaborousy, but imperfectly, done by commit
tees, and congress is to revise the whole and
act upon the subjects presented, as at present.
On many subjects an opinion well matured by
the court, will serve as the basis for action on all
similar cases; and there will not perhaps be so
many inconsistencies in Legislation as at present,
when the success or failure of measure de-
ponds in great degree upon the mood in which
one house or the other may happen to be found
when the vote is taken. At all events there is
the probability Of a more mature investigation
than by the present mode, and it is to be hoped
we shall hear but little more of what's deemed
worse than the claws delay" the tendency of
claims before congress of half centurv's du-
ration. We trust that the Intelgencer's pro-
phecles may be realised, but that depends al
together upon the kind of men who may be ap
pointed to form the court Of claims. If thew
be mere Office seekers, or corrupt politicians. |
instead of proving benefit to the country, the
court will be nothing but machine through
whose workings intriguers may rob the public
treasury with mpunity.
ANOTHER " oNDER.-The city papers contain
an account OF a new scientific wonder, which
# realizes all that is ascribed to it. is the most
discovery of the day, and will prove
rs beneficial to the country, especially the prai
lies, asst is marvellous. 1t is styled the cir
and in speaking Off the editor of !
he True Delta, who is one of the ablest chem '
SITS In New Orleans, says, sit is favorite the
Try with many that the world will be burned |
p' and at no very distant day, and after view .
ng the operation of the "Firmamentum" or
nd fires, we are disposed to believe that the j,
cry mud IN our cutters requires but to have v
ne proper torch applied to it to ensure a Gen. @
raj contiagration. Let any incredulous per- h
on visit No Fl Commercial place, between the r.
ours OF 10 o'clock, A. NJ and 2, P NJ, and he q
MI there see splendid fire burning cheerily 7
the CRATE, and what, enquirng reader, do b
on think is the fuel composed of? Why moth it
1g more nor less than mud!-real Louisiana II
1ud. BY some process, known only to the in c,
entor, the batture sand on any river bank, or S;
tact any species of mud or clay, can be man al
featured into kind of half dried brick at a fl
filing expense, which will burn in CRATE with hi
the intensity of the best Pittsburg coal. We if
ave seen 1t burn, and of course speak by the tie
|rd. Those, however, who may be incredu- til
US, as we confess we were until we saw it, have
lily to visit No. 81 Commercial place, and sat to
y themselves. A company has been formed pc
rthe manufacture of the firmamentum, and A
learn thatwhen it gets fairly under way, the to
tlc'e can be supplied in any quantity at from ed
5hteen to twenty-five cents per barrel" We W;
pc the new fuel will find its way to this place
fore next winter. th
AT HoNE.-The opening ball Of the political cr'
mpalgn IL New Hampshire was set in motion IN
Newport on the 7tb uIt to ,,l;ah ~1n 49, str
foA', vi VlIS III ults W winch place. the
w lork National Democrat saws. several Of ne
abIest debaters of the Pierce party in that an
ate, backed by one of the most influential and an
torlous freesoil orators, were sent to heard ma
: Burke. The court of common pleas was at cot
time In session, and a large number of peo ucl
from every part Of the county were present us'
c debate, attended by a large number of la esp
S and by an immense throng of gentlemen, pee
opened at six in the evening and continued car
four O'Clock the next morning. Attic close IS
his last speech, Mr.. Burke introduced the art
owing resolution, which was passed almost y
acclamation: alst
'hesoved, That this meeting has no conf Tor
ice IN the competency and ability of general Of t
rce TO conduct the government of the Uni an
States with credit to himself or benefit to roe
country" ''ei
Alter the adoption of the resolution. the 20 =
rec and treesoil orators retired in hurrr i
this verdict of want of competency and .''o'