Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1855-03-14
The Court of Claims.

The passage of the bill establishing this
Board, will, we are quite confident, receive
very general appreciation. The advanta.
ges are many and apparent; the evils, if
any, are only those iuseparable from, all
tribunals.
The President no doubt will sign it, and it
will therefore become law of the land in
few days. 1t will be valuable law, for
many reasons, provided the Presdent.ap.
points frstrate men, as we presume lie will.
The Judges are to perform the duties of
masters in chancery. They hear the cases
on both sides, and state the real facts, with,
their own opinion thereon. The result will
be, that the time of Congress will be esaved;s
honest claimants can have their cases speedi:
Iy brought forward and decided, the system
of electioneering will cease, and the good
character of Congress will be preserved.
If it had no other effect than to diminish
the pestilent evil Of lobbying, it would on
this account alone recommend itself to the
lasting gratitude Of all succeeding Congress.
ses and Of every person having just claims
upon the Government.
People not familiar with the system Of
lobbying, as carried on in Washington. can
hardly conceive the value and Importance.
of measure which will be so efficient in.
diminishing this great evil.
1t will be information to many to learn,
that large body of men are Systematically
at work to defeat every claim in WHICH their.
services have not been engaged, andto ell.
gage in procuring the passage Of any bill,
for which they are to be Compensated
There are many honorable exceptions to this
rulc-gentlemen of integrity, who shun
improper conduct.
The poor claimant is made to feel that,
unless certain opposition is removed, his bill
cannot pass; the lobby cormorants are SO
numerous andsso greedy, that in order to
have anything of his just claim left for him.
self, he is Induced by these advisers to claim
twice or thrice as much as he would 10 OBJ
tain only indemnity.
Of the thousands of claims before COM
gress, each has upon an average some half
dozen persons, hunting members of Congress
necessarily, and by personal importantly
seeking to secure their support, or by long
and tedious narratives and arguments CON.
suming their time and patience. A system,
of log.roling is also all the time going on,
among the lobby attorneys of the seyerali
claims, and the passage of one mans claim
is made dependant upon his removing the
obstruction in another's way.
The reports are necessarily mostly erparte
and cannot command the confidence of Con-
gress, because with the best Intention on
the part of the committee, they canno, in u.
vast many cases, make a thorough examin.
alton.
This tribunal, it is fair TO presume, will
have to preside over it, men whose charac-
ter and abilities will be a guarantee for in
tegrity and just award. The Indicator ap-
pointed by Government and selected to
defend its interests, will have his reputation
at stake to secure the most thor ou"h search
of every case and to allow none to pass of
which there can be any reasonable doubt.
The supervision reserved by Congress, will
hang perpetually on the court as an incen.
tive to the most unexceptionable decisions.
The losses and anguish of hope deferred, to
many worthy people, will cease to carry to-
the grave so many as has the present mode,
where the expenses to claimant in most
instances exceed the amount to be recovered.
The sagacious Senator (Mr. Brodhead)
who originated this bill in the Senate, will
have the satisfaction, as he ought to have
credit, Of bringing forward bill of utility
second to but few measures which have ever.
passed. The work so well done by him in
the Senate, was we'll and ably carried out
by his colleague in the House. Hon. J:
Clancy Jones. The practicalatalent and
persevering energy shown by these gentle.
men in this matter, give such assurance OF
the true metal, as should secure tue lasting
confidence and support o.. their connaaiGeReE 4
Washington Sentinel. f''.','' 40;
THE wags will never. let Barnum alone.
The last story in regard to him, is that 'heb
had picked up in his travels a'small pot off
tar supposed to have been loft where the