Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1856-05-17

citizens OF foreign birth OF any portion Of thei
rights as they existed up to yesterday, accord
ing to the decision of the Circuit Court AND
i the acknowledgment of the Know Nothings o
i the House, yed in their final action on tn,
bill. Mr.. Marshall refused to accept thi
proposition, and the rule of the House pre-
cluded vote upon it. Mr. Campbells substi
tute was then adopted by the votes Of the
Know Nothing members thus subjecting &c
continued Acknowledgement the young men Of
our city. Such is Know NOTTINGHAM
A Question ssttlsd.-Ever since the organ.
| i1ation Of the present House was completed
the question what they will do with reports
| from their recently created tribunal, the
Court of Claims, has attracted much attention
here, and has occupied much of their time
| on private bill days The professional gen.
| tlemen practising at the bar Of that court or
commission have manifested deep interest in
it also. The object of those claiming to be
the peculiar friends of that tribunal has been
to have their reports referred directly to "the
committee of the. whole House, without pre-
vious reference to the Committee on Claims, or
other standing committees. The House yes
terday determined otherwise, and hereafter
all reports from the Claims Court 90 to ap-
propriate standing committees.
In our Judgment, this decision will do more
towards effecting the point of those who
struggled against it, than the plan they advo-
Gated would have done had it triumphed. The
Court of Claims is not law court 1t is an
examining commission, to sift the testimony
in cases Of claims on the Government for the
payment of which there is, confessedly, no ex.
isting law. Its functions are advisory only.
The main argument urged in procuring its
establishment, by statute, was, not that it
would take the place of Congress in determin.
ing what private claims should and what
should not be liquidsted from the national
treasury; but that it would save the commit
tees of Congress the labor of themselves sift-
ing scrutinizing-the testimony of the claim
ants, and hunting up and preparing the coun.
ter testimony of the Government Or, in
other words, that cases reported on by the
Claims Court would be in a condition to be
Immediately undsrstandingly acted on by a
committee, without the vast preliminary labor
previously necessary where the committed
essayed to discharge their duties properly.
Of late, there has been an effort to change
the real character of the tribunal, making it
court Of law, as far as possible independent
of Congress, and without the privilege of ap
peal from its decisions on the part of the Gov
eminent.
No one has been more anxious than ourself
that it might become a very useful tribunal,
and it has afforded US great qualification to
know, from carefully watching its proceedings,
that, with hardly an exception, its determine
tions have been such as to make it certain tn at
it has discharged its functions under due
sense Of its obligations as we'll as of its privi-
leges 1t has been, in the main, no less the
protector of the rights of public, than the
guardian of those of the individual. Up to
this time it has deserved, and has therefore en-
joyed, the confidence of Congress, and the best
possible way of insuring that it shall continue
so to do, is to continue in existence all possible
guards and checks upon its action that may
not prove obstructive to the transaction of the
business Of legislation. So We are grati6ed
with yesterdays action of the House
The D-l to Pay.-The determination of
the majority of the (Edie) State Know No
thing Council of Pennsylvania to stand by
Fillmore, was quite unexpected among the
mass of tho Know Nothings of all shades of
opinion here. 1t has caused many finger nails
to be bitten down to the quick. Three.fourths
of those from the North in public life, be-
longing to Know Nothing lodges, are exceed.
lngly anxious to toss Mr.. Fillmore overheard,
and to make coalition with the Republicans
on Judge Mclean or some one else who will
not profess to hold to the principles and aims
of the Republican party higher than those of
Know Nethingism-hatred to Catholics and
those among Us born on the other side of the
Atlantic. They thought that they had surely
laid the foundation for the coalition to which
We refer above, and conceived that its con-
summation would meet but very triaing OPP
position, indeed, in Pennsylvania
The refusal Of the Pennsylvania State Coun-
Gil to throw Fillmore overheard, demonstrates
the fact that there is still a live real Hindoo
party in the nOn-slaveholding States, and tina
Senator Seward may not reasonably calculate
that it Is portion Of his own stock in trade
for the next Presidential elections disagree
able development indeed; very.
The 1ssue.-The positive denial of the truth
Of Mr.. Champions statement to Lord Claren-
don relative to the alleged admission of Mr..
Clayton concerning the indisputable validity
of Britaln's title to the Island of Ruatan, made
by Mr. Clayton, and backed by the testimony
| of Senator Fish, who is said to aver that Mr..
Champion told him precisely the reverse of
what he wrote to his Government, has created
great furry among those connected with the
different foreign Legations at this point 1t
seems to complicate the difficulties of the posi-
ton Of Mr.. Champion in Washington, and
Il DrChahlv tn max a IL mora e.