New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1859-02-02
FROM FLASHING TON.
DELAY OF BUSINESS IN CONGRESS
PRIVATE CLAIMANTS.

! GLOW not 10 do it, seems to be the problem
which Congress, and especially the Lower House,
| is always trying to solve. For instance: A Gov
eTDment like ours, operating over vast territory,
acting through all sorts of agents, and coming con-
stantly in contact with private interests, will
necessarily damnfy good many persons in the
course of every year. II lie RICH, that the Govern
ment should rectfy its wrongs, and remunerate
those whom it has damaged. Inasmuch ss injured
or. it may be, ruined parties cannot sue the Gov
eminent il is natural that they seek relief from ITS
Legislature. Recognizing this principle, Congress
created Court of Claims, giving 1t jurisdiction
over defined description of cases This Court
sits all matters before it with scrupulOus care
But, 50 far from treating lis decisions as hni,
Congress requires that tribunal to report It's adu1
cations to II for review. This done II sends them
to committee, which, unless it suppress the
matter altogether, reports on the cases either adj
versely or by bills granting relief to the parties.
These bills are referred to the Committee OF the
Whole ard entered on what Is called 1.-THE Pr.
yate Calendar" But, as the jurisdiction OF this
Court is limited TO narrow range OF cases, many
others arise where the claimants must apply Tor
relief directly to Congress. These cases are re-
ferred to committees, who report thereon either
adversely or by bills, which bills are also sent to
the Committee of the Whole, and entered on the
Private Calendar.
The House by rule, is bound to devote Friday
and Saturday of each week to private bids. On
every alternate Friday the objection OF single
member throws a bill over the day. Two days IN
each week would seem to be sufficient to dispose
of this class of business. But, in fact, the House
often adjourns over Saturday, while many OF ITS
Fridays and Saturdays are consumed by special
orders" or unfinished business" or - bun
cOmbe speeches, or, even the Private Calendar
be taken up, by perverse - fbustering."
The Private Calendar of Friday last is before me.
II contains nearly 400 bills. l am told that most
of them were on the Calendar at the last Session,
and that MANY of them have been before Congress
for Years am not aware that ever heard Of
single name on this Calendar, except that OF Chas
j. Ingersoll exMember of Congress from Phila-
dclphis. A considerable share OF the bills are 10
give effect to decisions of the Court of Claims.
large part of the others are reported from the Com.
mittees ON Invalid Pensions, Military Affairs Naval
Affairs. Indian Affairs, Revolutionary Claims, and
Private Land Claims. They cover n vast variety oil
subjects and the documents accompanying them
doubtless exhibit some Of the most curious, anus
ing and touching incidents IN the annals oil the
country. from its ante Revolutionary period down
TO the latest Indian outrage in our Western wllds
good many of the bills are for relief to soldiers
iuyalidated in the service. A large proportion OF
the remainder are based claims for all sorts oil
nriyate property purchased, or seized or used, or
DESTROYED in time of war and in time OF peace, by
the military and naval forces, by the clyil ohcers
or Indian agents, OF the Government. Many oil the
original parties died long ago, leaving these claims
IN their y, idovs and children The sums involved
are generally small and the claimants often needy.
On 'sprivate-bill day." it is not unusual 10 see
dozen or more of aged females 10 the gallery oi the
House, each with a printed calendar IN her hama,
eagerly watching the free and easy, long WINGED
gentlemen below, the plain garb OF some oil these
matrons indicating that they need the plttance
Withheld from them by Government that took their
husbands horses or consumed their beef or burned
their dwellings in some Indian war thirty or forty
years ago.
When pryate.bill day arrives, il is deemed ex-
traordinary if the House takes up the Calendar al
ALL passing strange it the Committee OF the Whole
dspOses OF three or four bills; miracle II, When
reported TO tie House Mr.. George w. Jones OF
Tennessee does not make dozen motions on each
bill and call the Yeas and Nays on each motion.
ard thus preveLt fnsl action on any OF the meas
ures passed upon in COmmittee-said Jones, who
is very much such Member of Congress as Abigail
| Fulsom would be, deemlDg himself a great ecOno-
mist. and sure of d reelection, If he can by badger
| ing the House all day at an expense oil Slo,oVo'
table bill appropriating $40 for widow horse
taken for the public service By one Of our officers
| in the War of 1872. In the last four days, when
private bills were considered, the House disposed
| of only about dozen cases; while IN the same
period more than fifty were added to the Calendar
! Members talk everything TO death-eyen time.
For instance, the bill 10 pay Charles j. lngersoi
his per diem and mileage while c0ntestlDg the seal
| of Charles NaylOr some twenty years ago ms
been discussed more elabOratey at each one OF a
| dozen sessions than the House of Commons would
debate serious proposition To dispose VI the "AV'c
of British India TO France.
Now | do not say that Congress ought not 10 IT,
! view the decisions of the Court Of Claims, nor
that it should enact all the bills on ITS Private
| Calender or a single one of them. But do say,
that il ought to act upon and dispose OF them all
| When Henry Brougbsm took the Great Seal he
| found the Court OF Chsncery choked by the oual-
ness hich bad not been done by that eve rlastlng
| doubter" Lord Eldon. The mercural law -reiormer
tucked Up his gown, and went at this mass oil ruo
| bish the accumulation of squarter of q century OF
hesitancy and delay, with determination 10 clear
off. In thus dong. he scted on the principle that
il WAS better for suit0rs that their be decided
wrong ST once than not decided at all. lie cleared
the calendar and left carte blanche 10 his success
| sor So should il be with Congress. Ii would Dc
better for claimants that their cases be briefly con-
sdered and summarily dis missed from the Caplloi'
than that parties be kept here IN suspense session
| after session, while members soar aloft on tne
| wings Of buncombe and the American Eagle.
THr TRIBUNE recently published an article
| from The States under the caption " Have we
democratic party among US" The Union oi
this morning, in an elaborate editorial, answer Tue
query by the significant admission that " Ii IS GER
tsinly true that If We were 10 look for evidences
| =. of the existence of Democratic party In Con,
- ross wa should not scOyer il by an analysis oil