The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-01-27
A Member Of Congress on Trial
for Forgery.
ne GRAND DEMOCRATIC LOVE FEAST,
Candidates for President and Vice
President in Training.
Hendricks and Hancock on the
Track.

The House Committee on Foreign Affairs had
under consideration to-day the bill introduced by
Mr. Bulilnton regarding the Alabama claims. Mr..
John A. Parker, OF New York, who represents many
Of the claimants was before the committee General
Banks the chairman, after stating that the bill in
question provided for the appointment by the Pres-
dent Of commission to audit the claims for British
spoliations the government then TO assume and pay
them by an issue Of bonds for the amount found to
be Justly due, requested Mr.. Parker TO state
what he had TO say on behalf of the
claimants. Mr.. Parker stated that rom eight
TO ten years had elapsed since the chief
part OF these depredations were committed and
the sufferers thought that their losses should
not be increased by longer delay OF settlement. He
said there was now every Indication Of willingness
on the part OF Great Britain TO pay all reasonable
claims as they could be fairly adjusted. The
claimants had applied TO the government for liberty
to go to England and collect their claims In person,
but permission was refused. In the opinion OF the
claimants, by such refusal the government had rem
dered itself legally liable, far any government
can render itself liable to private citizen, for the
value Of the claims ana was therefore equitably
hound to assume them. The government being only
a trustee he said, had no right to compcate these
Claims which were claims for money only, with
questions of purely national political character
and not involving any pecunary obligation. He
argued that the assumption and payment Of the
claims by the United States, alter having them fairly
audited, would facilitate settlement with England
by enabling the government to present q definite
claim. In respect to pecunary damage the matter
would need no further adjudication: and, further,
the government would be enabled to use the spoa
ton claims IN Offset OF counter claims or for any
other purpose, which they could have no legal right
to do unless they should rst become the owners Of
fho rlo In m Inn Mr.
Wood, Mr.. Parker said that he thought
the insurance companies generally received
more war premiums than they paid losses, b2t
the property destroyed was lost to the country, ana
by assurances the loss became transferred from
the individual TO the insurance company, who for a
small premium had guaranteed against capture.
He s0id the premiums charged were very light, the
highest five per cent, but generally only about one
per cent The right of reclamation and salvage was
always an element of the premium charged, and
that without the right OF reclamation from England
the war premiums would have been two or three
times greater than they were. General Banks asked
whether the parties paying q premium for the war
risk had not right to recover 1t back, and Mr..
Parker answered that all that could be recovered
was the full value of the property destroyed. The
premium OIL Insurance was paid for guarantee, to
save the trouble and delay OF looking to foreign
government and the ship captured the insured
party assigned all his interest to the Insurance COM
pany with the right of salyage but II the ship went
safely to her destination the insured party got In the
guarantee of the insurance company all that he
paid for and had no right to anything besides. The
hour for adjournment having arrived the committee
postponed the further consideration Of the subject
to another day.
Grand Democratic "pow-Wow ''--Sunact
Cox's Banauer III Honor of Blair and
HeuGrclss.
Samuel s. Cox, better known az ..suDset Cox"
whilom of OHIO, but now OF the Sixth district or
New York, gave an eegant entertainment ut the
Arlington this evening to his friends of the demo.
cratic party. 1t was OF the character Of the demo.
cratic love feasts of the oden time The entire
company was composed OF gentlemen, but there
was no particular ceremony. There were gentle
men In full dress and gentlemen In their ordinary
morning suits Corcoran, the millionaire, was not
more warmly congratulated by the distin suisned
host than was the democratic voter who finds 1t
difficult to make both ends meet. sam Cox could
not be an aristocrat. He is a natural born demo.
crat, IN the true significance OF that word. His
petite figure seemed to be ubiquitous tonight The
party was given In the mansion formerly occupied
by Reverdy johnson, but which is now part OF the
Arlington House. Sam was upstairs in the
smoking room, down In the lunch room, out
in the corridors In the cloak room, apparently
everywhere at once. Not q single man failed 10
grasp his welcome hand.
he DRANK WITH EVERYBODY,
and yet when the last man LETT he was as sober as
judge. The assemblage was large and charac.
teristic. it would be almost as easy TO
tell who Of the democratic party was ao.
sent as to give list Of those who were
present. Some prominent gentlemen like Governor
Hoffman, Mayor Hall and Boss Tweed had been in
vited, but they did not put in an appearance. The
party given in honor OF Senator Blair, OF Mis-
souri,, and ex-senator Hendricks, OF Indiana.
Among those present were ex-senator Hen
bricks, ex-senator Johnson, OF Arkansas; ex-Post-
master General Montgomery Blair, Generals
Franklin ana Marcy, ex-senator Reverdy Johnson.
Governor Bgler, OF Pennsylvania; Justice Field OF
the Supreme Court; General Elijah Ward, Of New
YORK; General Lefevre OF Ohio; senators Thurman,
Casserly Bayard, Stockton, Johnston. Vickers,
Hamilton, OF Maryland and Blair; Representatives
Fox, Adams, Archer, Axtell Beck, Biggs, Bird,
Burr, Colkin, Cleveland Crebs, Cox, Wood,
Eldndge, Getz, Griswold. Haight, Bademan,
Hamn, Holman, Johnson Thomas L. Jones'
Kerr, Marshall, Mccormick, Morgan, Mum
gen, Niblack, Potter Reeves, Randall, Rogers,
Schumacher socum, Stiles Stone Trimbe, Van Au-
ken, Van Trump, voorhees,, Wells, Eugene Wilson
ana Woodward. There was ex-Mayor Berrett. Pay
master Bridges and other prominent democrats Of
Washington. "Here are the men, said leading
democrat, "wbo viii nominate the next DEM
ocratic candidate for the Presidency and he
pointed to the leading spirits of the party
with feeling OF conscious PRIDE The South was
not unrepresented. There was Philips OF Alabama,
johnson, OF Arkansas and others whose names are
not unfamiliar 10 the public ear. Vance, OF North
Carolina. was expected, but did not come There
was no speechmaking. Most OF those present were
familiar with all the speeches tnat have been made.
or that can be made. Sam Cox was determined to
make the occasion feast of reason and flow OF
soul. About half-past ten O'Clock the assembled
masses began TO discuss the good things provided
by mine host. The repast was lavish. the wines
were OF the best, and for a couple Of hours all
went merry as marriage bell. stiil there
were no speeches. People wondered why