Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1871-02-09
Our Washington Letter,
WASHINGTON. DC. Feb. 4. IS

Editor Rutland Herald While boys
rear columns and girls rear statutes as re-
membranes Of our late unpleasantness, |
"Uncle Sam" himself plods YEARLY on
ward. Let the children indulge in fam
cies-he deals with plain, unromantic
facts. They may mount Pegasus and
scale the lofty heights of poesy--he writes
the ordinary prose of life, knowing that
for mementoes of the past he will never
lack. Conspicuous among all others, and
to come, steadily knocking at his safe, is
q class of mementoes known as
CLAIMS.
There is meaning in the word "olaims,"
but just how much is represented, in dol.
lars and cent?, is unknown to your cores
pendent, and doubtless to any other living
person. We hear them spoken of by fear
full generalities, and our impressions are
of immensely about to he let loose upon
us. We go to the War Department, the
Qnartermaster Generals, and the third
auditors Office in the Treasury, and pass
ing through room after room we find hum
dreds of clerks employed in auditing
these claims. The claims are too various
in character, as we'll as in amount, to
spe ify. Claims for vessels lost or I'M ur-
ed in the United States service involving
half million of dollars; Claims for chick
ems appropriated by United States soldiers,
and claims for anything and everything
imaginable. These claims are first ad
iudioated by clerks-mostly salaried from
$1,000 to $1S00,-their decision going to
superior officers who can concur and send
the case to his superior, or non. concur and
send it back for review. Thus claim
goes up from one grade to another until
it finally receives the endorsement of the
head of department and is paid. 1t is
easy to see that the clerk is largely vested
with the power of judge, and if he be
competent and trusty, is the important
man in the case.
A singular feature of this system of
adjudication is that these judgments or
decisions are rendered entirely upon er
pGrte evidence. The claimant submits his
evidence in support of his claim and, if he
likes, may appear in person and may en-
ploy counsel to argue his case before the
department; and from the evidence thus
submitted, and his wits, the clerk who has
not the means of locking up the other
side must arrive at the truth of the mat
ter as best he can. With corps of dia-
mond-pointed claim agents, who know
TO make the most of their case, it is safe to
infer that the utmost fairness may not al
ways be observed in submitting their side,
and the department is deprived of the
means usually had in courts of law, of
showing up the other side.
On Wednesday. Mr.. Poland of Yer
mont, chairman of the committee of revis-
ion'of laws, reported from that committee
a bill which was read three times and
passed, providing for the taking of testi-
mony before the Departments. The first
section of the bill provides that the head
Of any Department before which claim
may be pending, shall have power to ap-
ply to any judge or clerk of any court of
the United States, in any state, district or
territory. to issue a subpoena to any wit
ness residing within the jurisdiction of
said court, who shall appear at the time
and place therein designated and give evil
dence in due form upon such claims; also
providing punishment for refusal to com
ply with the requirements of said sum
mons, and allowing the same compensa-
ton to witness as is allowed in the Unit
I'D States Courts.
The third section provides that when
any head of department shall make such
application to take testimony, and in his
opinion the interest Of the United States
require the offices of counsel, he shall give
notice thereof to the Attorney General
with all the facts of the case to enable the
Attorney General to provide proper pro.
tessionsl services. ...#
Auin'erestipg chapter might be written
upon claims were il not for the fact that
'earinl thing is unpleasant to contem.
pia'e. There are already eight or ten
millions OF dollars worth Of c,a;ms bsforo
Congress for special legislation which
have been rejected BY the departments
Only the most hopeful are to be pressed
now. The suspicious time ia not vet
and the large bodies of claims are waiting