The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1872-05-16
HON. ]. r. HARRIS oSzcorroS CLAIMS.

/ In. the House of Representatives, on the
9Th, the Deficiency bill being under consd-
Grafton, and an amendment to the Commit
tees report debated. as to paying for cotton
seized by the agents ofxthe government after:
the goth of April. 1865, the following re-
marks were made BY Hon; John I Harris,
Of Virginia. i.
I wish to say word in regard to :thc t,i
bunal to, determine these eases. Tho gentle
man from Michigan Mr. Blair. my colleague
the Committee oi Claims. ,coinmends the
Courtsof Claims as the tribunal which shall
the as.estians Involved ia these
cases. Now, VII state rom iii my own per-
sonal knowledge. and every men Der here
from southern State viii bear witness to
the correctness Of my statement. that II you
refer these cases to the Court of CLAIMS you
may as we'll pass law saying that no man
shall recover one cent. Take the case of a
man who owned three or four bal IS of cotton
which was seized by the agents Of the Gov-
ernment Those agepts 6,st took twenty Eve
per cent. For their services. ask gentlcuen
ON either side Of the House from The soulr-
ern States to say it that is not correct The
agents saizing the cotton took twenty five per
cent. aud su snany instances did nos report
the half they did take.
Now. report these eases 10 the Court OF
Claims and what will be the result? If a
man, or w,nran, or an orphan it Way be-
has claim for 5000 worth of cotton, how
will Ire be able to obtain any thing before the
Court of Claims with its slow process 10
seud these cases there would be to deny jus
tice to every man who had not a CLAIM, for t, II
or twenty thousand dollars, because expert
ence has shown shat lawyers here charge from,
twenty to twenty five per cent. before the
Court OF Claims
Mr.. PETERs. Fifty per cent.
Mr.. HARRIS, Of Virginia. Yes, fifty per
cent. aud with the other expenses there would
be nothing left to the claimant even if the
court should determine in his favor. Now.
it you want to do a magnanimons act for
those claimants, do it in fact and Eot in words
The general sent iment OF this House is that
the Government did not take this property.
but that it was taken by the agents against
the orders Of the Government The Govern-
menJ agents were authorized to take confed-
CtdtC CoLtoti, hVt w t0NC ptlHHGG CUCtuu- HCy
did take private cotton, and reserved for their
own share twenty-five per cent of all they
took. That was the animus that influenced
them to rob every man within their rcacI,
That cotton was taken to New York and sold,
and the small amount left was covered ;nto
the Treasury. And now the claimant is ask
ed to divide the small amount remaining.
with lawyers aad witnesses coming in some
cases FROM the Neuces or Rio Grande. hope
this House will not sustain the views express
ed by the distinguished gentleman from Mas.
sachussetts Mr.. Banks aud the honorable
gentleman from Michigan, MIR. Blair. but
adopt the amendment as reported from the
Committee on appropriations.
hlr. FARNsWORTII. Is it worse TO 90 to
the Court Of Claims than to the Secretary Of
the Treasury
Mr.. HARRIS. of Virginia. In regard to
chat let me say that when case gees ori-.i-
naly before any Of the Departments Of the
Government the Quartermaster Generals or
the commissary department, CT any other de-
partment, the case is adjudicated by the
head of the Department, and his integrity
and honesty and accuracy are relied upon to
protect tho Government.
Mr.. AMBER. Will the gentleman from
Virginia, Mr.. Harris. with whom concur
III the main, Indicate how the interests Of TIE
Government are to be protected 10 case Of
conflicting claimants to the same lot of cots
ton before the Secretary Of the Treasury !?
Would there rot BE need for an interp!eader !?
Mr.. HARRIS, Of Virginia. The interests
Of the Government can Be protected just the
same as before the Court of Claims. We
want no interplcadefs The parties could
state their case to Che Secretary Of the Treas
ury, or any one appointed by him to adjudi-
cate the case, just as we'll as it could Be sta
Ited to the court: Think Of the number Of
cases involved, and then say in what time the
coazs If elssas esa'd act upon them al