The New York herald., 1873-07-07
WASHINGTON.

In Regard to Them-The Loss OF the
Umpire.
Mr.. Lama and the new Mexican Commissioner
and Mr.. Avela the new Mexican agent have ar
rived at New York, bringing the confirmed treaty
between the United States and the Mexican Re
public for the revival Of the Mexican claims Oom-
MISSION and 1t may be expected that at an early
day the business OF that Commission will be re-
sumed. The Commission was established under Mr..
seward's treaty Of February, 1857, which expired
in February, 1873, and has now been extended for
two years more from that time. Neither govern
ment seems to have appreciated the number and
magnitude OF the claims for the examination
OF which the period originally fixed was wholly in
adequate. The whole number OF claims OF citi-
zens OF the United States against Mexico
filed with the Commission was l,ol7, and the whole
number OF Mexican claims against the United
States sSs, making nearly two thousand in all This
Is more than four times the whole number Of cases
before the American and British Claims Commits
sion. Supposing the business Of the Mexican Conn.,
mission and that Of the American and British
Commission proceed with equal despatch the Mex
lean Commission will therefore require four times
as much time rs the American and British Commits
sion for the transaction OF its business. This fact
shows how unjust and unreasonable have been the
complaints by some persons as to pretended want
OF despatch by the American and Mexican Com
mission.
The number OF cases decided by the Commission
ia 215; remaining to De acted on, 1853. Number OF
claims disposed Of 32S, leaving to be acted on, ESQ.,
Number OF American claims for which favorable
awards have been made, 90; amount Of awards
in the same cases, s5So70 The amount claimed
was $s,oz5,95e. Number OF Mexican claims in
which favorable awards were made, 167 and
amount OF awards made In the same, Sse,62n The
amount claimed was $2l, ,94o,474
The largest claims preferred by Mexico against
the United States are on'account OF incursl0ns by
American Indians into Sonora, Sinaoa, Chihuahua
and Durango, which involve precisely the converse
OF the question which has since arisen by the in
cursion Of Mexican Indians into Texas.
There has been much complaints on the part of
agents OF American claimants OF want Of despatch
Of business, but they themselves are mainly re-
sponsble for 1t by reason OF extraordinary delay In
the preparation and presentation OF the claims.
Most of these claims had existed for many years
before the organization of the Commission. All
parties had notice OF the conclusion of the treaty
in February, 1859. The Commission opened In
August, 1869. But Of the 1ol7 American claimants
only 1s9 put in their cases at the end OF year and
at the end OF two years only 5l3. Then the delay
OF the claimants themselves Is at the bottom Of the
whole difficulty. The other great cause Of
delay is the fact that most OF the
evidence is In Spanish, and has to be
translated into English The Commissioners could
have requested all the claimants on both sides to
file their evidence In translation and in print rs
every other court requires, including the Court or
Claims but the complainants, through their agents,
made so much complaint Of the trivial expense Of
translating and printing their memorials that the
Commissioners were deferred from requiring the
evidence also to be translated and presented In
printed FORM which would have facilitated
business, as with the American and British Oommis
sion. When the Commission meet anew they will
first have to agree on an umpire In the place OF Dr.
Lieber. deceased or fall back on the provisions OF
the Treaty of 1865 by which 1t is provided that the
Commissioners shall name some third person to
act as an umpire but If they should not be able to
agree upon the name Of sucn third person, they
shall each name q person, and in each and every
case in which the Commissioners may differ In
opinion as to the decision which they ought to
give 1t shall be determined by lot which OF the
two persons so named shall be umpire In that par
ticuar case. Next they will have to dispose of the
questions that we're pending between Commits
sioner Guzman and Commissioner Wadsw0rth on
the subject Of Indian depredations.
The number OF cases submitted to the late
umpire, DR.. Heber, but not decided, Is $780, they
Jacob Thompson's Accounts.
The Second Auditor OF the Treasury has just
completed the settlement OF the account Of Jacob
Thompson, Secretary of the Interior under Buchan-
ans administration, and acting at that time as
trustee of the Indian fund.- 1t is shown there Is q
deficit of $S21, 900. The statement is made that 1t
has not been possible to take up these accounts
until recently, owing to the fact that all previous
accounts were required to be settled before reach
ing Mr.. Thompson's case.
The Indian Subsidy.
The stocks OF the United States and OF certain
States held In trust by the Secretary OF tho Inte-
rior amount to about five million dollars. The an
nual interest, nearly two hundred and eghty-one
thousand dollars, is transferred or applied to the
benefit of the Indian tribes owning the securities.
Treasury Department Warrants.
The number Of warrants now issued from the
Treasury Department daily Is much larger than Tor
some time past, owing to the fact that many appro.
priations made at the last session Of Congress be-
came available on the 1st Of July, and the insttu-
tions or parties entitled to the money are coming
forward. number OF charitable donations from
five to twenty-five thousand dollars, have been
paid since Wednesday.
The English Claims.
In the American and British Claims Commission
the number of claims against the United States is
ATS; number against Great Britain, 10. Number
of cases already decided, 35l number to be de-
cided 141. Not half a million OF dollars has
thus far been awarded, and several distinguished
lawyers here think the total amount awarded will
not exceed one million Of dollars.
Lighthouse Onicer.
The Chief Clerkship OF the Lighthouse Board,
now vacant, will, it is said, be filed by the ap-
polntment OF william ID. OConnor, who has for
some years past been the corresponding clerk OF
that Office and Is thoroughly familiar with its
details.
SUNDAY CASUALTIES.