, 1875-02-11
TEMPORARY END OF ONE JOB.

On the 20th ult. tie House rejeeted tile In
dian Appropriation bill rather than pass it
with the provision for paying about 23o00,~
900 on account Of the +" "Choctaw claim." On
Tuesday tho bill and claim reappeared. This
claim originated in 1880, and therefore at
tanned its majority in 1851, twenty-four years
ago. It was based on m alleged right Of tho
Choctaws to compensation for the failure Of
tho Government to grant them certain lands.
1n 1859 tie Choctaw Council received $872,-
600 from the Government, and in return gave
4 receipt in full for all claims to any of
those lands OF compensation therefor.
Nevertheless, the CHIN did not die.
It aharod tho immortality Of its class.
The lobby got hold Of it. In 1861, skillful
lobbying squeezed $3.50, 0O0 more out Of tho
Treasury on account Of tllis fraud. Having
tasted blood in this why, tho lobby has worked
the matter ever since. Thcra ia 10 protense
TINT any sum now paid will ever roach tho In
lians who have, or alleged to have, unjustly
suffered, oven II such indians exist Gen.
AfuNu1TA, Of Illinois, Of the Committee on
Indian AfIairs, declared, without contradic-
ton, during the debate on the claim on Tues
day, that every effort in the Committee to
adopt an amendment Which should pro-
vide that tho money granted should ba
hold in trust for tho benefit OF In.
dividual Indian sufferers was defeated
lie said, moreover, TINT all the amendments
adopted by the Committee "matle it certain
Tint the entire fund would 60 into the hands
Of tho lobby" htr. Fonr, Of Illinois, aaid ho
knew one attorney who had claim Of $780,
600 Oh the proceeds Of the swindling job
After short debate, the whole CHIN was ro-
jectcd by vote Of 88 yeas to 1877 uays.
We have called this the end Of the job. It
Is the end-uusil the Forty.fourth Congress
meets. Under our present system, this
job can be brought up Tor cen-
tury, be rejected ninety-niue times, and
then, when oil the original witnesses are
dead and the original papers are lost,
can bo passed and paid, principal and interest.
II IT fails tha hundredtl time, it has only to
start afresh on its second century, sure Of
success before 1000 A. D. The remedy for
this must be sought in limitation Of tie
time for presenting claims. The Hon. Will.
LAM LAWRENCE has already introduced bill
which provides TINT no claim shall be audited
or paid unless it is hled with the proper
officials within six years after the right Of
action accrues. This IL good idea as lar az
1t goes, but 1t does not 60 far enough. For
fraudulent claim can still DO filed and
then pushed for years innumerable. The
real remedy is to bs sought in taking
this claim business out Of the hands OF Con.
kress entirely, and transferring them to o
high Court. It Ia not legislative, but judicial
| business. Congress is physically incapable OF
passing, with exact Justice, upo. these pre-
tended liens on the Treasury. Dssides, the
opportunities Tor corruption and the oonse-
quent temptations are too great. Every Que
Of these petitions should ba decided by the
Bench. II Congress should tsan4fsr them
entirely to its jurisdiction, thsra would
b. N enormous saving In lagialatsve
ums Aaa public mopay. Jul9s LAwaxaoz