Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1878-03-19
CONGRESSIONAL.
CorcI.sion Of sntnrdav.s Proc.,dino,

hulit snip Tor The Noodrud Scientific Fxpedi-
ton around the world..was laid aside and ths
Pacific Funding bill discussed by Mr. Chris
tiancy in favor of the bin reported nv the in
dietary committee and against the railroal
committees bill was taken up. Without ar-
ton the Senate went into executive seSSio,
and subsequently adjourned.
DEBATE ON DISTRICT CLAIMS.
HOtSE.-AiteT our report closed
Mr.. Mayham from the District committee
reported back the bill 10 authorize the Cor.
missioners of the District of Columbia To
audit certain claims against the District, and
Tor funding the same.
Mr.. Eden made the point of order that the
pll' involved an issue Of additional certiG-
Gates, and that II must, therefore have IL
nISt consideration in committee of the whole
=, me ohalr sustained the point Of order, anH
me hou>e went into committee of the whole
MI, StengSr IN the chair, and took up tss
Mr.. Mayham explained its provisions and
urged It's passage a. matter of right and
justice TO the District aud Ia the people wSe
had claims against IL.
Mr.. Blackburn said he had reported the b,u
from the committee originally, but with the
distinct understanding that he was opposed
To the measure. This bill clothed the Commis
SlonerS Of the District of Columbia with An
the powers possessed by the late board sf
audit and lac asserted that that hoard had
audited and allowed claims which were unjust
He believed that this bill would give opportv-
mites Ia jobberS and brokers. and not 10 the
honest contractor or claimants. IL opens ue
TO all spectators in claims an opportunity TO
prey upon honest claimants who had beeu
compelled To sell their claims. lie would vote
Tor any bill 10 establish an honest judicial tn
punal Tor the payment oi honest claims but he
did not wish Ia reopen the work of the OLD
board of audit. and especially 10 transfer the
work 10 the commissioners Of the District who
were now overwhelmed with work and who
could not give the necessary attention to the
business. He was prepared To assert and he
dehed contradiction, that of the thirteen mil
lions OF certificates issued by the board of au-
dit not one half of them was signed by the
members of the boa a. but by clerk, and so
II would be II the duties were transferred 10
the commissioners. lie. for one, claimed the
light of Congress To question the validity o.
the debt created 10y the board of audit
Mr.. HunIon did not see the dangers in this
bill which Mr.. Black burn anIicipated There
was honest work done for which the covers
ment Was responsible, and ne believed il WAS
the duty OF Congress Ia provide for determin-
ing ing the justice OF these claims. He believed
that the commissioners were the proper par
ties To audit and pass upon these claims.
Mr.. Blackburn inquired whether IL was not
iaSt Inat the District commissioners had
made new contracts, or changed the location
of contracts made 10y the old board Of public
works and had thus increased the indebted
ness.
Mr.. Hendee would answer that by saving
that locations of work had been changed, but
by that act the Commissioners had saved three
hundred thousand dollars The Attorney
General had decided that they had a right 70
change contracts in the way they did.
Mr.. Blackburn was not disposed TO trust the
Commissioners, who had thus changed cos
aggregated one million seven hundred and
thirty five thousand dollars.
Mr.; Hendee said that statement showed the
gentlemanS eNaggeration. The seven hun
dred Thousand dollars was stricken out in
committee on the gentleman'S own motion.
Mr.. Blackburn.-And tried 10 strike out all
| the rest.
Mr.. Hendee.-And failed.
MIR. Hunton said II did not matter TO him IN
whose hands the claims now were. The debt
! was an honest one and should be paid, even il,
under stress of circumstances the original
| holders had been compelled 10 part with them.
| Mr.. Eden argued that the debt which il was
/ proposed To pay, was contracted illegally aud
/ IN the lace OF direct prohibition 10y Congress.
/ Ii was debt fixed primarily on the people OF
| the District and ultimately on the whole peo-
| pie OF the nlted states, and he did not pro-
pose to tax his constituents to pay them unless
| they were more carefully guarded. He had
been told that many just claims against tho
District were not provided for at all in the bill.
| There was special class TO be benefited, and
| the bill did not even provide for the summon h
| ing OF wit illnesses at the presentation of yOuch-
eIS. He denied that these claims were all lust.
The law abOliShlng the board of audit was
| passed because they had allowed unlawful
| claims. He was not so much i'm love with tho
way things had been done in this District as
| TO run race 10 pay these claims. He opposed
these claims because they came here under a
| cloud of suspicion. He wanted them investi-
gated by proper trlbunal-a tribunal which
| would investigate the rOttennesS and stencil
| OF this District. He was not ready To pick up
all the claims of the old District ring. He
| lllt SUOu Stlttltu lTOln Tile pu-
| uitying mass, and these he was willing TO paw,
| but none others. He was chairman of the
| committee on war claims, but that committee
| never had before them such putrid mass ~
| was embraced i'm this bill
| MIR. Naddell moved TO strike out the enact
ing clause of the bill. Reiected-yeas, So:
| nays, "a.
Mr. Hanna moved to recommit the bill, with
| il S;ruction 10 the committee 10 report a bin
| providing for tribunal with judicial power 10
| Investigate and determine the justice of each
| Congress-
| Pending its consideration the committee
| rose.
| Mr.. Hanna then moved TO suspend the rules
| and pass his amendment as above in the form
| of resolution, and pending that motion, and
| without action on the bill, the House, at 5
| O'Clock p, m, adjourned.