Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-04-16
FORTY-SIXTH CONGRESS {.
Extra Session.
House Of Representatives.

COMMITTEE REPORT.
WASHINGTON, April 15.-Immediately after
the reading of the journal the Speaker called
submitted was from the committee on ac-
counts, relative to committee clerks. The
report was adopted and consideration was
resumed of the Senate bill for purchase or
construction of arefrigerating ship for dis
infection of vessels and cargoes. The bill
passed with u trifing amendment.
Personal EXPLANATION. E.
Mr.. Chalmers rose to personal explana-
ton made in regard to statements made in
the Cincinnati Gu=ette and Enquirer con-
netting him with the battle of Fort Pillow
and criticising his action at that place, and
in regard to speech made in Cincinnati by
BENJAMIN Butterworth. He offered reso-
luton for the appointment of committee
to be composed of ex-Union soldiers, and a
majority of whom shall not be Democrats,
to investigate into and report upon the
charges. After debate the resolution was
laid over for the present.
SOUTHERN CLAIMS.
The House then went into committee of
the whole on the legislative appropriation
bill, the pending question being on Mr..
Bragg's motion to insert the clause repeating
the law creating the Southern claims c ON
mission, and the substitute therefor offered
by Young, of Tennessee, abolishing the COM
mission, but transferring all claims now
pending before it to the court Of claims. Mr..
Bragg spoke in favor of that proposition.
The law ordering the court had been passed
-, &ho ci6o IF tha Ho1cp
would call an unconstitutional and revolution
airy method, having been engrafted on an ap-
preparation bill. He therefore had expected
that side of the house to aid him in his
proposition, but he found that with them it
was call talk and no cider" The first OBJ
lection that he had was to the court itself,
not to its members or officials. It was not
confined to legal evidence, but was allowed
to act on unsworn evidence of detectives.
The court, by acting on the unsworn state
ment of such men, had proved that the
terms used to designate an informer might
properly be applied to the court itself.
Mr.. Kiefer replied to Bragg, and claimed
that the court should not be interfered with
until it died by limitation.
Mr.. Atkins thought it proper that the
commission should be extended another year.
Mr.. Baker, of Ind, opposed the amend
ments. The question was whether the men
who had advanced supplies to the Union
army should be paid or not. He believed
that these men who had worn the blue,
though they had happened to live in the
South, were as much entitled to compensa-
ton as those who lived North.
Mr.. Young, Tenn, said he did not
think he would vote for Braggs amendment,
he held that it was their duty to give the cit
izen tribunal in which his demand could
be tried There had been loyal men in the
South, as true in their fealty to the federal
government as any man who resided In the
Northern States, and the claims of loyal men
sould be paid.
Mr.. Russell, N. c., protested that The
proposition offered by the gentleman from
Wisconsin, (Bragg) was not only an injury,
but an insult to the Union men of the North.
1t had become quite respectable on this floor
to cast slurs at the Union men of the South
that had got to be the heightened thing, the
highly respectable thing, but the insinuation
was SANDER on the men who were the
equals of the gentleman from Wisconsin, OF
of any other on the floor. applause on Re
publ1san side).
Mr.. Warner wanted to know why the gen
tlemar from North Carolina would have the
House vote to pay for property which hi
$INuSSSh)1 "AlA0 III VAAo NoAAhONSA"s0 IVA 'ASo
had helped to destroy.
Mr. Russell not having heard the question
distinctly, did not answer it dir city, but sale
that he had been in the confederate service
and that he was not apologizing for it
either.
Mr.. Garfield, in answer to some argument
on the opposite side, remarked that tn
Southern claims commission was not a cour
but merely committee to take testimon
and report it to Congress. He said 80 pc
cent. of all claims presented before til
Southern claims commission would, if sen
to the court of claims, 60 through withou
needing any proof of loyalty on the part o
the claimant because it had been decide
that the executive pardon removed the dis
tinctlon of loyalty. The proposition
therefore, was abolishing substantially tn
distinction that had hitherto bee
made in that respect that claims arising OF
of the war should not be paid except to pei
during the war. That objection was, to hi
mind, utterly fatal to the proposition ofere
by the gentleman from Tennessee young
If that amendment was to prevail he wante
the members to vote upon it with their eye
open and TO know that all outstandin
claims over 49, 900 we're to be sent to a coul
in which, under its rulings, the distinctio
between loyalty and disloyalty could not b
retained.
Mr.. Bragg asked Mr.. Garfield whether th
laws of war and international law did nc
hold that the conquering power we're nc
responsible for any loss inflicted upon pr
vate citizens residing in hostile territory.
Mr. Garfield admitted that it was so. bl
stated that the law would not avail in thi
matter, because if Congress conferred upo
the court of claims jurisdiction over tho'
claims it would be conferred according
the established rules of that court
Mr.. Bragg-Will not these claims go
that court to be determined according
law, snd is not the law such that no disloy
claimant can recover in that court, and vi
not that the reason for the make-shift
which the Republican party created tt
Southern claims commission?
Mr.. Gartield-By repeated decisions
the court of claims, and of the supren
court, the pardon of claimant is constru,
to wipe out the distinction of disloyalty.
r. Mr.. Bragg-My purpose in offering Il
nendment is to prevent this governrne
,ying any debt which it is not legally liat
pay. That is my first purpose. My seco1
1rpose is to prevent gentlemen on t
her side from publishing campaign doc
.ents, in which they call US confederat
I'd accuse us of an attempt
- % the government, and in viii
lev denounce me as a.coadjuator distrib'
70 taffy. Laughter). I want these g.
,emen to face the music. They have
themselves behind the shadow of loya
ong enough. Was Tennessee loyal DUR
he war? If so, why in Gods name did
% out of the Union and cost us more PEG
nd treasure to hold her than any OF
- state except Virginia cost us !? If the PEG
# North Caroline we're loyal, how did
Gentleman (RusselD know that, while ne N