Morning journal and courier., 1880-05-13

EDITED AND PUBLISHED B
Thursday Morning, May 1s, 1880.
! .snRY,, REPORT.

' did what he could to raise the present session of Congress above dead level of. dullness. He wrote a poem, had it published in the Congressional Record as an argument, and in this way succeeded in getting part of that interesting and highly humorous periodical read for once. What Downey did for the Congressional Record with his poem, the House Committee on War Claims have done for their report by showing the absurdity of claims they were called upon to consider in way which. though decidedly 'sdry," is not of that kind of dryness which usually characterizes such reports. A few specimens will serve to show how readable the report is.
 MT. Mulholland wants pay for property taken by the Union army at Memphis. The committee respectfully report ''that for bare faced fraud this case lays over any we have been called upon to investigate"
 Joanna Turner, hospital nurse, asks $1,- 163.40 for services which were voluntarily rendered. The committee think that If Congress were an eelemosynsry corporation and the Committee on War Claims almoners of public charity, this bill would be entitled to receive serious consideration. "The period of gestation of this claim was fourteen years and it's birth not until all the generous and patriotic sentiment which sent woman as an angel of mercy to the sick, suffering and dy ing had been soothed into quietude and the sordid attributes of our nature assumed as- scendancy." The committee stsee the god of avarice seeking to supplant the angel of mer- cy" in this claim, and they are unwilling to aid him In the accomplishment of his purpose.
 David T. Saunders lost mule and some to- bacco during the war;, but as, in the opinion of the committee, he slept on his rights until awakened by the claim agents, and as he is no doubt now asleep again, they will not have the daring archaeological explorers of ancient Southern claims wake him up again by the announcement that they have his money.
 The committee find opportunity to describe 8 scout in connection with the claim of Dab ney Walker, who wants pay for scouting for and guiding the Army of the Potomac, and their description is not taken from any of the description the term scout means usually species of attachs to headquarters waiting for 3 job and supported at Government expense, receiving from time to time such oompensa- tion as the officer to whom he is attached, or to whom he attaches himself, thinks is a suit able compensation for any particular service rendered. ''If their own statements are to be relied upon, they are dreaded more by the enemy than the army they perform deeds of prowess, and always have price upon their heads. scout who failed to have that in his history would be very common sort of fellow indeed"
 An Indiana man wants the Government to pay him $125 for sorrel mare taken by the army in 1863. The committee decide that, while the case s'is respectable and venerable on account of its age, it is, notwithstanding, exceedingly mixed in it's ramifcations, and and insufficient in its nature, and must be reported adversely"
 The claim agent, person we'll and some- what unfavorably known in Washington does not receive more f1attering tribute from the committee than the scout. The committee say: eThe suppression of plaques has bafied the powers of empires. If this committee can forever dispose of these and kindred claims it will have achieved what the khedive of Egypt
 
 similar mischief and failed. These claims origi- mated, it is to be inferred not in any series of co-existences and,sequences that would natural ly evolve them, but in the cerebellum and cere- indefatigable individual genericaiiy denominated as claim agent. The claim agent has wonderful memory, great huency of speech, and would not do what is wrong for He can go into community and convince the members thereof that on certain day certain quartermasters' stores were taken from them for the use of the United States army He can remember what was taken from each particular individual, what it was worth, and that the individuals were, severally and collectively, loyal to the United States. Such encouragement is often appreciated. He then goes for all the tribunals which promise the vindication of the important principles he advocates. He appeals to them successively. Defeated, but not discouraged, the claim agent, through the agency probably of his clients, gets the cases before Congress. Here he would like to vindicate the important prin- ciples that are at stake. Members of Congress, having high regard for important principles, carefully ponder and consider the case. They finally conclude that the alleged technicali- ties are substantial obstacles to the favora- ble consideration of the claims, and they re- port them adversely" This is decidedly neat.
 There is more racy reading in the report, but we have not space for further quotation. We commend it to other ommittees who want their rerorts read