The Red Cloud chief., 1880-07-01

docs not swing the scythe idly; while it
is the essential part Of your accom-
plished parliAmentarian that he grace
fully and with dignity does nothing.
Mr.. Leer. the claimant, might hope or
fear to live forever. but Mr.. Leef. the
man. when his 6Avs were numbered.
had Ia die. Alas. so must. too. the ac-
complished parliamentarisn. Quite Ia
his surprise, very likely. he viii find
tina; his until then all potent Il OBJ
ject' viii not ward off the stroke or
lay the matter over till the next Con
gress.
Mr.. Lecf. then. died; but whoever
heard Of a claim dying2 Would | were
secret of The philosophers stone; the
true elixir vitT. Mr.. Leef died. but he
left a widow and ten children; eleven
claimants instead Of one.
The ships owner died. Mr.. Tyler.
the Consul al Bahia. died: John Me-
kee. the supercargo. del; Mr.. Todd.
our Minister at Brazil. died; Robert j.
Walker. the Secretary Of the Treasury.
died; every m who had q direct or
official connection with the original
grievance i, dead. But men NAV
come and men may 20; the claim goes
on forever.
At least it seems likely 10 do So. IL
has. TO be sure. passed one branch OF
Congress in thirty-one years. In Ordi-
nary circumstances the claimants might
hope that in thirty-one years more II
would pass the senate. Inluckily.
however, il has made "A false starr on
It's second heat. After due considera-
ton the Senate Committee On Claims
has just reported adversely, The mi
nority, To be sure. recommended its
passage, and give their grounds in a
long and palnstaking surveyo of the case.
But the majority instructed Mr.. Hoar 70
report a. follows:
The facts of the ease we believe 10 be, in
substance. a. stated by the minority of the
committee. pom the facts the question arises
whether IL - the duty of the United states to
compensate citizens for injuries TO their
property ut huS nc-- caused by the improper
cKcrc So II his powers toy n Consul of the
United States. We do not think ~ isibe duty
Of the Government To make such
compensation whether the Consul ac'e l
cousci.nttou-ly and erred in n doubt
ful case, or whether his actions were
arbitrary and wautOu. We can see no reason
why. If tnis claim d" allowed the Government
ought not to compensate persons for Illegal
arr SIS. wrongful judgments of courts,
wrongful acts 81 military or naval officers in
war. and in nil ca-c- where public authority
has been abused. We do nDi think such a
precedent ought to Ice established Govern
Tncut acts through human and imperfect
agents. The liability suffer from their error
l. one of The unavoidable ills of life. We
that the prayer Of the petition Toe
d~:sallowcd, and the hill indefinitely post
pOued-'
This NAV or may not be good law.
1t is certainly prudent, but the quality
of the Nations mercy is a triile
strained.
Why live at secondhand? Why cross
the sea L study ourselves in the glass
of fiction? Why laugh and weep over
such imaginary folk rs Tangle, the man
from Shropshire. the little mad old
woman IN a squeezed bonnet, MessrS.
Chizzle. Mizzlc and Drizzle. Converse
ton kenge, Guppy, Jcllyby. old Tom
Jarndyce who blew his brains out,
Richard Jarndvce. Esther and the rest?
| wish that our nOvclistS would stop
their chase after p~rcttinesses of literary
expression, and do strong, original
work in painting native types As they
live in the Hobbies of Congress and
other places of common resort. Among
them may be found the representatives
of the claim of Juliet Lcef. ] often
meet them. an old man and a young
one. the former the Legal agent, the
o;hcr 4 son of the claimant. The young
man . very worthy person, well in
formed, honorable. dutiiul, hopeful
He deserves a better fate. Some friend
should give him "A copy of BLEAK
House." with the admonition from the
Book of Common Prayer TO read,
marx. learn and inwardly digest
Washington Cor. n. J. ECcning Post.