Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-04-06

that soon, put ne was seeking TO warn lhe
house against allowing to continue for an
| other day the system of adjudication that was
| rotten to the core. He was willing that any
| member should examine the papers which be
had in his desk tending to show The corrup-
| ton charged.
Reed (Me.) hoped the gentleman instead OF
having q side-show at his desk would make
the charges openly and directly.
Blackburn replied that the charges, as the
papers in his possession seemed to present
them, were that men employed as important
clerks in the two departments had been In the
habit of levying blackmail to the extent OF 5
per cent. commission, on all claims that they
recommended. He meant to say more; they
wrote receipts after this fashion:
Received of - per cent. fees in the
cases of George Jones, j. G. Smith and
Lucinda Cowgirl s6,o95.
J. L. MCFARLAND"
Mcfarland was then, Blackburn said, as he
was informed, chief clerk of the examing
division.
Reed said dishonest clerks, wherever they
were, should be hunted down without the
slightest mercy. He hoped the punishment
would be extended to the bribers as we'll. No
man could say the system of adjudication
was one of bribery and fraud, when the fact
was known that the claims presented for adj
Indication in the last fifteen yeare, but Is per
cent. of them had been allowed,
Blackburn stated that when the committee
rose he would offer resolution directing the
committee on expenditures of the war depart
ment to investigate the matter.
Reed stated he had just received the inform
alton that ]. L. Mcfarland was not in the
quartermaster generals department In 1875,
the date of the receipt but was an attorney in
Washington.
A long discussion Fensued, touching the
merits OF the court Of claims and quarter
master generals department. as tribunals in
which claims should be adjudicated, enlivened
by a brief speech by Bragg, wis., who al
luded to "Reber claims" as q bantllng reared
and fattened in the Republican tent until the
Republican party lost control of the house.
Then it had driven the bantling to a seat at
the door of the Democratic tent and said.
"We will cry mad dog, and when we come
back to power we will feed you again." He
intImated the result of transferring claims to
the court of claims would be to admit disloyal
claiments.
Cox New York;, referring to the opposition
made by Reed to the transfer, remarked that
probably some of these fetid "loyal'' claims
had been bought up by cunning, speculative
Yankees who had advocates around the capt
tol. He would not cay Sin the capitol,' because
that might be breach of parliamentary de-
corum.
Reed-If that came from a responsible
source ! would notice it.
Cox-I did not say anything against you.
Reed-You had better not. The gentleman
has no foundation for such talk In the house
and appeal to his own sense of propriety to
withdraw.
Cox--What is the language you except to-?
Reed--If the gentleman Is unconscious of
IL, that is withdrawal.
The amendment offered by Thompson was
rejected and that offered by Hiscock was adop-
ted. Yeas 81, nays II.
Holman Ind), moved to strike out the
clause appropriating s125, 600 for army trans
portation over land grant railroads. Rejected.
An amendment was adopted increasing to
$4,000 the appropriation for an army medical
muse um.
The committee then rose and reported the
bill. Reed demanded vote upon Hiscock's
amendment, providing that no money appro-
priated by this act shall be expended in an in
yestigation Of claims allowed by the quarter
master generals office. Adopted. Yeas 100
nays So.
The bill then passed and the house adj
iourned.