National Republican., 1883-01-08
THE SENATE.

The senate on Saturday passed one or two
private bills-the bill to fix the terms of the
United States courts for the eastern anj
northern districts of Texas, the bill relating
to the expectation of tobacco, and then re-
sumed the consideration of tho bill for the
relief of congress and the executive depart
ment in the investigation of \
NcLAIMs AND DEMANDS AGAINST THE GOV,
ORNAMENT,
Mr.. Garland said he knew of nothing that
was more needed than such relief, but he
doubted whether this bill would give it. He
thought the bill reported by him last session
abolishing the consideration of claims by con.
gress and the court of claims, and permitting
claimants to sue the government in the place
where their claims originate, would be good
substitute for this bill, but he was willing ia
see this one perfected. Therefore he moved
tO strike out section 4, which would exclude
from consideration the claims of parties who
could not prove that they had been loyal all
through the war. This provision, he said
would work in many cases an absolute denial
of justice and was directly contrary to the
constitution and to the decision of the supreme
court of the United States in Kline's case in
Is Wallace. Section also ought TO be struck
out 1t provided that no person should be
excluded as witness on the ground that he
OF sue WIS lnlereSlcu III lue Clullll uluer ll-
vcstigaton, and this was in coptravention of
the law of 1865, excluding such parties as
witnesses from the court of claims.
Mr. Cameron, of Wisconsin lin charge OF
the bill), said that section was added in tho
house after the bill had come from the COM
mittee, ON motion of Mr. Holman, of Indiana.
1t did not take away any right now possessed
by any citizen of the United States, Any
body now entitled to have his claim against
the United States heard would have the same
right after the passage of this bill.
Mr. MaXcy asked Mr.. Cameron whether
this provision requiring every claimant TO
prove his loyalty was not contrary to the gem
Cral doctrine of presumption. The man
should be presumed TO be loyal just rs he
should be presumed to be honest until the
contrary was shown,
Mr. Cameron replied that IL was not con-
trary to the principles voted upon by con-
grcss heretofore in regulating the presenta-
tiou Of claims
Mr.. Morgan said the section rs it stood
would prohibit the hearing Of the claim of
u man who, having taken the other side, after
ward changed his mind and voluntarily fur
nished the union armies with supplies. lie did
not know that he would bo very anxious to
reward such n man for his conversion, but nc
thought il strange that gentlemen on the
other side should not be willing to mt least
hear such u claim, He thought the section
oughtto be amended in this respect.
Mr. Frye said that if the bill with this sec
tion left out should become law ii would
create profounder feeling of distrust
throughout the country than any other legis-
lation that could bo thought Of The an
nOuucoment would be made that congress had
deliberately opened the door to rebel claims (;
and he wondered that the senator from Ar
kansas Mr. Garand) did not SEQ as a party
man that the democratic party could not, un-
q, min 81 off. fn do of
that kind.
Mr., CoclIrell, The party docs not propose to do
anything Of that kind.
Mr.. Cameron, of Wisconsin, referring to
Mr.. Garlands suggestion that the sixth sec
ton Of the bill be struck out said that as the
court was authorized merely TO find the facts,
and not to render a final Judgement, the COM
mittee thought that no harm could come from
allowing parties To be witnesses in regard to
their own claims, The committee had thought
that the bill might be improved by some
slight amendments, but they had been in