The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-03-27
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER
REJECTED CLAIMS OF SOUTHERN
PEOPLE.
Proposed Charge in the Method oil
COmpensatiBg United States
Court Officials.


Experience has shown, the committee
say, that in all cases where compen.
sati IN is governed by the number aud
results OF prosecutions the temptatlon
has been great, and often yielded 10
by swelling the number OF prosecu,
tiops aud multiplying the business oil
courts to increase the amount oil fees
The reports Of the Department OF
Justice and of the Commissioners OF
Internal Revenue for the past ten
wears. show an enormous disparity be-
tween the expenses IT the various cir
emit and district courts, and the pun.
isbment inflicted for crime and
amounts recovered to the United
States. II Is apparent from them that
many prosecutions have been begun
and dismissed, or carried on at great
expense to the government, simply
that officials and those in attendance
upon the courts might receive fees.
Under the schedule Of salaries as pre-
rared by the committee, the following
provision has been made for Tonnes
see: District Attorneys, each district,
$4,000; Marshals, eastern and MIDDLE
district, $500; western districts, $1,000;
clerks 70 marshals and chief deputy
marshals, $1,000.
In determining the salary allowance
the C mmittee hss been largely gov
erned by the amounts received by
these officials during the past ten
wears In Tennessee they were as
follows: =.
Net earnings OF United States dis
trict attorneys in ten years-Eadern
District, $5167; yearly average, $5lCO.
Western District, $43,575; average,
$440O. Middle Di. trict, 1854 aver
sQe, $500 Marshals-E"tern Dis
t,ict, net earnings, sos, 096; average,
$500. Western District, 1873, 634; av-
erage, $500. Middle District, $54,-
7S9; average, $500.
In Arkansas the proposed salaries
are: District attorneys-Western DIS
trict, $4,000; Eastern District, $50 NJ.
MarshaIs' each district, $4,000
In Missit sippi both the dis
tricts and attorneys would receive
$4,000. 81
The Committee on the Judiciary
have under consideration bill pro-
v,dipp that terms OF the United states
District Court shall be held at Vicks-
burg. It provides that the counties OF
Tunica, Coahama, Bolivar, Washing
ton. Sun Flower, Sharkey, lsssquena
and Warren shall constitute a part OF
the Northern District of Mississippi,
to be known az the Western District;
and the courts for the new division snail
be held at Vicksburg on the first Mon
DAYS in January and July OF each
wear. and shall be held for at least
three weeks If business should re-
quire it. -,
As large number OF claims from
Southern Ieople ers being PRE- ser TED
to Congress for settlement, the mao
ty Of which were submitted to the de-
iunct Southern Claims CJmml IN, II
will be OF general, If not satisfactory,
interest to know thai the Committee
on War Claims, as at present conetl
tinted. has determined to even refuse
them considerst on. The committed
have informed the House OF this &C
ton in the following words:
at Congress should take lurisdic
tion of these claims reference to thos'
under considerstion), 1t NUT also o
all the rejected claims by that com
mission.
, "There are, as the committee under
a auds, near 5000 of these rejected
claims, and involving an amount o
more than $50, 100000.
. "The committee do net deem 1t WIS
!, or lust to open the door to this Hoo
, of .laims. No substantial or equitabl
reason is shown for 30 doing
, ain providing this tribunal the GOV
eminent has done all Tor this class {
, claimants that can be fairly or reason
ably urged"
: While il is not the intention OF you
eorrespondent to enter into an argT
ment as to the merits OF this position
II should be said, that ii this VS.
: Claims Committee keeps on in til
I VIII lesale rejection business 1t wi
: not be long before 1t will have to SHIT
no shop for want of stock in trad
! The committee, however, have recon
: mended the payment OF tlS,7Z9 w
the Catholic Church at Cha tAnooe
for the destruction of its property b
the army in 1858.
n The Committee on Commerce hav
n reported fAvo,ably the measure a
Q lowing the Board of Supervisors
r Harrison county, Miss to construct
e bridge across Bayou Barnard, in
Q near the town OF marlborough, IL
h bridge TO be provided with a draw
n not less than thirty feet channel wa
Is The Senate Committee on CLAIM
, recommend that permission be give
Il by Congress 10 Messrs. @. B. Bryan
Co. of Memphis to enter suit in Il
n Court of Claims for the loss OF
n los ded coal barge sunk at Memphis
he 1879 by the United States steamer
$, Ruasey. The firm claim 81, 643 90,
ar Tbs Supervising Architt ct OF u
Of Treasury has asked the COMMITTEES
h Appropriations to allow the followi'
" amounts for heating apparatus, ct
s. in public buildings: Shreveport, l.
r. $1,000; Abeerden, Miss, 1900.
L The Commerce Committee Teco
sy mend the division of the Mississip
m into two lighthouse districts. This
ton has been taken under the suPg
ur ton of the Light House Board, W
he W:
M II has been suggested that anott
tic lighthouse district be made by dividl
ira the FIT enth District at Cairo, leavii
m. that portion Of the Mississippi
hv tween the mouth of the Ohio h,
an and New Orleans, including I
,at River, as a separate district, cover
of a distance Of more than one thouss
do miles, with headquarters at Mempl
an. This portion Of the river h1ats
IN. combined tonnage Of the Mississi
ne and Ohio Rivers aud their tiDutar
ex- and requires the entire time OF an
fhe spectcr to ascertain and marx
~ doubtful channels aud TO locate
lights at tie needed points with
tainty,
-. The total amount received by
e. State Of Tennessee from the net
' 'nr ceeds of the cash sales Of the pu
80 lands under the act granting q
M, centage to the several 81 ties IL :
,s 7O3 So; Arkansas has rec lived "
on 81 81, and NJ ssiss,ppi 81 ,OOl $40 4
,, The Commi tee on Puplc la