The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-03-03
UNCLE SANS FAT PURSE.
OWNERS OF BATTLE-FIELDS WILL
SOON ASK FOR RENT.

THE Bill for the Relief of the Protestant
Eniscopal Theological Seminary of
Virginia the Subject of a Lively
Debate in the House-A Vote in It's
Favor.
WASHINGTON, March 2.-The House at
9Oo'clock this afternoon went into com
ritree of the whole on the private calendar,
With Mr.. Hatch, of Missouri, in the chair.
The committee resumed consideration of
the omnibus" bill, which provides for the
nayment of thirty odd claims for supplies
rsed for the army during the war, reported
bv the Court of Claims under the pro-
visions of the Bowman act.
Mr. Lee, of Virginia, offered an amend
ment appropriating $4,000 for the relief of
fine Protestant Episcopal Theological Sem
mary and High School Of Virginia.
Mr. Brewer, of Michigan, thought that
the amendment, which provided for the
navment of rent, would prove very dan
9erous precedent if it were enacted into a
law 1t would be followed by thousands of
claims asking for compensation for the Oc-
cupation of schools and churches in the
South.
MR. LEES CLAIMS.
Mr.. Lee advocated the amendment as an
sct of Justice. and thought that the time
had come when the animosity of war should
have passed away. The institution was an
old one, and had alumni in every part of
the United States, and throughout the
whole war it had been within the Federal
lines. No Confederate soldier had ever
nassed over its grounds, and a majority of
its faculty had remained under the Jurlsdlc-
ton of the United States.
Mr.. Burrows, of Michigan, inquired what
side they prayed for, to which Mr.. Lee re-
plied that they prayed for all SINNERS.
Mr.. Grosvenor, of Ohio, placed his oppo-
stion to the amendment upon the broad
ground that the government had never
touched such a claim as this and never
ought to
IN A Seeded STATE.
The property was within a seeded State.
If it was an organization for public pur-
noses it could not be exempted from the
action of Virginia when she went out of the
Union. If it was private corporation it
was affected by the political sentiment of
the owners. 1t was a strong suggestion
against the justice of the claim, that, in
stead of being pressed on its merits. it was
sought to be incorporated in a bill to which
there was no objection.
Mr. Cutcheon, of Michigan, regarded the
amendment as a far-reachlng measure, and
one which, if enacted into law, would be
followed by a food of similar claims involv-
ing hundreds of millions of dollars. If this
claim was paid claims would come in asking
for compensation for the occupation of
every campground which the Union sol
diers used after crossing the Potomac river.
RENT FOR BATTLEFIEDS.
There would be nothing to prevent the
owner of the battle field at Manassas bring
ing in a claim for the occupatt.s. of the field
by the United States army during the bat
tie
Mr.. Spooner, of Rhode Island supported
the amendment. There was, to his mind, a
vast distinction between this claim and
claims for payment for the occupation of
property within the Confederate lines. This
seminary was situated in that part of Vir-
ginia which was within the Union lines
from the beginning TO the end of the war.
The territory wi thin which it was situated
had during the entire war representative
in this house.
Mr.. Allen, of Michigan, thought that
common fairness required that the govern
ment should pay for the use and occupation
Of this property from the close OF the war
up to the time it was vacated by the army
but he was opposed to paying for its use
prior to that time 1t was within the Union
lines, it was true, but IL was only kept there
by Federal bayonets.
WASHINGTON NOT ON A PAR.
Mr.. Long, of Massachusetts,, inquired
whether the same was not true of property
in Washington.
Mr. Allen replied that it was not. If
Federal troops had laid down their guns for
twenty minutes this property would have
been occupied by Confederate soldiers The
Seminary was upon picket line, and was
In the same position as seminary in Geor-
gia
Mr. Holman, of Indiana, offered an
amendment providing that nothing in this
Appropriation should be construed as recog-
uizing liability of the United States to pay
Tor the use and occupation of property by
the United States army at the seat OF wal
during the late war.
Mr.. Gro5venor regarded the amendment
as child's play. 1t would have no effect
except to quiet the conscience of some gen
temen who desired to vote for the claim
In one breath the House paid for the rent OF
property, and in the next said that it would
not admit having done the very thing II
had done.
Mr.. Holman's amendment was rejected
and Mr.. Lees amendment was adopted by g
vote Of lO2 to "a.
The bill was then agreed to and reported
10 the House. Pending action, the House
at o'clock took a recess until 1880 o'clock
the evening session being for the considera
ton Of pension bills