Los Angeles herald., 1890-04-19
AT THE CAPITAL.
A Little Breeze Over South
ern War Claims.
The Claimants Loyalty to Be
Investigated.
The House Puts in the Day on the
Private Calendar.
Senator Dolph's Investigating Committee
Sat Down Upon-New Post
office Buildings.
Associated Press Dispatches

a
WASHINGTON, April 19.-In the House
today, Enloe, OF Tennessee, rising to
question of personal privilege, had read
an article from New York paper, de-
claring that gigantic job had been dis
covered in the Southern War Claims
bill introduced by him. The article
states that Thomas, of Wisconsin, chair
man of the committee on war claims,
had de-5unced the bill as one of the
most infamous jobs which had ever been
foisted upon Congress.
Thomas said that he had not censured
any member of the committee. He had
stated that if the bill passed it would be
Infamous, because he could prove that a
number of claims on the bill were claims
OF persons notably disloyal.
Enloe said the charge in the article
that he had brought the bill before the
House in surreptitious manner was a
falsehood.
Thomas reiterated his statement that
a number of claims in the bill were
those of disloyal persons, and that a
amined by the committee.
Butterworth moved that the House go
into committee of the whole for the con-
sideration of the Legislative Appropria-
ton bill The friends of the private
calendar mustered sufficient force to de-
feat the motion-yeas, 112; nays, 119.
Lawler, of Illinois, presented protest
of the Hardware Association of the
United States against the proposed duty
on cutlery and guns.
Henderson, of Illinois, reported the
River and Harbor Appropriation bill.
Referred to the committee of the whole
The House then went into the COM
mittee of the whole on the private calen-
dar.
The Court of Claims bill was first on
the.calendar. Thomas, of Wisconsin, Of
fered a resolution that the bill be re-
ported back with the recommendation
that it be referred to the committee on
rules for investigation of the status of
the measure in connection with the
rules of the House. Lost.
The point of order was raised by Kerr
that the committee on war claims had
no jurisdiction over the rule.
Thomas, of Wisconsin, then offered a
resolution that the bill be reported back
to the House with the recommendation
that it be recommitted, with instruc-
tions, to the committee on war claims
to inquire into the loyalty of each claim
ant. He said the bill contained 285
claims based on the pretended findings
of the Court of Claims. OF this number
there were eight cases where no findings
were transmitted to Congress. In 176
cases the usual method of ascertaining
the loyalty of the parties had not been
followed. The committee on war claims
had punched these 2S5 claims without
any examination or investigation. The
Secretary of War had transmitted to the
committee since the report of the bill
statement showing that in eighty-four
cases the claimant filed vouchers for
supplies furnished Confederates, or had
done some other things indicating dis
loyalty.
Cannon said if this was correct, the
House dare not pass the bill until the
matter was thoroughly investigated.
Buchanan, of New Jersey, denounced
it as an attempt to drag through corrupt
with incorrupt cases.
Houk, of Tennessee, said it was not so
much corruptness as desire to kill the
bill. This precipitated wordy war, in
which Buchanan, Houk, Kerr and others
took part.
Stockdale, Of Mississippi, argued that
the fact that a man signs vouchers for
furnishing supplies to the Confederate
army was no proof of disloyalty. Ii he
had not signed his property would have
been taken anyhow.
Houk spoke for the loyal men of the
South, declaring that had it not been for
them the Confederacy would have sue
ceeded.
After tilt between Houk and Gros-
venor, resolution by McComas was
agreed to, recommitting the bill with
instructions to the committee to report
it back within two weeks, and that the
bill be placed at the head of the calen-
dar.
The resolution was then reported to
the House. Grosvenor raised point of
order, and the Speaker ruled the resolu-
ton out of order. The bill therefore
went back on the calendar.
Recess.
SENATE PROCEEDINGS.
Consideration of the Worlds Fair Bill