The sun., 1891-12-30
The Government Of the State Of New Yor1
bv the minority of The poters has got to 90!
Tho Presidents Claim Against the
Treasury.

During the war a citizen Of Indiana named
ANDREW HUMPHREYS was arrested on
charge OF conspiracy. He was indicted, and
for some time was kept on the limits"
that is to say, HUMPHREYS was not allowed
to 20 outside OF two townships Of the county
in which he lived.
After the war HUMPHREYS brought suit
for damages against the army officers who
had arrested him. He sued in the County
Court. A motion was made to transfer the
case to the Federal Court. under the plain
provisions of the statute covering such cases.
An ignorant or prejudiced County Judge
denied the motion. and the jury gave HUM
PHR1Es verdict OF damages. Tho case was
then carried to tho Supreme Court OF In
diana, upon the ground Of the error Of the
County Judge In not transferring the case
to tho Federal Court, where it belonged.
Here tho Indianapolis law firm OF PORTER.
HARRISON and FIsHBACK appeared IN the
case for tho first time and the last. Tho
middle partner OF that firm Is now Presi-
dent OF the United States. All that the
President and his partners ever had to do
with the HUMPHREYS case wns to prepare
and file single brief. Their brief set forth
tho obvious proposition that the statute
required the County Court to transfer the
case to the Federal Court. The error was
30 plain that an Office boy could have pointed
it out. The Supreme Court reversed the
Judgment. the great HuMPHRIEs case went
back to the County Court. the County Court
transferred it to the United States Court,
and there it was dismissed.
For preparing and filing that historic
brief the Presidents law firm received
from the State Of Indiana $3.50. and pre-
sented further bill of s2,5OO to the United
States Government.
This may all read like ancient history. but
the circumstances have O contemporaneous
human interest for the present generation
Of taxpayers. Last week this notorious and
sleazy claim turned up in the Fifty-second
Congress in the form of two separate bills.
One bill is for the relief OF SEwELL OouL-
SON and PORTER. HARRISON and FISH
BACK" and it directs the Court OF
Claims to adjudicate the case. not
withstanding the fact that time has out
lawed the Hon. BENJAMIN HARRIsoN's claim.
SO far as that tribunal is concerned. Tho
other bill appropriates from the Treasury
OF the United States s2.5OO to PORTER. HAIR
R1soN and FIsHBAcK for legal services rem
dered by them." meaning the preparation
and filing Of that wonderful brief.
This HARRISON claim for $2.50O from the
United States Treasury for constructing
brief for which the State OF Indiana has
already paid him $780, has been sneaking
in and out in the two Houses Of Congress
for more than ten years.
The Hon. BENJAMIN HARRISON made his
appearance as Senator Of the United States
on December 5. 1881. Two months later his
S25OO claim made Its appearance at the
other end OF the Capitol. 1t did not pass
the Forty-seventh Congress.
In every Congress since then. we believe.
the same claim has been introduced. gen.
orally disguised as o bill "for the relief OF
SEwELL CoULsoN and Others" and in every
Congress it has been referred. ordered
printed, considered. sometimes discussed
and exposed in all OF its preposterous fea-
lures. sometimes good-naturcdly recon-
mended for passage. sometimes pigeon
holed or indefinitely postponed; but never
passed. II it had ever been passed, it would
not be here now.
Every citizen OF the United States who
thinks that he has a just claim against the
Government has the right to present and
press that claim. We admit that the Hon.
BENJAMIN HARRISON did not lose his rights
as citizen when he went into the White
House. Whether it is or is not scandalous
thing for him to allow the renewed presen-
tation now Of tn is s.. 500 claim. in view OF it's
character. it's history. and his own present
relations to the Government. Is not ques-
tion Of legal right and wrong. 1t is a ques-
tion Of higher ethics and OF good taste.