Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1892-12-15
DEp.a RTMENr OF JUSTICE.


The Claims on Hand Already Aggregate
Nearly SiOO,OOO. 900 Congress Must
Erect Some Barrier Between the Gov
ernmlent and These Claims.
WASHINGTON, Dec. Announcement
Miller has made report to Congress in re.
gard to the business of the department of
justice during the last fiscal wear, showing
that the business Of the department is con-
tinually and largely increasing. The in
crease, he says, is most noticeable in the
business before the court of claims The
reference to that court for Investigation
and finding Of claims, for the taking of the
property of persons presumed to have been
loyal during the war makes much work,
such claims being already between 5000
and 10000 in number, and III amount az
gregating nearly Sl0O,0OO,0Ol. still more
recently the duty has been imposed on that
court of trying claims for Indian deprelll-
lions, such claims already filed being over
N,OOO ~ number and aggfegating over S53,
Wo,oVo, These facts are very suggestive Of
the growing work of the department.
The Encouragement reviews briefly the
work of the United States Supreme Court,
and says he is glad to be able to report that
through the organization Of the circuit
court OF appeals the number Of cases in
the supreme Court is being reduced. lie
also reiers 10 the business before the cir
cut courts, and suggests that some pro-
vision be enacted by Congress for the pay.
lMent OF district attorneys for services in
these courts, 50 that it will not be left to
the decision Of the attorney-general. The
necessity for such discretionary action, he
says, ought to be by legislation, reduced
TO the minimum. This whole subject of
the management of the Governments
business i'll the circuit courts of appeal
ought to have the careful attention of Con
gress.
SOUTHERN CLAIMS.
In regard to southern claims, the attor-
hey-gemerai says: by the report of the
assistant encouragement having charge
of the business Of the government IN the
court OF claims other than that pointing to
Indian dcpredations, a large volume of the
work during the past year is shown. I'm
der the act Of March 3D. lSDl, known as
the Bowman act, ~ cases were disposed Of
during the year The aggregate Of claims
covered by said eases was S25s3,039. The
claims Of this class growing ont of the al
legged taking of supplies and other property
during the war are
ASSUMING ESORMoUs PROPORTIONS.
They already aggregate nearly 500, 0OO,-
600 and the department has reliable infor-
nation that a multitude of additional
claims aggregating very large sums, are
being prepared to be filed and pushed
against the treasury. That very large
proportion of these claims
HAVE NO Just FOUNDATION.
either in fact or law, being presented by
persons, or their sons who were not luynI
to the government during the war, is every
day made clear in the evidence revealed in
their defence. In numerous cases where
testimony has been produced of the entire
loyalty OF claimants to the Union during
the war by the discovery of documentary
evidence, such as election returns ON the
vote for secession, vouchers for supplies
furnished the Federal government, and
the enlistment rolls, registry of COnfeder-
ate bonds, &C., the attorneys of the gov
crnment have been able to demonstrate
the dis loyalty of claimants and to defeat
the claims. But Of course, such evidence
can be found only in exceptional cases
anh unless Congress shall put some new
barrier between the treasury and these
claims, il is impossible to predict the
amount the government may be called
upon TO pay thereon.