The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-12-24
DAYS.
THE APPROACH or THE HOLIDAYS
~ SEEN ABOUT THE CAPITAL.
Great Multitude Of Private Claims BE-
fore Congress-The Immigration In
quiry-W -Washington Ncws.


was NtNNA anu tAi| tAA'A AAiANilfANA llAAA ENAAt
down considerably below the freezing
q.int The undulating lawns about the
capitol were covered with rhine Of
vhlt,st snow. as II nature was spreading
lcr fairost linen in preparation of the
feast about TO be taken by the Christmas
nations OF the earth. In honor Of their
subumest gift.
The avenue and all the thoroughfares
where retail stores abound were crowded
bv eaEer lockers. and more or less OK
frayacant purchasers. Christmas presents
60 from here to-day TO thousands Of loved
ones. who will spend the holidays without
the presence of father or brother, or per
hans one who is loved just as Wei. bat
AT present is not registered IN the family
Bible
The Capitol building, whose long tiled
Railways resouuded yesterday to the foot
steps Of half a thousand men. was wrapt
IN silence to-day. and the scenes of busy
legislation We're veilcd for the holidays.
AT one Of the gallery doors i found
gray haired man sitting at his watch.
although not a soul had passed him, and
the hail before was vacant. / paused and
spoke of the cheerful morning sand asked
N he was not going home for Christmas.
81 have no home 90 go 10" were his exact
words.
Then I said. "Wcn. you would be glad
u there was no Christmas. wouldn't yOue"
He looked az me a moment. and replied,
mot by and means. when ] see the happy
faces of the children on the streets, and
recall the JOY the little ones know
throughout all Christeudom. l am thank
fIl for the day, and them he said
Christmas does me good for though you
who is not burdCned at this time by sad
and sorrowful "reminiscences, there is
something still i'm Christmas time that
touches the heart 10 tender conSidcra-
tons, moves the mind 20 poaceable con-
.rsione. and euCirclcs the soul in a salts
friug presence" lie was a better phllO-
-.pEer than me- for. but for one bright
happy childish face on Sunday, l would
rather miss the day.
A movement has been started here,
which / think could be splondidly
adopted in Richmond and an of the cities
Of Virginia and North Carolina. IL is
Oh receive and forward at this time pres
ents or Sits Of any kind to the children
and mothers at Homestead. Pa. No mat
Ter what opinion we may entertain as
ta the actions Of the husband and father
the fact remains that their wives and
little ones instead of looking for the rO-
reeuns through the broken window panes
at the gaunt form of absolute hunger
And as We shall sit on Sunday at our
tables spread by the hands of love, chill
f.an an Of one Infinite father, there will
Do. .rumbs enough 10 make these people
happy.
Tic congressman of yesterday have
finished this morning like air-casues
of frost confronting the sun and 1t was
"a rare thing this morning to find a mem
ber Of either body about the lobby or
streets. ] met one, however, who gave
me an experience ne had the other day
with President Harrison. The Congress
man Is a Republican from Ohio. and he
went to see if he could get Mr.. Harrison
10 make several appointments for him Of
men 70 superintend the building OF big
bridge across the Ohio river. which the
Government is TO build. The President,
De said. refused 10 make the appoint
ments, saying that he would leave them
for the next administration. and he fur
Their said that the President told him that
he was seriously contemplating putting
all of the fOurth-class pOstmasters under
the Civil Service law. The two PROPOSE
lions conflict. but il would be about the
Republican idea of proper treatment 10
the Democrats. 10 yield a few bridge
builders and lay claim TO $4,000 postmas-
ters.
Thsre are more men about Congress IN
the interests of individual claims against
The Government than those engaged IN
any other pursuit 10 is remarkable that
almost every one OF these people believe
that the Government really owes them
smething. and they spend a lifetime in
trying TO make the congressman see 1t
that way The fact IS, jaat the Capitol
lludiug itself would be filed by the
printed volumes OF records OF these
claims. and the Government benkrupted
ty their payment.
10 would not be hard just now for any
man ia the South TO guess who
pat In the largest claim On record. II
Nr. Weaver, the gentleman who re-
Gently made claim for the suf-
f,aees Of our people Mr.. Weaver
Ir ented a claim against the Government
when ne was a member of the House 10
Joy an Federal soldiers the difference
between gold dollar and the depre-
ciated currency in which he was paid.
Iae depreciation was from . to Cd per
cent? and IL would take at least $780,
900 TO settle the account The sol
oers have about gotten even though on
OBJ. pension racket and, with MI Weaver
safely out Of Congress. IL really looks
70 the present time as if the claim would
hardly be honOred.
1he Chllds family of Philadelphia, have
claim for about S20)O0O. which comes
down from 1777. General Washington sent
SIR. George ". Childs 10 Montreal as
spy to learn what the British government |
was planning 10 do with the colonies |
ST. Chlds fulfilled his mission, and got |
"a certificate from General Washington, |
but The Continental Congress did not pay |
g. and IL is presented 20 the Fifty-second |
Congress. The Fifty-hrst-that billion |
dollar Congress-put everybody 10 look |
nr up heirloom claims.
The French spoliation claims are far |
from satisfied. although I.3o0,O)O have /
been paid on them. The original claim
was for $1,000 00D.
There IS a claim Of about SO 100000 by
tre heirs OF Richard w. Meade, which IS
row pending 10 was originally a claim
asainEt the Spanish government and II
.s claimed was assured by the United
States in the purchase of Florida.
There are a great many Southern war
claims stil standing for the taking by (
'he Federal soldiers OF horses. grain pro-
visions. &C. and for the burning Of the
houses Of people who claimed TO be sup
Iorters Of the Federalists. There was
originally about 500 10000 OF these, but
from 187l 20 1850 about $i.63600O was paid
IL has been definitely settled 10 have
Senator. Chandler's bill for the restrict
Ing Of immigration for one year. offered
n the Senate, and that Of Mr. Stump,
" Maryland, providing for the establish
nent Of q quarantine on the other side,
ana empowering the President to sus-
pend immigration at any time. placed
before the House. This Will result ia GER