Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1894-06-08
F%IFTY-THIRD CONGRESS-.
WASHINGTON, June s.
SENATE.

the estate of the Hon. Leland Stanford,
Of Cal, was laid before the Senate. and
Mr.. Hoar modified it so as 10 simply
instruct the judiciary committee TO in
quire and report, as soon as may be,
whether it is expedient that the claim
be forthwith relinquished and put at
rest.
Mr.. Blackburn, who opposed the re-
solution yesterday, said hat he had no
objection to it as modified.
Mr.. Teller supported the resolution.
MIR. PETER, opposed it as premature
action. He did not believe it proper
for the Senate to undertake to interfere
with the law officers of the govern
ment at this stage of the proceedings.
The history OF the Central Pacific and
of the Union Pacific Railway compa-
MES was not one of which the American
people wa proud and if there was
any just claim against the estates of
those who had improperly benefited in
that history, it ought to be collected.
Mr.. White explained the status Of
the claim. At q certain time not yet
reached thc debt of the Central Pacific
railroad would mature. No action
could have been instituted during the
lifetime OF Mr.. Stanford, and hence
there was no dercliction. Under the
statutes Of California, whenever the es-
tate of a decedent exceeded $4,000.
notice had TO be published to creditors
to present their claims within ten
months. Those claims had to be pre-
sented, whether due or not due, wheth-
er contingent or otherwise. Hence, on
the death OF Senator Sanford, and the
issue of letters te~stamentary, it became
the duty of the government, if it de-
sired to enforce any claim in the future
against the estate, to present the claim
for allowance or projection. That course
had been forced on the Attorney Gen
eral by the situation, and that official
had merely complied with the law and
done his duty. Had he not done so,
the claim would have been entirely
waived. Mr.. White went on to ex-
plain the provisions Of the California
statutes which make stockholders in
dividually responsible for the debts
and liabilities of the corporation.
The question was now in the hands Of
a Senate committee and Of q House
committee, which were examining it,
and preparing to report a proper bill.
Whenever a scheme was formulated to
settle the matter he should be prepared
to express his opinion upon it-and he
had very decided views as to what
ought to be done. But this was not
the time to express them.
Mr.. Berry did not think hat the
resolution ought to be adopted, because
it would be, to a certain extent, com
mittirg the Senate to the idea that it
thought that the claim of the govern
ment against the Stanford estate ought
to be re~linquished and he did not
wish to commit himself to any such
proposition.
Mr.. Hoar said that he did not under
stand that the resolution committed the
Senate to anything. 1t was purely a
resolution Of injury.
Mr.. White said if the resolution was
subject to any such Interpretation as
Mr.. Berry gave it, he was of course not
prepared to support it.
Mr.. Allen moved to lay the resolu-
ton on the table and that motion was
agreed to yeas 24 nays 10, as follows:
Yeas-Messrs. Allen, Berry, Black
burn, Cockrell, Coke, Daniel, Faulk-
ner, George, Harris, Hunton, Jarvis,
Jones, (Ark.), Kyle, McLaurin, Martin.
Mills, Mitchell, (Wis.), Murphy, pascc,
PETER, Smith, Turpie, Vest and White
-24. Nays-Messrs. Allison, Carey,
Chandler, Cullom, Davis, Dixon, Dolpb,
Dubois, Frye, Hawley, Higgins, Hoar,
Mcmillan, Perkins, Platt, Shoup, Teller,
Voorhees,, and Washburn-19.
The tariff bill was then taken up, and
Mr.. Cullum delivered a prepared
speech against the bill rs n whole.
Mr.. Palmer, of Illinois, said the quo
tatiors of his colleague from the pro-
lection views of General Jackson re-
minded him of what a stern old preach
er in Illinois said when a man, who
was accused of a certain %oilense, eX-
cused himself by the example of David.
'It strikes me as very singular that a
rascal never quotes David except about
things in which David was a rascal"
Laughter.) So with his colleague and
Senators on the other side who were
never able to appreciate "old Hick-
ory's" virtues except when he happen
ed to favor protection theories.
Mr.. Hoar paralleled Mr.. Palmer's
anecdote by relating the story of Gen
eral Jackson having a speech made TO
him in Latin at some college commence
ment and-when he was told that he
would have TO reDly in the same lam