Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1896-01-10
no other reason for coming here, he

no other reason for coming here, he
NAV as we'll remain in Richmond.
Several of the Virginia congressional
delegation are more familiar with those
claims than the Governor, and one of
them, Senator Dlniel, has been striv-
ing for several years to have a bill
passed that would provide for their
payment; but no one at all familiar
with congressional action in respect OF
the payment of old claims, no matter
now clear their title may be, wonders
at the DELAY. Senator Martin has sent
copies of all the papers in the cases to
g ate Senator Wickham, chairman of
me committee of the Virginia legisla-
ture having charge of such matters, and
it is understood that full history OF
what has been done in Congress in ref
erence to these claims has also been
prepared and will be sent to Richmond.
1t is said by Virginians here that the
Governor and the Virginia legislature
have all they can well do to attend to
their own business, and should at least
give the Congressman from their State
credit for sense enough to be able
to attend to theirs, and that such inter
ference as that referred to tends, and
naturally, to cool the enthusiasm of the
Congressman who otherwise would be
energetic in their efforts to attain the
desired object. So far as facilitating
the payment of the Virginia claims is
concerned, the Governor had as well
not come to Washington.
In the House to-day Mr.. Otey of
Virginia introduced bill to provide for
the complete execution of the 9th arti-
Gle of the treaty Of 1919 between
the United States and Spain.
This bill is to settle the un-
settled claims of Spanish inhabi-
tants of East Florida during 1928,
generally known as the East Florida
claims." In 1923 an act was passed for
the examination and judicial ascertain
ment of the claims by judges of Supreme
Courts-St. Augustine, &c. The origin
of these claims was the invasion by
Spain of East Florida when Florida
was province OF Spain-1S12-13. This
was a conceded violation of the law Of
nations. When Florida was coded to
the United States it was agreed that the
United States would indemnify the
claimants instead of Spain. Mr.. Otey
has claimants in his district and hence
the introduction of his bill.
Elections committee No. 3 Of the
House committee to whom the Virginia
cases have been referred met this morn
ing. Colonel Brady, counsel for two of
the contestants from that State, Messrs.
Thorp and Yost, appeared before the
committee and moved for the advance
ment of their cases upon the docket.
Mr.. McKenney, one Of the contestees,
who was at home in Petersburg on sick
leave when informed by Colonel Brady
by telegraph that he would make this
motion, was present, but Mr.. Tucker,
the other one, who is also at home,
was too sick to come to this city.
Colonel Brady said he would not have
telegraphed for the two contestees if be
had known they were sick, and the
matter of his request was indefinitely
postponed While the committee YVES
in session it was discovered that the
petition of Mr.. Mcdonald, who wants to
contest the seat of Mr.. Jones from the
First Virginia district, which had
also been referred to the committee,
was missing and could not be found.
AIR. Thomas of Michigan, who had pre-
sented it, says if it be not found he will
call the attention of the House to its
disappearance.
The substitute for the House bond
bill, a pure and simple free coinage
bill at l6 to l, will pass the Senate,
but the House tariff bill will not, that
is if Senators Jones and Teller remain
of the same mind as now, for the form
er says he will insist upon amend
ing it by duty of fifteen per cent.
upon sugar, and the later says he will
demand that it be amended by provid
ing for the free and unlimited coinage
of silver.
The following changes in the fourth
class postoffices of Virginia were made
to-day: Bristow, Prince William coun-
ty, ]. A. Brawner, appointed postmas-
ter, vice l.. A. Free, resigned; Hema-
tite, Allegheny county, Mrs. H. G..
Kean, vice T. W. Simpson, resigned;
Whitehall. Frederick county, G. E. Bell,
vice G. G. Mckee, dead.
It was said in this correspondence
yesterday that majority of the exc
cutive committee of the Virginia State
democratic committee, which commit
tee has control of such matters, had de-
termined to appoint Chairman Ellyson
of the State committee, the Virginia
member of the national democratic COM
mittee. 1t is learned to-day that ill.,
stead of majority of the executive
committee the whole committee is prac-
tically in favor of Mr.. Ellyson's ap-
point ment, as all but onemember of
it has been heard from to that effect.
Mr.. Pritchard, the new republican
Senator from North Carolina, read his
first speech in the Senate to-day. he
did himself no credit and would have
been more thought of if he had remain
ed silent, as be showed that though he
may be supposed to be Solomon by
the voters of his party in North Caro-
lima, he is entirely ignorant of the his
tory of even the recent legislation Of
the body of which he is member, as
was made patent by Senator Hill.
At the sugar trust trial to-day Mr..
Searles, secretary of the trust, refused
positively to answer any questions, and
was sustained in doing so by his coun-
sell, ex-senator Edmunds.
In the Senate to day Mr.. Morgan in
troduced resolution congratulating