The record-union., 1896-06-01

slider and report on matters growing
out of the war of the rebellion, is en-
titled to the very respectful considera-
tion of your honorable committee.
These reasons /, therefore, respect
fully submit should be, and I think
are, sufficient to justify favorable ac-
tion, not only by your honorable COM
mittee, but by this Congress, and in
the specific direction expressed in said
joint resolution No 1S5.
But were additional reasons deemed
by your honorable committee necessary
in these premises, then and in that
event 1 confidently and respectfully
submit they are abundantly and con-
clusively supplied by the contents of
an official letter of Hon Robert B.
Bowler, Comptroller of the Treasury,
addressed to me on April 27, 1896, in re-
ply to my letter of April Is, 1896, aG-
dressed to the Treasury Department,
in which I sought to ascertain
First-If interest paid by States as
hire for and on money borrowed by
them to pay the "costs, charges and
expenses" of the war of the rebellion
could not be reimbursed them under
said Act of July 81 1861, and If no1
why not?
Second-If State rebellion war claims
once settled under rules and construc-
ton of law by the Treasury Depart
ment. subsequently declared by the
United States Supreme Court to have
been erroneous, could not be reopened,
readjusted and reported to Congress
under the construction given to such
rules and laws by said court, without
f11yS har lott hU
| If not, then why not?
To these inquiries the Hon. Comp
troller, Robert B. Bowler, replied in the
negative.
Without here or now commenting upon
any of the recitals of Comptroller Bow
ler's said letter of April 81 1896, which
speaks for itself, I now attach hereto
a full, true, and correct copy there
| of, and 1 respectfully submit that
this important official communi-
cation from so high legal
and controlling officer Of the Treasury
Department on matter germane to the
subject matter of this joint resolution,
and wherein SO many of the States of
the Union are now very much interest
ed, should be regarded not only as an
additional, but a controlling, reason to
convince your honorable committee of
the pressing necessity for the adoption
either of said House declaratory and
explanatory Joint Resolution No. 1S5,
or of some other equally remedial, COM
prehensive and beneficial declaration in
order to do full equity to the States Of
! the Union heretofore detrimentally
affected by the past erroneous and ille-
| gal rulings of the Treasury Department
under said remedial statute of July 27,
1861, which I submit was intended by
Congress for their full relief, and
which statute the United States Su-
preme Court has declared should be lib-
orally construed. 1 am, my dear sirs,
| yours, very respectfully,
GROVE L. JOHNSON.
Congressman Johnson feels quite
hopeful of securing the passage of this
resolution either at the present or the
next session of Congress. If he can
succeed in obtaining for the State of
California this large sum of money,
which is legally and justly due the
State, he will have accomplished much
for the good Of the State and it's people.
Legislation is very slow in Congress,
particularly with reference to claims
against the Government, and more
particularly at this session, because of
the objections to all appropriations that
are made every day on the ground that
the treasury is bankrupt
Captain John Mullan is in Washing
ton and has given Mr.. Johnson all the
assistance in his power. He has given
a great deal Of attention to these claims
in the past, and is thoroughly familiar
with the whole subjects