Mr. HOTCHKISS. As a member of the ComClaims of the 38 h Congress I examined this claim of Mr. Armes. I was satisfied of its merits and voted for it. The claim passed this House and went to the Sen. whate, and, as I have been informed, it passed the Senate. What are the facts in this case? The government found this man on the other side of the Potomac and burned down his house. He has lost all his property, and the services that his wife rendered to this Government brought her life"to a termination. He gave his only son to the Union Army, and has furnished us a record of his loyalty that cannot be disputed. He has not only been reduced to poverty, but physically, he has become a mere wreck, and is now today but a scanty offering to the King of Terrors. By a strict construction of our resolution this claimant comes within our grasp; and we are told that if the American Congress shall do him the small measure of justice proposed in this bill the stability of the Government will be endangered. In other words, the implication is that unless we reject this meri torious application Congress will not have Virtue oto withstand the flood of claims that will rush in upon us. If we are justified in entertaining so little confidence in ourselves, then let this old man, or what little there is left of him, be sacrificed. I do not for my part believe that in order to perpetuate our government it is necessary for us to immolate this worthy, loyal hearted old man. By an appropriation of a few 1,000 dollars we can save him from spending the remainder of his days in wretchedness and misery; we can save him from becoming an object of public charity; we can keep him out of the asylum for paupers. This bill does not propose to reimburse to this man a tithe of what he has lost. He has suffered loss, not only in property, but in the lives of members of his family. Why, Mr. Speaker, we ought not to hesitate a moment in voting this money. If we do not feel disposed to pay him for the destruction of his house, let us grant him something in consideration of the loss of his poor old wife. In such a case as this it is almost idle to plead with the House. If members do not recognize at once the justice of the claim it is useless for me to appeal to them. For myself I should feel a consciousness of guilt during the remainder of my life if I did not speak and vote in behalf of this worthy claimant. He is a patriot who has been injured by the act of the Government. That there was a necessity for the injuries inflicted upon him and his property I admit; but that necessity, arose, not from any fault of his, but from the fault of Congress. The necessity would not have existed had Congress heretofore legislated wisely. If we legislate wisely now we shall prevent this apprehended flood of claims upon us by taking actual possession of these territories improperly called “States, ” and making the property of the guilty indemnify the losses of the innocent. That is what we ought to do. In my opinion members ought to be ashamed to be whining here over the expenditure of a few dollars for the payment of a just claim like this. This claim. really more merit than 100s of the claims that we pass here every day. The objection made to this claim is that there is an element of charity in it. Why, sir, if we can do a little charity now and then, we should remember that “charity covers a multitude of sins;” and no member, I imagine, will assert that we have not our full share of errors and sins that need atonement.