Mr. DAWES. Some few days since I entered a motion to reconsider the votes by which the House discharged the ComClaims from the further consideration of the petition of It. L. B. Clarke, and the bill for the relicfof Abelard Guthrie, and referred the same to the Committee ofElect ous. They are cases which have heretofore been before the ComElections, and were by them reported back and referred by the House to the ComClaims. t this Congress these matters were introduced and referred to the ComClaims and that committee have reciprocnted the action of the ComElections of last Congress by reporting them back and having them referred to the ComElections. I entered the motion to reconsider the votes referring them to the ComElections for the or ose of having an opportunity to state to the case the reasons which the ComElections think should control the reference of these claims to the ComClaims. They have been for a long time in Congress, and have been considered both by the ComElections and the ComClaims. The claim of Mr. Clarke is founded upon the fact that some ten ears ago, he was a contestant for a seat in this House, and failed in that contest. It was considered a very fair contest upon his part by the whole ComElections, who reported a resolution for his compensation; but it was so near the end of the session that they could not get the matter before the House during that Congress in which the contest; was made. That resolution as then presented provided for the pament of the contestant out of the contingent and of that House. It is the custom of the ComElections, when they think it proper to compensate a contestant, to report a resolution topay him out of the contingent fund of the House; but the contingent fund of that Henge in which Mr. Clarke made his contest has already been expended and the account closed so that this House has no control over it. Therefore the Committee of "Elections, according to the invariable custom, has no right to report a resolution to pay out of the contingent fund of this House compensation to. nperson who contested the right of a member to his seat in a former House. It would be al, together improper for the ComElections to make such a report, even if the merits of the ease justified the nyment of compensation, as I do not. doubt tihey do. If this is a claim which ought to be paid, it should be paid by a bill passing both Houses of Congress, and providing necessarily for payment out. of the Treasury of the U.S. If this claim should be paid out of the contingent. fund of this House the payment would not be approved by the Comptroller at the other on of the avenue, because it is not a matter belonging to the expenses of this House. “Any claim that is to be paid out of the Treasury of the U.S. by a bill passing both branches of Congress should properly be examined by the ComClaims, not the ComElections. It is true that this claim pertains to an election contest but that "isno reason why the ComClaims should desire to transfer it to the ComElections, anymore than that the ComClaims should report backall claims growing out of military affairs, pensions, or anything of the kind, and have them distributed among other committees. A claim for any thing, no matter what, it"it requires an act of Congress making an appropriation out of the Treasury, belongs properly, it seems to me, to the Committee of lntms. 1 hope, therefore, that that committeewill not object to reconsidering this matter and reporting upon its merits. The claim of Mr. Guthrie rests upon a different principle. It certainlyhas no place before the ComElections; for Mr. Guthrie never claimed to have been elected to Congress. His claim has been examined by the ComElections in fortner Congresses, audit doubt less hns some merit in equity; but it certainly should he considered by the ComClaims, and I trust it will be sent to that corn mittee.