Mr. WARD. Mr. Speaker, I was not able to concur with the majority of the committee in the report which my colleague has presented. My reason for dissenting was that I felt that the allowance of this claim would establish a new principle with reference to claims against the eovernment a principle which has not heretofore receivedt e sanction of the Comittec of Claims or of this House. I under stood from the investigation before the committee and from the answer which thisgeutleman himself garb in response to an inquiry chain that when he performed ese services, he died notexpect compensation from the Government, and he did not perform them with reference to any contract With the Government. Sir; the passage of this bill, as recommended by the committee, will.establish the principle that every man, woman, and child in this country who, during the struggle through which we have recently passed, has ratuitously and without expectation of rewsr rendered valuable services to the country shall receive compensation. I apprehend, Mr. Speaker, that the committee may be charged with some inconsistency in recommending the payment of this claim. When the Union men of the South, who had their property destroyed by the rebels, who had suffered and sacrificed everything in behalf of the Government, came to our doors as be ars, asking some small compensation for their osses, we said, “No; the overument is not in; condition to p such claims.” When the men of Pennsylvania and Ohio and other States on the border came here asking compensation for their property destroyed by the rebels, we said, “ Nb, we cannot elp you. Althouvh you have contributed lar ely to put own the rebellion, we cannot ui you; 1st. because there is no obligation on the part of the government to do so; and 2ndly, because the national Treasur is not in a condition to pay such claims." hen earns the volunteer nurses who had served in field and camp and hospital. When those ministering angels came, askin u‘s for‘compeusation for their services, we sai (.