Mr. WASHBURN, of Massachusetts. I see no objection to the amendment provided it be somewhat modified. The gentleman will understand that these items come down to May 23, 1865, and it was stated before the committee the items here presented and examined covered all the claims of the city against the Government up to that, date. I do not think the gentleman, who is a member of the committee, would like to make his amendment so broad as to cover items which were not examined. Whether there has been anything done since that period I do not know; but this covers all.items examined by that committee, which were said to embrace all the items of the city against the Government. And I think the House will see the impropriet of adopting the annendment as now presented, bringing it down to the present time, when there is not an item in the bill coming down later than the 23d of May, 1865. Let me say in reference to the report of the committee this: These items have all been presented to the House by the ComDistCol. The ComAppropriat also made appropriations to pay these same items. Now, the only difference in the report of the ComClaims is, that in examining the items we have cut down the claim about 6,000, dollars. The items that the ComClaims struck out are not all enumerated in the report. We struck out the item of $2, 500 expended in roof an iron fence around Judiciary square. The committee were unanimously of the opinion that the Government furnishing the fence, the city ought to be enough interested in that square to set it up. We thought that item of $2, 500 charged for setting up that fence ought not to be charged against the government, and we therefore struck it out. We also struck out the item for the improvement of the reservation Iat street and Massachusetts avenue. We also struck out $929 for another avenue, and $1, 129 for the improvement of another avenue. The committee took the ground, so far as these reservations and avenues were concerned, the land belonging to the Government; if the city saw fit to improve them, then the property holders living round the improvements should pay for them. We did not think we ought to allow this corporation to take these avenues and reservations and to plant trees all over them, and to make all sorts of improvements, and then come here and make us pay for them. So in all these cases we have stricken out the items for these improvements. We have, however, followed the law which Congress has passed, that in making the improvement of streets the Government should pay its proportion according to the property it owns bordering on these streets iS avenues. We have also allowed the money expended in repairing the Long Bridge, which the Government was bound to repair.. I agree with my colleague, the amendment should be adopted only up to the date of May 23, 1865, to which the bill goes. It was stated before the committee this embraced all the items and charges which the corporation had against the Government down to that date. With that modification I will agree to the amendment.