Mr. WASHBURN, of Indiana. But, sir, they have been and are being paid. A commission has been appointed and sent out, and the y.are getting their pay every day. to the case in point. There are no objections to this claim, I believe, on the ground of justice. What then is the objection? The only objection that my friendfrom Missouri [Mr. BENJAMN] has made; as I understand, is because a loyal citizen of Indiana brings it; and as an offset against it he says that people in Missouri have many claims that have not been paid. Sir, if they are honest and just I am for paying every dollar of them. And so I say if this is an honest and just claim it ought to be paid. You cannot dodge it by saying you have not the money. We are never too poor to do justice, and if we wish to sustain ourselves and our reputation when we admit the justice of a claim we should if possible pay it. I am not now speaking in regard to southern claims, because from the necessity of the case they must wait a little while. But in regard to claims of loyal men in the States they ought to be paid without elay. I ine something about this claim by per sonal experience. Our troops were in Arkansas and southwestern Missouri. Our mails were stopped and regulations had to be made by which the military trains carried them, and had it not been for the mail contractors our mails would have been left behind. It may be thought that it would amount to a very little, but I tell you it amounted to a great deal with us there. Owing to the dangers that surrounded them, seeing that they were to be interrupted, the contractors said, “We cannot carry out our contract: we must take our stock out of the reach of the guerrillas and of the enemy.” But the military authorities said, “No, you must go and perform the work, molens volens: we will put an escort over the mail trains.” They went on and the mail trains were captured. And now when they come here with their claim we are told by some gentlemen that they should not be paid. I say it is a just claim, and should be paid without delay.