Mr. VANWIN KLE. It is not necessary to add more than a few words to the report of the committee. The bill in form is the same as the bill that passed the Senate for the relief of the State of i Iissouri, while the amount of the claim is much less. The whole amount that can be paid to WestVirginia under the bill is only $368,000. The facts set forth in the report sutiiciently show that this expense was incurred in repelling the invasion ot the State, and in carrying on the war on the part, as it were, of the U.S. Those troops were at all times under the command of U.S. odi eers, subject to be called on by them, and were n Harm frequently called out by them. I have in myi hand letters and dispatches from major Generals, brigadier generals, and colonels, U.S. officers, calling the troops into requisition. The report sets forth an indorsement made on the pay rolls by General White in reference to the efficiency of the service of these troops, and expressing his opinion that the time charged for is not excessive. The principal charge is for the services of certain independent companies which were raised with the appro bation of the President and the War Dept, and were armed and e nipped by the War Dept, and subsiste by the Dept, but who otherwise were at the expense of the State. No monthly pay was ever made to them by the General Government; and I have among the papers an order from the SecyWar directing their disbandment at the close of the war, which shows that they were recognized as troops on the part of the U.S. The service in WestVirginia, as is known to most Senators, was very peculiar. The whole State is made up of spurs of the Alleghanies, and consequently is a succession of high rid es, erhiips from one end of the State to the 0t er. he people of that country, accustomed to these mountain paths, find their way in them at any time; but the service that was necessary there to protect the borders from invasion was a very unwilling service on the part of other troops who were called on to pertorm it. The fact is they were in great danger of their lives. They were in danger of being lost in the mountain paths, and by the peculiar knowl edge of those to whom they were opposed in such a country they were in more danger than men would be under ordinary circumstances. These independent comanics, therefore, were raised for this service. ey took charge mainly of the frontier. They kept the State from being invaded and the property of everybody plundered and carried off, and they were also, as is fully statedin the papers, ofimmenseser vice to the regular U.S. troops, in acting as scouts and furnishing them in ormationIt is proper to state, also, that the Government were hardly, at any time during the war, able to furnish us sufficieut troops for our protection, and that these troops were raise for that purpose. It is within my personal knowl edge that owing to some exigency arising in the military service elsewhere the troops were withdrawn from our whole frontier; even the troops guarding the railroad were withdrawn, and their places supplied by militia. But, sir, these papers come before congress in such a way that I think I need not enlarge much on the subject. The Legislature of WestVirginia apointed a commission ofrespectable and highly intelligent gentlemen to investigate all these claims; and while the State has paid in excess of the sum named in the bill some 60 or70,00 dollars, yet, not deeming those accounts as formal as they should be, they have not sent them here for payment. I may state, also, that this is the only claim that WestVirginia has against the Government. While there are now ending in the 2 Houses claims from other States, amounting in some cases to millions of dollars, for organizing and putting in motion their troops, IWestVirginia as no such claim. It is known that she furnished to the volunteers of the Army, independent of these troops whoss payment is now asked for, 33,000 men, equal, when reduced to 3 years men, to 20 7,000, while a great portion, 1/3rd, perhaps, of her population were inim ical to the government. She has had these extra claims, if they maybe so considered, thoroughly examined. The papers are all in regular order. They have been made out on U.S. blanks, and I apprehend that the commissioner who is to be apointed under this bill will have no difficulty in ndfiusting the claims latisfactorily. The Senate will remember that this is not a final appropriation for this matter. These claims are all to come before a commissioner a pointed, I believe, by the War Dept, who will examine them thoroughly. he whole amount is but $368,000, 1f we get it all; and as we have within a few days passed a bill in favor of Missouri, and anotherin favor of Pennsylvania, and anotherin favor of Kansas, I trust the Senate will be disposed to look with favor on this application of WestVirginia.