Mr. SUMNER. I will tell you. The commissionermentioned is Hon. Alexander S. Johnson, late chief justice of the court of appeals of the State of NewYork. He was commissioner in 1864, under an act which I have in my hand, entitled “An act to carry into effect a treaty between the U.S and her Britannic Majesty for the final settlement of the claims of the Hudsons Bay and Puget Sound Agricultural companies." By that act it is provied: “ hat the compensationof the commissionershall be 5.00:).in full for his services and personal expense s. The question in the committee at the time was very seriously considered whether he should be allowed a certain salary or given what we familiarly call a round sum for the whole business. It was understood that we should require the services of a thoroughly capable man, a man of high character, who could he placed in association with the commissioner appointed on the side of the British Government. The interests that were to go before them were very considerable; and it appears from a communication, which I shall have read in a minute, that they have already amounted to $5,000,000. At that time it was supposed that the services might be completed within 5 or 6 months, certainly within a year, and it was on that account that the compensation was placed, as it was. at $5,000. at instead of being completed within a year, the serviceis still goingon, and I understand will not probably be completed before next Jan uary. Meanwhile, this distinguished gentleman whom we enlisted in this service is necessarily withdrawn from, I may say, the career in which the Senators from NewYork, I believe, will testify, he was so eminent, and he is left simply for this long service of more than 2 years with the sum of $5,000. On taking the case into consideration, the committee thought it advisable to recommend an addition of $3,000, by way of completing what I will again call the round sum for his services. I will send to the desk a letter which has been received from the commissioner himself in which he sets forth the case.