Mr. CLARK. I do not think that the amendment that I have offered as a substitute for the 1st section of the bill is justly or fairly obnoxious to the criticfsm which has been made upon it by the Senfrom Indiana, that it will be for the benefit of the claim agents in this district, or those who live near the dept, and not for the benefit of those who live remote from the Dept. Now, as I understand the provision, wherever a man prosecutes a claim and obtains a bounty or a gratuity for a soldier, and thinks he should have more than the specified fee of ten dollars provided by law, he is in that case to make application to the Au ditor or the accountin officer for an extra allowance in that individua case. There is no general arrangement made that such a man she I have more than the fee allowed by law but when the agent transmit this papers to the Dept for the purpose of getting the claim, if his services have been worth more than ten dollars, he can just as well transmit the evidence that they have been worth more than ten dollars as he can transmit the evidence that there is any claim at all. He can as well transmit that evidence from Minnesota as he can the papers in regard to the claim, and at the same time; and if the parties fairly agreed when the man undertook the work that the attorney should have more than ten dollars, and lie transmits such an agreement, undoubtedly in a fair case the Auditor or accounting Officer would allow it. The amendment is designed only for the protection of those individuals who go to these agents casually and without making an agreement, or who are taken advantage of by the prosecuting claim agents. 1 heartily concur in the object sought to be accomplished by the Senfrom lifassachusetts. It would be unfair, it would be cruel, to permit these her ies who live upon the blood of the men who have fought your battles, to take own from them the beauties and gratuities which the Government may offer them, as the do. It would be heartless to permit them, no er false or spurious names, to get this money in their hands, and then, by the formation of new firms, moving away, or an thin of that kind, to cheat the soldiers out o it. he Government is bound to protect the men who have fought its battles, and it ought to do it, and I be c it will do it.