Mr. THAYER. Mr. Speaker this is a bill for the relief of Maria Syp ax. The name of Syphax, although a strange and unusual one, does not now for the 1st time appear in the history of human affairs. Those of us who recall the long and dreamy hours in which in our school boy days, with our big Ainsworth by our side, we plodded through the pages of Livy and Sallust, will rememberit as the name of that unfortunate Nuniidiun king who in an illstarred hour seduced by his marriage with the daughter of Asdrubal, the Cartbnian forsook his alliance with Rome an joined himself with that of Carthage, a step which as we well remember resulted in his defeat and capture by Masinissa, his delive to Scipio, and his being led in chains throug the streets of Rome to grace the magnificent triumph awarded to that successful general. The modern Syphax the Syphax of the present bill, although 0 African descent like the royal Sypliax of yore, is a much humbler personage. as they stand in relation to her ancient and historic namesake are points of contrast and not points of resemblance. The latter was born a kin, the former was born a slave. The latter Tieserted the solemn oaths which bound him to the republic which had af forded him the protection of an ally, the former adhered t rough all the storms and trials of civilWar to the republic which fos tered and defended herself and her people. The fortunes of the latter went from good to bad and from bad to worse continually, until they culminated in the ruin of his hopes and his death in a Roman prison in the obscure village of Tibur. The fortunes of the former have improved day by day, until from slave she has become with her people and her children, free, independent, and happy. Her eyes in her old age look out bright y and happily upon a land from which the last foot prints of slavery, have vanished and where her people enjoy the protection of equal rights an equal aivs. Maria Syphax’s parents were the servants of Mrs. Washington. The passed by devise to her grandson, George Vashingtou Parke Custis. n 1826, when Marin. Sy hax, forwhose benefit this bill was introduce, was married, Mr. Custis emancipated her and settled her upon a small tract of land containing about 17 acres, which lies upon the southern border of the estate of Arlington. By his last will he also emancipated the husband of Maria. Since the year 1826 Maria Syphux and her husband and their children have lived and labored and thrived upon that little spot of land. Their occupancy o it was always acquiesced in by Mrs. Lee, the daughter of Mr. Custis, and by her husband, RobtELee. Their possession was never interfered with by them. They scrupulously respected the provision which had been made for them by Mr. Custis. In the year 1863 this little plot of land, together wrth the remainder of the Arlington estate, was sold by the Government of the U.S. under the act of Congress approved June 7, 1862, entitled “ An act for the collection of direct taxes in insurrectionary districts, ” and was bought by the U.S. The object of the present bill is to release to Maria Sy hax and her heirs the land which was given to lier by Mr. Custis, and which she, her hus band, and her children have occupied and tilled for a period of fort years. I believe now I have said everything which is necessary to a full understanding of this case, and perhaps something that was not. If any gentleman wishes to ask any questions I am ready to respond to them; or if anyone wishes to make any remarks upon the bill I will yield for that purpose.