Mr. BINGHAM. It is my impression just at this moment that no more unwise legislation than the amendment proposed by the Gentfrom Illinois [Mr. WASHBURNE] could be introduced into Congress touching these matters. I believe that the records of ejfor the 5 years preceding the organization of this Court of Claims, as compared with the rec ords of the court of the appropriations of money to discharge claims against the Government of the U.S., will show that no wiser legislation in the way of economy has taken place in the Congress of the U.S., than that which provided for the establishment of this court. "I beg leave to say to gentlemen here that I have no doubt that, comparing the amount charged against the Treasury of the U.S. by the action of the last Congress, the 38 h Congress, upon claims against the Government of the U.S., with the amount under the legislation of any Congress upon similar subjects, preceding the establishment of this Court of Claims, the amount in the former case will not be as one dollar to ten in the latter case, and I challenge gentlemen to the investigation. Yet it is now proposed by this amendment to bring all these questions back into Congress, and to have again all manner of log rolling here upon claims of from 500 to 5 million dollars. I ask how can a body of 200 men understand the merits of a case depending upon a large amount of conflicting testimony? I undertake to say that there is not one case in 100 decided in the congress of the U.S., resting upon the testimony of conflicting witnesses, in regard to which one member in 50 and I say it with all respect to members could give an intelli gible account of the testimony upon which the case was decided. The law was originally passed to transfer these claims to the Court of Claims for consideration, in order that the country might be protected against unjust and unfair demands; that the country might be protected as well against hasty legislation as against legislation giving away the money of the country to clam orous claimants, where there was no tolerable. excuse for the demand at all. For myself, I feel constrained to say that I must oppose this amendment of the Gentfrom Illinois, although in the main I feel inclined to support the motions which he makes touching the appropriation of money. If he ever in his life made a mistake, in my judgment he has made a mistake in this amendment. It simply amounts to a repeal of the Court of Claims; for it says that the decisions of all cases shall rest at last with Congress, 99 in each 100 of whose members will not understand the merits of the cases to be decided by them.