Mr. STEVENS. I would like to ask the gentleman for the author of the statement to which he has referred. The question of my colleague [Mr. Scofi ELDI is a very proper one, and I have no doubt it was put in avery proper spirit, as it certainly was put in very proper language. [Laughter] } will explain this appropriation; and it may gratify the curiosity of some persons to know one or 2 things that took place in reference to it. When fo. appropriation was requested by the SecyState, being a larger amount than that Dept ever asked for before and I will say here that the committee have always agreed that the State Dept had been managed more economically than any other Dept of the Government I did not feel disposed to recommend it either to the committee or to the House without knowing the reason for it. Not being very well, I requested the SecyState, he being a young man, [ laughter, to call and explain it to me, which he did with great courtesy. And I may as well say to gentleman now, for they may want to know, that we did not talk about anything except this appropriation. [Laughter] He convinced me not only that this sum was wanted for useful purposes, but that it would finally be found to be too small. I willmention some of the items for which it is needed. One or 2 of them perhaps I shall notmention because they better not get into print. But I willmention enough to satisfy the House, I think, of the propriety of this appropriation. We have pending in various countries of Europe, mainly in and France, a very large number of suits to recover confederate property from those who claim to be the owners of that property in those countries. The Government has been obliged, of course, in every case to employ counsel. The amount of money involved is considerably more than 20 million dollars. It is the opinion of the Dept, an opinion justified by the advice of eminent counsel, that, if the claims be properly prosecuted, a very large oof this amount may be recovered. I of course am not able to give an opinion on the subject; but this is the opinion of the Dept. Now, in reference to the employment of counsel to prosecute these claims, we know that in England there are 3 classes of lawyers, solicitors, counselors, and advocates, all of whom have to be feed to a very large amount. Besides that, according to the practice in attorney that country, the must be indemnified for the costs which may accrue in case he fails in the suit. supposing our elains to this amount, $20,000,000, to be well founded, I submit that an appropriation of $250,000 is but a small amount to be expended in the recovery of so large a sum. This is one item, perhaps the largest; and this money must be furnished immediately, or the suits must be abandoned. t I may state that in the case of Surratt, referred to by my colleague, the expenses have been larger, perhaps, than would be desirable. Surratt has been pursued for a year; he has been followed all over the continent of Europe and in the East, and this pursuit has involved very large expenses. Although the amountexpended in the pursuit and arrest of Surratt is large, yet if he shall be finally brought to justice I shall consider the money well expended. Nay, we have an ample return for all the expenditures in the demonstration of the fact that no place in the wide world affords to so great a malefactor a refuge from the avenging hand of justice. But, sir, besides the expense already incurred, it is necessary to have money to bring several witnesses here, as well as to bring home the culprit. In reference to the employment of a vessel for this purpose; I may state one fact of which I was not until recently aware: when the Dept of State, having no control over the Navy, orders a national ves. sel upon any expedition of this kind without an appropriation for the purpose by Congress, the .Dept charges the expense to the Dept of State; and the present SecyNavy, very properly I believe, holds the latter to a strict account, and requires the payment of the money as much as if it were a private transaction. In this connection, I may state that the expense of transporting the queen of the Sand wich fslands in a vessel of the U.S. was charged in the same way to the State dept by the Navy Dept. Gentlemen may think that such an expenditure was not judicious; but perhaps if gentlemen knew the struggle and rivalry which were going on between England and our Government in reference to that matter they might change their opinions. The State Dept has also been compelled to bear the expense of the expedition to Mexico. There are other items which I might name; but I have now said more perhaps than is necessary. I feel it due to the administration of that Dept to go as far as may be prudent in voting the appropriations asked for it; and however I may differ politi cally with the head of that Dept, I cannot allow myself to be influenced by such considerations in acting upon a question of kind. this