Mr. SCHENCK. Now, Mr. Chairman, I am provoked to speak plainly about this matter, more plainly than I had intended to do. will speak plainly. This is a Pennsylvania claim, the claimant being amost excellent gentleman and agal lant officer. But he saw that there was no chance for him if he were at upon the same footing with 1000s and 1,000s of others of meritorious claimants coming before congress. Therefore his case, which under the general ruling of the House had no chance before the ComClaims, is presented somehow or other under the rule and sent to the ComAppropriat, a committee having nothing under heaven to do with the subject. By that committee it is reported in an appropriation bill. It is not an appropriation to carry out the object of any law or to pay anything regularly due by the Government of the U.S. It is an ordinary claim for damages, which should have one properly to the ComClaims. I et it goes to the Committee on appropriations, upon some supposition that this, Bennsylvania case would before that committee stand a better chance to be favorably reported upon and included in some appropriation bill, than if the‘ claim should take the usual course. Thus, General Stone’s claim is separated from every other case in this House, and sent to a com‘ mittee which properly has nothing upon the face of the earth to do with it. By this committee it is inserted as a clause in an appropriation bill, and thus brought before the House, gainingin this manner an advantage over every other case of the same class that has been presented to this House. Now, sir, I sympathize with General Stone; I admire him. I line w his reputation. I believe that this is a meritorious case; I believe it is a case that appeals not only to our sense of justice but. to our sympathies. But I will not vote to put General Stone or any other man no matter how gallant] he may have behaved. nor how just may be iis claim upon a different footin from the 1000s of men, women, and chi dren throughout the whole extent of this land who by an inexorable rule are cut off from such an advantage, unless they get round through some back door. gentlemen say that this is a peculiar case. Why, sir, there are 1000s of other cases presentingjust as stron claims upon us. I had the honor to resentgherethe case of Dr. Best, of Paducah, (entucky, who was the owner of a brick house (constituting pretty much the whole of his possessions) which was torn down undera written order of the Union officer in charge of the place to afford range for cannon for the defense of that town against an attack of the rebels. Best was one of the few thorough going good Union men residing there. He had already been threatened, and perhaps even his life endangered; and at one time he had to flee from his home on account of the approach of the guerrillas, because he was a Union man. He r ceived a written certificate of these facts. His e has been before the ComClaims, who say, “ No matter how meritorious the claim, we cannot consistently with the order of the House, pay this honest thorough going Union man, who was not only driven from his home, but had his house torn down, a written certificate of the fact being given to him by the officers in command, the house being torn down by the Union forces in order to resist an attack on the town. I might name another case which has also been before the ComClaims, who have refused to consider it, under the Generalrule which they deem themselves bound to observe. I refer to the case of General Thomas, an officer of our Army, who, like General Stone, has been fighting for us all through the war. He was the owner of brick yards across the river here, in Fairfax county. His brick yards and bricks were used in constructing buildings for the shelter of the soldiers. Other belonging to him was also taken for ttperoupseerotyf the Army. This gentleman is not only loyal to the Government, but he fought for it as an officer of the Army till the end of the war, and is perhaps not yet mustered out. But under this general rule to consider none of these cases that among others has been ruled out. I am not saying far be it from me to say it this is not a just and fair demand on our Government. I am not saying it ought not at some fut i(ilre time, if not now, to be fairly met and pa1. I go further. I opposed that resolution passed by the House instructing the ComClaims to entertain none of these cases. I tried to get an amendment to the resolution that property actuall taken or destroyed or used in any way for the public service and for the advancement of our armies in fighting against the rebellion should be made at least exceptional. I did not succeed. I submitted to the judgment of the House; I submitted to the resolution; I submitted reluctantly. Ithiuk this and like cases should be paid; but so long as you have made a general rule, and refuse to pay such cases as a class, I will be opposed forever, while you maintain that law, and will therefore vote to strike out this appropriation, no matter how meritorious the officer who gets, in in some back door way, while others are refused and driven awn.