The LATEST


BY THE
MAILS RECEIVED LAST NIGHT.

WASHINGTON, Dec. rs,
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WASHINGTON, Dec. Is, l847.
Soldiers Scrip and Bounties-Ihe Decision Of


Father Ed,cards--A Moesment in Congress an
Kticipated-S Waiker-Death Of Senator


Fairfield.


According to the usage Of the pension Office,
discharged soldier may take an oath before
any magistrate and this is sufficient for Father
Edwards, the testy commissioner, to award the
bounty or the lands. But when the survivors OF
a soldier take an oath, they must do SO in court
having probate jurisdiction. Not untrequently
an old woman has to travel fifty or twenty miles
to a court, there to take an path that the soldier
who died was her son; or the wife, whether sho
be sick and bedridden, must take the same jour-
ney. And, in of absolute poverty, being
unable to bear the expenses OF travel, or SO ne
cessitated that little children cannot be left at
home, claims on the government are forever
lost to those who are deserving objects OF JUS
tice,. This is all wrong; Not long ago, an ap;;
peal was made from Edwards decision, and
carried up to the higher court-tO Mr.. Secretary
Of War Marcy's sanctornm He thought 1t
"hsrd case )" It was certainly wrong 20 give es
magistrate, and make the widow, or the mother,
or the child, .trndge to probate court; he,
however, yielded to the explanstions OF Father
Edwards, who pertinaclously adhered 10 the un-
just, unchristian and barbsrous usage, merely
because II has been In existence thlrty years!
Antiquity had, therefore, .sanctlhed 1t! and SO
firmly established it, that General Marcy him.
sell, ueIllcOSe as lie mas DtsH III TIC VlSAiSuh
war, could not effect breach. THIS is an IN
teresting subject to our couatrymen who have
gone to Mexico, and it is burning shame that
the arbitrary, edict of Commissioner Edwards
should prevail.


Hundreds of claims of the Survivors OF soldiers
have been brought here by members OF Congress.
1t appears that they did not know as much as the
commissioner, and IN their ignorance had the
oaths taken before magistrates. But these are
not the proper kind of oaths they must oe taken
before a court having probate jurisdiction! And
we here tell Mr.. Edwards, and his advisers, that
their decisions, like pipe stems, will soon be
snapped by Congress. The subject will soon be
brought before the attention of the House, we
are informed, and there can be no question
uniform mode of swearing will be enjoined.


l do not know Mr.. Edwards, but from what |
have stated it will be seen that he Is moved by
no generous impulses towards those who have
been reduced to poverty by the death OF men
whose bones now bleach on foreign soil. An
tiquiiy, a usage, (not law has higher claim
than justice.


Secretary Walker has not left his room since
he tainted in the department, several weeks ago.
The little fellow, however, will not do exactly as
the doctor tells him. He will write about
finance, and transact some business at home,


You have no doubt already heard, before this,
of the death of Senator Fairfield He was IN his
seat in the Senate on Thursday. Yesterday
morning he submitted to u surgical operation tor
dropsy in his leg, and died under the pain which
succeeded. Il FELIX.