Among the claimants of the present day there are doubtless many of character and virtue. It is hard to vote against them. But I cannot be controlled on this occasion by my sympathies. Everywhere and in every household there has been suffering which mortal power cannot measure. Sometimes it is borne in silence and solitude; sometimes it is manifest to all. In coming into this Chamber and asking for compensation, it invites comparison with other instances. If your allowance is to be on account of merit, who will venture to say that this case is the most worthy? It is before us now for judgment. But there are others, not now before us, where the suffering has been greater, and where, I do not hesitate to say, the reward should be in proportion. This is an appeal for justice. Therefore do I say, in the name of justice, Wait! January 15th, the same bill being under discussion, Mr. Sumner spoke as follows:-- There is another point, on which I forbore to dwell with sufficient particularity when I spoke before. It is this: Assuming that this claimant is loyal, I honor her that she kept her loyalty under the surrounding pressure of rebellion. Of course this was her duty,--nor more nor less. The practical question is, Shall she be paid for it? Had she been disloyal, there would have been no proposition of compensation. As the liability of the Nation is urged on the single ground that she kept her regard for the flag truly and sincerely, it is evident that this loyalty must be put beyond question; it must be established like any other essential link of evidence. I think I do not err in supposing that it is not established in the present case,--at least with such certainty as to justify opening the doors of the Treasury. But assuming that in fact the loyalty is established, I desire to go further, and say that not only is the present claim without any support in law, but it is unreasonable. The Rebel States had become one immense prison-house of Loyalty; Alabama was a prison-house. The Nation, at every cost of treasure and blood, broke into that prison-house, and succeeded in rescuing the Loyalists; but the terrible effort, which cost the Nation so dearly, involved the Loyalists in losses also. In breaking into the prison-house and dislodging the Rebel keepers, property of Loyalists suffered. And now we are asked to pay for this property damaged in our efforts for their redemption. Our troops came down to break the prison-doors and set the captives free. Is it not unreasonable to expect us to pay for this breaking?