▁to ▁be ▁due ▁as ▁compens ation ▁for ▁collect ing ▁and ▁deliver ing ▁to ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁a ▁large ▁amount ▁of ▁cot ton ▁in ▁b ales ▁which ▁was ▁captured ▁and ▁abandoned ▁property ▁within ▁the ▁meaning ▁of ▁the ▁acts ▁of ▁Congress . ▁He ▁claimed ▁to ▁have ▁performed ▁the ▁services ▁in ▁question ▁under ▁an ▁arrangement ▁or ▁agreement ▁with ▁an ▁agent ▁of ▁the ▁US ▁Tre as ury ▁Department ▁which ▁the ▁Secretary ▁of ▁the ▁Tre as ury ▁subsequently ▁recognized ▁as ▁a ▁valid ▁contract ▁with ▁the ▁government . ▁He ▁adm its ▁certain ▁pay ments ▁on ▁his ▁claim , ▁and ▁asks ▁judgment ▁for ▁the ▁further ▁sum ▁of ▁$ 8 0 , 0 0 0 . ▁The ▁court ▁below ▁dismiss ed ▁his ▁pet ition . ▁ ▁Background ▁ ▁The ▁precise ▁form ▁in ▁which ▁app ell ant ' s ▁claim ▁for ▁compens ation ▁was ▁presented ▁at ▁the ▁Tre as ury ▁Department ▁is ▁not ▁shown ▁by ▁the ▁find ings ▁of ▁fact . ▁The ▁orders ▁given ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 5 ▁by ▁the ▁assistant ▁Secretary ▁for ▁the ▁statement ▁of ▁an ▁account ▁and ▁a ▁requ is ition ▁in ▁favor ▁of ▁the ▁claim ant ▁dis clos es ▁the ▁fact ▁that ▁Camp ▁had ▁collected ▁the ▁cot ton ▁" for ▁an ▁interest ▁there in ," ▁and ▁that ▁the ▁payment ▁of ▁$ 3 0 , 0 0 0 ▁was ▁intended ▁as ▁an ▁advance ▁to ▁him ▁on ▁account ▁of ▁his ▁exp end it ures ▁in ▁relation ▁to ▁the ▁cot ton , ▁while ▁the ▁payment ▁of ▁$ 1 5 , 0 0 0 ▁to ▁Smith ▁was ▁" on ▁account ▁of