Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1864-03-08

Mr.. Wilson. hope the House is nov
ready to take a vote on the amendment.
will not occupy any further the time ofthr
house. move the previous question.
Mr.. Whaley. l hope the chairman O
the Judiciary Committee will not press thii
matter to vote now. This is the mos
important question that has been befor,
the House this session.
Mr.. Wilson. l merely wish 10 test th,
sense of the House. If the House is viii
ltOg to have the matter delayed, so be il;
but ask the previous question, and | cali
for tellers on secoudiug the demand.
Tellers were ordered; aud Messrs. Viii
son and Whaley were appointed.
The House divided: and the tellers re-
ported-ayes, so. noes 62
So the House refused to second the pre-
vious question.
Mr.. WbRley obtained the floor,
Mr.. Eckley. Will the gentleman from
West Virginia give way for me to move
that this bill be recOmmitted?
Sir. Whaley. No, Sit; must decline to
yield for any such purpose.
Mr.. Speaker, cannot believe that a ma
jority Of this House, or even those who are
opposed to the amendment submitted By
the gentleman from Maryland, desire to
deprive the loyal citizens of the Dor
der States of their just rights, or to pre-
vent them from having an adjudication OF
their claims. cannot believe that that is
the object even OF those gentlemen who
have opposed the amendment. wish to
call the attention of gentlemen on this floor
to the facts on which these claims rest, and
Hot only Of members. but of their constitu-
ents also.
Mr. Speaker, this is an important uues.
tion. It is one that involves the rights
and welfare of the suffering people of the
border States Could any one have ex-
pected that such opposition would be
made to an amend M mt SO fair as that of.
fered by nay friend from Maryland? Is
thore any reason why there should not
be at least u mode provided by which
these people shall have an opportunity of
having their claims fairly and honestly
adjudicated? l do not refer to the claims
of secessionists and traitors, but TO those
of loyal people who have shown their dc.
vOtlOn to this Union and have made sac
rifces for it, undergoing sutferiugs that
are unknown to the people Of the North.
wish to call attention, further, to the
fact that hundreds of thousands of dollars
of these claims are due to the uncondi.
tionally loyal people of the border States,
for provisions and commissary stores fur
nished in good faith for the use of the
Army, but where the certificates given
did not comply fully with the require
ments of the War Department These
claims have been therefore rejected, and
are now piled up by the cord in the Third
Auditors Office. Is there proposition
to deprive these people of n fair chance to
have their claims adjusted? If not, then
let some remedy for their case be recon-
mended to the House by the judiciary
Committee.
1t is the duty of Congress to provide
for the payment of the just claims of the
loyal people of the border States. Con-
trast their condition with that of the peo-
Pile ofthe North. Every city, every town,
every village and hamlet Of the North is
this day more prosperous than it ever has
been since the settlement Of the continent;
while an the other hand, if You look to
West Virginia, Kentucky. aud Missouri,
you will find nothing but desUl0tion.
Thousands Of their population have been
driven to the free States, who had lIappy
homes three years ago; had wealth enough
for themselves and their pUsteritY, but
who are now rednced to absolute want
The loyal people Of the border States have
shown their loyalty in the Army ind at
the polls. They sent to Congress uncon-
ditional Union men, men who have stood
by the Administration on this floor, who
have voted for every appropriation to car
ry on the war. And now, when it is pro-
posed to have these just claims honestly
and fairly adjudicated, we are met with
opposition from the other side Of the
House. lfthis is the policy letus know it.
Let the constituents Of every border State
man know 1t. Let it go over the wires
this evening that there is a majority in
this House opposed to paying these loyal
men or providing way Of adjudicating
their claims.