The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1864-03-31

meut,I can only say that it is impossible
TO ascertain tho aggregate. bel evt
that hundreds ofmillioHs Of dollars vii
be required TO satisfy these demands.
I fiji were now understood that they
were allowed and promptly settled il
the War Department and paid by The
Treasury, do not believe that we coulc
carry on the war three months, for wan
Of money or credit
look upon the army'ol claimants as
really quite as formidable 10 the Govern
ment os the army Of rebels; and il lhi,
atand impending danger is no! look
ed in the face, and promptly and decis,
lively met by Congress, | shall feel a di,
minisbed confidence in the ultimate
preservation Of our national honor.
The above letter is rather astounding
in It's Developments and well CALCULATED
to make the boldest advocates OF claim
allowances draw back considerably in
their efforts to get the claim system fair,
ly jnaugura'ed, yet justice demands il
aud We say, "let justice be done
though the Heavens fall.
That there are hundreds of just claims
owing to loyal people by the Govern.
ment can not be doubted, and they
ought to be paid No loyal uan.should
be made to suffer longer than Till their
just claims can be settled
Gen Schenck, of Ohio, says
"But as to that wide extent of claims
which will be hoaped up mountain high
against this Government for ground
simply lrodden over, for ground en-
comped upon, for timber incidentally
destroyed, ior horses let loose, for fen,
ces burned, it you open the door to ca.
scs that kind, you will bankrupt the
Treasury before you get through the
war Aud | say plainly and distinctly
that, although admit the Justice Of
many of these claims, but 10 a much
smaller amount and degree than applied
for, we ought 10 postpone the consider,
alton Of the whole of them, and use all
our means first to put down the rebellion,
and pay that part of the cost of it here
after Believing that to be the case, |
propose 10 limit the inquiry to matters
Of contract, where property has been
actually taken, used, and enjoyed by
the Government, and adjourn inquiry
into these other questions until after the
rebellion is put down,
Mr. Blair, Of West Virginia. Mr.
Speaker, | have risen to say that there is
no bill which can be offered to this
Congress in which my constituents are
more deeply and vitality interested than
the ono now pending There seems to
be two objections to the amendment Of
lerGd by the gentleman from Maryland,
( Mr. Thomas. One is thet the Gov
ernmcnl is not able 10 pay these claims
that now is not The time to settla- aud
adjust them. One gentleman from New
York the other day intimated in his
speech. if he did not say in so many
terms, that this Government would re-
pudiate its debts. had no idea there
would be members of the House who
wonld get up ana say that the Govern.
mcnt was neither able nor willing to
pay its debts
Mr.. Boutwell, To what gentleman
does the gentleman refer as having
said that The Government proposed to
repudiate its debts?
Mr. Blair, The gentleman from Iowa
and several ether gentlemen said that
the Government never could pay these
debts.
WI Wilson. never said the Gov.
eminent Could,not in time pay all of the
debts thatit shsuld pay. Bat l take
issue with the gentleman and those who
seek TO crowd these claims upon the gov.
crnment. The members from the border
States, as they term themselves, a term
which consider disgrace 10 out poll
tics, ask to include in these claims such
Os no Government upon the face Of earth
has ever allowed. Il is for the purpose
of keeping out these claims and 10 pre-
vent this robbery Of the Treasury that |
have supported The bill reported by me
from the Committee on the Judiciary.
Mr.. Blair. Mr., Speaker, it is not
the proposition of this bill. nor do the
advocates Of this measure propose, that
you shall pay al sort OF claims that PEG
pie may make agaios! the Government
Mr., Wilson. The gentleman from
West Virginia directed his remarks to
what said, and my remarks were based
upon the character of the claims which
have been presented 10 the War Depart,
menl, and which ere now pending in tho
Court Of Claims, They involve claims
for negroes as well as for all other kinds
Of property, and for damages Of every
description. | say that many Of them
should not DO paid, that it would be a
liafrrn,n In ia, ,,t,nr l., ,,t.vt.t, T.r,,n