Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1864-07-01
Mr. Gidslings ON Claims ON the Govern.
ment.

lit NcW 1OIh xTWWto VIC
last letter ever written by J. r. Gid
dings. 1t is dated at Montreal on the
23d of May, and addressed to Hon. S. b.
Washburne, of Illinois. He complains
that Congress is corrupting the morals
of the nation by legislating on private
claims, nine-tenths of which he thinks
are neither legal nor just against the
people; and their payment is sheer
robbing of the treasury for the benefit OF
men, most of whom were base specula-
tors. After describing claim in favor
of paying which he once reported, but
afterward discovered was fraudulent, he
says:
81 can see no hope for the people but
to return to the doctrines and practices
of the founders of the government, in
regard to private claims as well as to
general principles"
He then continues:
"But my attention was called to this
subject particularly by the vote of the
House of Representatives in favor OF
paving for certain cabins in Virginia de-
stroyed by our troops. If the destruc-
ton were unnecessary, the men who
destroyed them committed crime for
which they should be punished; but
who will suppose that such crime could
give the owners of the cabins claim
upon the people?
.'If the destruction were necessary to
prevent the rebels from using the prop
erty, the owner ought to have applied
the torch himself, and not to have wait
ed for our officers to do it. If he omitted
to burn his own buildings in such case
he must have preferred to have the reb-
els enjoy them, for which he should be
hanged instead of paid. But he now
asks Congress to pay him the value OF
the buildings, because the rebels were
not permitted to enjoy them. In the
earlier and better days of the Republic
such claim would not have been lis
tened to patiently. Many of our people
have paid out more money to carry on
this war, over and above taxes of every
description, than these claims were
worth. That money is lost to the indi-
vidual by reasons of the war. The pecu-
mary losses of those men are greater
than the losses of this claimant. These
men have friends, neighbors, nephews
and sons in the service, many OF whom
have already died, and the loss of those
who live is, perhaps, one hundred fold
greater than this claimant. Shall these
men who have suffered death be COM
pensated? Shall those who lose their
time, their property-shall the orphans
rendered such by this war be compens-
ated for their loss? No man ever
thought of asking it No legislation of
Congress could do it. Nor do we COM
plain. We meet these evils cheerfully
and patriotically. But we shall COM
plain if, in addition to all our trials and
losses, Congress taxes the children and
orphans, the fathers, brothers, and wild
ows of our deceased soldiers, to compen-
safe this Nirginian for the loss of his
cabins; and posterity will curse the
memory of those who contribute their
influence to swell our National debt and
corrupt the morals of the people by such
legislation.
1 am aware that men will say this is n
sectional argument. l reply, it is the
essential doctrine of State rights which
every Virginian has held to form the
commencement of the Government; but
[ use it in this instance as illustrative of
the policy laid down by Hamilton, and
adopted by Congress in 1892. That mo
government is bound by the laws or
usages of nations to compensate it's citi-
zens for losses by the ravages of war
yet as some compensation may be dicta
ted by principles of humanity when the
party is rendered. INDECENT, and as such
losses are best known to the people of
the State in which the individuals live,
it may be proper to refer the subject to
the several States to make such compen
sation, ut their o.Un expense, as they may
deem proper" 1 quote from memory,
but you will find this to be nearly the
words of Hamilton. The proposition
was adopted; the several States took the
subject into their own hands, and in no
instance was such a claim as that have
alluded to ever allowed. You will find
the true rule laid down in the case of
rockingham, reported in the State
Papers, Vol. Claims. In that case the
buildings were burned by our troops,
but compensation was refused upon the
just, the only proper ground, that losses
by the raudges Of aOar are never to be
compensated. But am sure the people
of the Free States will justify Congress
in referring this case from Virginia to
the Legislature of that State, to make
compensation at their o,Un expense, as
they may deem proper"