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

We call attention 10 the part taken by
Representatives Blair and Wh,ley, in
the recent debate on tie bill to appoint
Commissioners to adjust claims for les
ses consequent upon the war
s Aad be Il further eaaetea, That said
commissioners shall not lake cognizanct
4 of any claim against the UGited States
\ for the loss, value, or services OF any
slave or person Of color, nor for dana
ges or losses arising from bis or her os
cape, capture or detention; nor sbaII
any person who has engaged, orsbnll al
any tine engage, in the present rebel
| lion against the Government Of the Uni
ted States, or baen at any time hostile
to such government, or given aid and
comfort those engaged IN said rebellion,
derive any benefit under This act. And
| it shall be the duty of each Of said COM
missioners to inquire into and take tes.
timony asto the loyalty OF every person
who has sustained loss OF damage to bis
OF her property during tho present re-
belliop, and who may present their
claims under this act; and also as to
whether the said persons in any man
ner favored rebellion against, or resist
ance to the laws of the United States. =.
And no person who has engaged, or
shall otany time engage 10 the present
rebellion against the Government of the
U0ited STATES, or been at any time hos
tile to such government, or given aid or
comfort to those engaged in said rebel
lion, shall derive any benefit under this
act.
To show what mightbe expected, once
the business of settling up claims
against the Government was systemali.
cally undertaken, Mr.. Wilson, of Iowa,
Submitted a letter from the Hon. Mr.
Whiting, Solicitor Of the Treasury. q
part of which letter is as follows;
But by far the larger proportion Of
claims are made by persons residing Ia
he diSloyal districts for every species OF
real and personal property alleged to
have been used, INJURED, seized, or de.
stfoyed, by cur troops; fences burned,
crops tramplcd down or consumed by the
army: horses, mules, beef cattle caplu'
red, seized and taken away; money, fur
niture, household articles lost or stolen;
cotton captured, burned, lost or dana.
ged by dirt Or otherwise in the use Of it
for military or naval forces. Every va.
riety Of personal property lawfully cap.
turcd by our forces has been claimed or
damages have been demanded for its
use, detention or destruction Rents are
continually requested for the use OF real
estate seized by our troops; property
which has been condemned as lawful
prize in our courts has boen claimed, or
its value in damages,
And what is singular, every claimant
purpo Is an aM Iavit to be loyal citi.
zen, even when in some cases is well
known to the Department that the party
really interested in the claim is actively
enroced in ,be rebellion at the limo the
claim is presented.
casions act rs Claim sceots on behalf Of
tbo narty interested
Of,cn il bornrns tb,r q shift, Is made
in ,ba title nv apporcnt title If fine nron.
ar,v in order tbaf. the narty moking ,be
an ,I;cation mae bo docr,ed loyoI And
gcre wa n yrrorJ tbo evidence nresent.
Cd 70 tLis Densrtn,pnt as conclnsiye on
Iba onestion of LOYALTY it would be
Jorbtf,I ,yho,ber ,tere Is or avon. wos n
disIoyal person in the seeded States
Msny claims have been made for
,roneyiv seized in atlemnts 10 yiolate
ja,e The laws rernIarinr the commerce
with the inLohi,ants of the rebellious
States Faw ifony instances have oc.
cured of cIaims for restoration Of mon.
or,v seiyad i, tronc;,,, on he rorr.e from