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


of 'he Army---PrOposi.Ion to pay
them.
We are indebted to Hon Jacob Blair for
q copy of the Congressional Globs. con.
tanning his remarks. together with those Of
Mr. Whaley. on the proposition debated in
the House of Representatives last wedues-
dag, to pay the just claims of loyal persons
for losses sustained by them at the bands
of our army. either in the way of appro-
prtatiOn or destruction of property, during
the war. The discussion occupies several
OF the closely printed columns OF the Globe,
and it took it's rise from the report of the
Judiciary Committee. which report takes out
ofthe hands of the Court of Claims the arbi.
tration and adjustment of all claims ag ainst
the United States for losses or damages
sustained by any persons through the army
or navy. Mr.. Thomas. of Nd, amended
the report of the committee so as to pro.
vide.
That there shall be appointed by the
| President OF the United States, bT and
With the advice and consent OF the Senate.
one commissioner and one solicitor of
claims for the district composed OF the
States of Maryland, Pennsylvania, the
District OF Columbia, and Virginia one
commissioner aud one solicitor for the dis.
trict composed OF the States Of West Vir.
Riuia, Obio, and Indiana; one commission
er and one solicitor for the district COM
posed of the StateA of Tennessee and Ken.
lucky; one commissioner aud one solicitor
for thr district composed OF the States OF
| Illinois, Missouri, and Kansas; aud one
commissioner and one solicitor for those
States not included in the foregoing dis
trictS
AIR. Thomas amendments further pro-
Ti1ed that all claims for damages should
be properly Attestet to the commissioners
in every way, aud also,
And be 1t further enacted, That said COM
missioners shall not take cogniz4uce OF auy
claim against the United States for the
loss, value, or services Of any slave or
person OF color, nor for damages or losses
arising from bis or her escape, capture, or
detention; nor shall any person who has
engaged, or shall at any time engage, iu
present rebellion against the Government
Of the United States, or been at any lime
hostile to such Government, or given aid
and comfort to those engaged in said rebel
lion, derive any benefit under this act.-
And it shall be the duty Of each of said
commissioners to inquire iutO aud take
testimony HS 10 the loyalty of every per.
500 who has sustained loss or damage to
bis or her property during the present re-
belliou, aud who may present their cIaims
under this act; and also as to whether the
said persons 10 any manner supported or
favored rebellion against, or resistance to
! the laws OF the United States And no
person who has engaged, or shall at any
time engage in the present rebellion against
the Government OF the United States, or
been At any time hostile to such Govern
meut, or given aid and comfort to those
engaged in said rebellion, shall derive any
benefit under this act.
To shOW what might be expected, once
the business of settling up claims against
the Government was systematically un.
dertaken, Mr.. Wilson, OF Iowa, submitted
letter from the Hon. Mr.. Whiting, SOlici
tor of the Treasury, part of which letter
is as follows:
But by far the larger proportion of
claims are made by persons residing in the
diStoyGt districtS for every species OF real
aud personal property alleged to have been
used, injured, seized, or destroyed, by our
troops; fences burned, crops IrampIed
down or consumed by the army; horses,
mules, beef cattle captured, seized, .aud
taken away; money, furniture, household
articles lost or stolen; cotton captured,
burned, lost, or damaged by dirt or other
wise in the use of it for military or naval
forces. Every variety of personal proper
~ lawfully captured by our forces has
been claimed or damages have been de.
mauded for its use, detention, or destruc-
tions. Rents are continually requested
for the use of real estate seIzed by our
troops; property which has beeu condemn.
ed as lawful prize 10 our courts has been
claimed, or its value in damages.
And what is singular, every claimant
purports an affidavit to be loyal citizen,
even when in some cases it is we'll known
to the Department that the party really 10.
terested in the claim is actively engaged
in the rebellion at the time the CIAim is
presen ed.
Respectable gentlemen, in many occa-
sions, act as claim agents on behalf of the
party interested.
Often it happens that a shift is made in
the title or apparent title of property ia
order that the party making the application
may be deemed loyal. And were we to
regard the evidence presented TO this De.
pArImeut as conclusive ou the question of
loyalty, 1t would be doubtful whether
there is or ever was a disloyal person in
the seeded States.
Many claims have been made for prop
erty seized in attempts 10 violate the laws
regulating the commerce with the iuhabi-
thnts Of the rebellious States. Few, If
any, instances have occurred OF claims tor
restoration of property seized IN trdnsitu
on its course from Maryland to New York,
or other States. to Virginia, without being
accompanied BY testimony Of the Loyalty,