The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1866-03-29
From Washington.

From Washington.
The Second Comptroller of the
Treasury to-day decided a matter of
great interest to Southern claimants
for balances due them from the Go
vernment.
General A. &. Eaton, Commissary-
General, addressed communication
to the Comptroller, informing him
that certain persons residing in the
Confederate States during the rebel
lion, and who had domicil in said
States before the civil war and during
Its continuance, now come and de-
EianJs OF the Government balances
which they allege We're due and pay
able to them before the civil war be-
gan. The Commissary-Genera asks ):
care they entitled to these ba-
lances?''
The Comptroller replies that the
claimants are not so entitled, and
that the laws of nations. the laws of
Congress and the decisions of the Su-
preme Court justify this opinion. He
proceeds to say that whilst the war
continued, the claimants, in the eve
of the law, were regarded as hostile
characters, and their property, us
enemy property, liable to seizure and
contiscation; and this hostile charac-
ter attaches to both persons and
things, until, by the action OF Con-
gress or of the Executive. it is wholly
removed.
He quotes from authorities to prove
the right of the Government to seize
enemy prop' 5y and appropriate it to
its own use, and he declares that debts
stand upon the same grounds as other
property; that the authorities estab-
llsh the right of the United States to
the debts due a Confederate enemy
at the time the war commenced; that
they also prove that, in n legal point
OF view, the claimants were enemies
OF the Government of the United
States; that these debts never having
been reduced to possession, but
always having remained as balances
IN the treasury, cannot now be with
drawn by claimants, except in viola
ton of law, for the title of these ba-
lances, .jore delhi, must be regarded as
dlvested from the original owners,
and transferred to the United States
Government.
Whether this decision will hold
good or not, upon presentation to,
and revision by, other officers, re-
mains to be seen. The Second Comp
troller's decision is final, unless the
Secretary of the Treasury, upon re-
quest OF claimants, shall refer it to
the Solicitor of the Treasury for revi-
sion. A matter of such Importance
as this will surely take that course.
The President is granting but few
pardons, and nearly all are under the
thirteenth exception.
By direction of the Secretary of
the Interior, payment of pensions to
loyal Southern pensioners from the
18th of August, 1861, to the date of
completing proof of loyalty, was sus-
pended whilst awaiting the Attorney
Generals opinion as to the right of
these pensioners to payment of such
arrearages. The Attorney General
has now given an opinion that these
claimants should be restored to the
rolls of the Southern pension agen-
cies, and they will, therefore, receive
their pay.
Upon a mere superficial view, it
strikes me rather forcibly that this
decision of the Attorney General is,
in principle, directly in conflict with
that Of the Comptroller of the Trea-
sury, which I have set forth in the
beginning of this letter, and I have
not the slightest doubt that Attorney
General Speeds opinion is sound law.
II Southern creditors, claimants for
balances due from the Government,
shall prove their loyalty during the
late civil war, there is no reason to
doubt that they will receive their pay.
There may be vexatious delay, but
the claims will surely be paid, if
pressed in the right direction.
Cor. Richmond Times, 9th.
"A SIGNIFICANT LETTER FROM THE
PREs1DENT.-As showing the position
of the President on the subject of
opposition to hispolicy of reconstruc-
ton, the National Mteligence,' of Sa-
turday publishes the following cores
pondence:
PosT OFFICE, HARTFORD, Or.
March %, 1866.
SIR: | am now engaged in publicly
advocating the election of James E. !
English as candidate for Governor of !
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