The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-12-30

We have all heard of the famous war
horse killed in the Continental service,
whose high-sounding name and speed and
bottom were dinned in the ears Of Congress-,
until the great grand child of the bold rider
received an appropriation to compensate
him for the loss his venerable ancestor had
sustained in the service of an ungrateful
country. Itseems thatitis intended to pursue
this putting off policy in regard to the cot
ton claims, and unless the Southern mem
bers of Congress will take up the cudgels
in behalf of their afflicted constituents, the
hard cash for the cotton seized by the Fed
eral Government at the close Of the late
war, is not likely to be paid over to any
thing nearer than the third or fourth gen.
| GRAFTON of those to whom it is due. In this
way, these unfortunates may live for pos
terity, if even they starve for themselves.
1t is true that the amount of compensa-
ton for cotton claimed by citizens of South
Carolina is not remarkably large, but what
ever it is, it would be of benefit to the
claimants andt o this State, in which it would
be spent; and it is not pleasant to feel that
the original sum, by the attrition Of law
yers, agents and clerks, is every day grow
ing uncomfortably less. Nor is there any
good reason why The money should not be
promptly paid. The fact that the govern
ment did seize the cotton is proved by the
records OF Washington, which also show
that the government has the money pro-
duced by its sale. And yet when claim
ant does establish his claim and obtains a
judgment, he finds that large percentage is
deducted to defray the expenses ct the Court
of Claims. In plain English, the officers
of the government make use of every twist
sna turn of the law to avoid galipg The
money, and wnen They are compelled to pay
the claim, make the claimant pay the piper.
al There is modest cheating game, prac-
ticed by acute boys, in even such moral
place as Charleston, whose foundation is
this broad principle: "Heads I win; tails
"you lose" This little game is being played
by the Court of Claims. Evidence is re-
uuired to be taken over and over again.
The claimant is bumped from pillar to post,
and back from post to pillar. And if he
does obtain judgment, the treasury set
aside the decision of the court and pay just
as much or as little as they please.
It is time that some keen and sagacious
member of Congress should take this mat
&er in hand, and we trust that the Southern
representatives, living amid all the great
glories Of Washington, will not neglect the
opportunity of speaking frankly and boldly
upon this question of dollars and cents.
What the cotton claimants want is quick
and cheap judgment, and prompt payment
of the money if the claimants win the day.
They grumble not loud but deep, and ask
that Congress will resume its delegated
functions at once, if the Court of Claims
will BOT mend the errors of its way.
The South does not make many drafts
upon the Federal treasury. Rings and
combinations are not our forte. But, by
way of upholding the credit Of the govern
ment, and of proving that it is willing to
render unto the South little of what
belongs to Southern people, Congress
should, without delay, provide for the set
tlement of all lawful claims against the
General Government. What we ask is just
and fair; if it were not, our prayer might
more readily be granted.