The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1869-01-09
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It will be seen by the reports that
the sum total Of all the claims pre-
scented TO the Commission for adjudi-
cation was S497 1893 21-100, and that
the sum total of all the claims APP
proved and allowed. amounts to the
sum of S413,599 4S 100
My own opinion as to the propriety
of the State aifording some proper re-
lief TO the sufferers by the Morgan
raid has. long since been publicly
expressed IN the performance OF
my official duties. / have sub
sequently discovered no good rea
son TO change that opinion. / adopt
the language Of my Immediate prede-
essor on this subject, addressed to
the General Assembly of 1865, by
saying that :" the true theory of our
Government is, that it shall protect
the people IN their persons and
property against invasion and loss
from the public enemy, or injury by
domestic instruction. Where losses
have been thus sustained, it is much
easier for the people of-the State to
bear them in their collective capacity
than for the particular individuals on
whom they have fallen"
Some of the classes of claims may
be less meritorioas than others, and
some of the claimants may deserve
less consideration than others. 1t
will be seen that some of the claim
ants are corporations, aud In my judg-
ment an appeal from them for relief
would come with. much less force than
one from a natural person, all of
whose possessions had perhaps been
swept away by the public enemy. |
submit the whole matter to you, with
the expression of the hope that you
will give the claims of the sufferers
careful, and as far as you may deem con-
sistent with your duty to the public, a
favorable consideration. The resolu-
ton further directs that the Governor
shall recommend the amount of COM
pensation that shall be paid to the
Commissioners and other officials for
their services In carrying out the res
olution. / accordingly recommend
that the per diem and mileage allowed
by law to members of the General As
sembly be made the measure of COM
pensation. No appropriation was
made for record books, stationery,
ETC., for the use of the Commission
and the Commissioners were compell-
ed to borrow money with which to
purchase those necessaries. | submit
an account of the money thus expend-
ed, and recommend that it be reim-
bursed. As the gentlemen appointed
rendered the service by direction of
the General Assembly, and while per-
forming it betrayed their own ex-
penses, I trust there will be no unne.-
essary delay in refunding the money
expended, and in providing for the
payment ofsueh reasonable compensa-
ton as you may in yonr Judgment
think proper to award. The Com
missioners have embodied in their
reports a statement Of fees claimed by
clerks, sheriffs and printers for SER
vices rendered ander the resolution.
1t may be proper in this connection
to state that the sixth clause or speci-
hcation Of the resolution provides
that the State shall in no event be Ii
able for the cost of witnesses sum
moEed on behalf of the claimants,
nor for the cost of summoning such
Witnesses. It may be that these costs
were all made by the State, but is not
so stated IN the report.
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