The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1869-01-21
Sue Murfey,

g,usted with the infexiblc integrity
"t the court of claims, in dis. allowing
her claim for damage to property
near Decatur Alabama, by Shcrman's
s'r:ny, has applied directly to con-
grrss for relief.
Judge Tim, Q. Howe, of Wis. the
chairman of the committee on claims
al the Senate, having reported ia
yorahly on the claim, ana 1t being
vhampioned by Fowler, OF Tennessee
Spencer, of Alabama, (thc Iowa Car.
pet Dagger in the Senate from that
safe and most OF the new senate
rial regime from the South, it has
sprung a discussion which has 1t
only absorbed the attention of that
body for the most part OF the last
two weeks, but has attract.
ed the attention of the people
of the entire country, familiar with
IFS import, and far reaching conse-
quences.
This case is not important on ac-
count OF its magnitude, for there is
but few thousand dollars involved
IN it. yet when we consider that it is
representative case, and that T.
ooo, 0Oo,ooO dollars damage for loss
CT slaves, cutting of levcss, burning
OF cotton, houses, fences, &c. &C., in
the South during the rebellion. can
be trnmped up with Just as much
showing ofjustice, as this case of Sue
Murtey's, its Importance cannot well
be exaggerated, and the effect upon
our finances becomes appalling to
contemplate, in view of its possible
allowance BY Congress.
1t is claimed in behalf of Sue Muir
ICY, that she was not only minor at
the time of the destruction of her
property. but that she was then, and
Is now, loyal to the Federal govern
meht, which is the only pretext set
ur,o justify even the consideration
OF her CLAIM by the senate.
Upon this point Senator Morrill,, of
Vermont said:
"Thc test put forward is one OF low
aity; that Is to say, if the party
whose property has been taken or
destroyed is loyal, then he has law.
iul claim against the government
!" hat thin partitions divide Senator's
ideas OF loyalty! Would the Sena.
tors on the other side of the cham.
Der agree with Senators on this side
rs to what was loyalty? Not at all,
and # that question should come up
are we to take all the women in the
Southern country who were minors
during the rebellion and assume thew
wero loyal because they could not be
disloyal? If property in their hands
Is to be made safe because thew are
Aiinors, then we shall have a great
many minors. Take this very case,
rs | understand the facts to be mar
rated, or as | have heard them re.
ported. The real owner of the prop
,sr'y was distinctly pronounced dis
loyalists; but when our army an
preached Decatur the property was
made over into the hands OF this
beautiful and heroic lady. according
I" the language of the Senator from
Kentucky (Mr. Davis) in order to
rescue 1t from confscation.'
And the Chicago Tribune thus well
depicts the consequences of opening
TINS Hood gate of peculation fraud
aud perjury on the government.
Every city, town, village and
crossroads in the rebel States will
forward its claim for millions, to
compensate for losses sustained by
them in the war. The show of loy-
atty is an absurd one. Pass the Sue
Murphy claim, and there will be no
difficulty in making out case of 10y
al ownership for every foot of land
and article of property in the rebel
States. There will be invented all
manner of leases, assignments, sales.
wills, and mortgages, by which the
equity Of all these claims will fall up.
an the following classes: l. Married
women; ., Minor ehildren-sons,
daughters, nephews or nieces; 8.
Widows; 1. Aged men who took no
part in the war; ). Conscripts who
will aver their compulsory rebellion;
.. Noncorsbatants and other ex-
cmpts who remained at home and
rendered no active service in the re-
belion. Into these hands, by all the
means which the prospect of hand.
ling $4,000, 900, 900 of national mon
ey will suggest, will fall all these
claims, and they will ask as Senator
Howe, of Wisconsin, asks, "Where
IS the evidence of disloyalty?"
Untold millions of these claims SO
easily manufactured, are already IN
the hands of the Washington Rings,
Lobbyists and Claim Agents, aid tho
length Of time this case has been en-
tartained by the Senate, shows how
potential the influences of this i'm
mense prospective plumber, has been
with that body, under the skilful
manipulation Of those thieving
scoandrelly agencies.
This claim was re-committed to
this committee on claims, for tho time
being, on last Friday, but the public
may rest assured that the snake is
only scotched; not killed, and that in |
some Of its hydra headed shapes it
will be obti uding itself for genera
ilpils to come
That loyal member of Congress
from the north, Mho gives any coun-
tcEancc to these prepostcrous claims,
is the worst sort Of a repudiator, for
the admission of their validity would
make our liabilities so great, and our
axes SO heavy, that Reputation Of
,ur entire Indebtedness would DO the
snly recourse left. Moreover the
llsuleiQn q cQrgull cQllusl2p in such !