The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-05-02

veneer Of loyalty is so thin
that if they are scratched anywhere Rebel
coating is Immediately disclosed In the
light of past events this proposition is the
most infamous that was ever presented in
legislative body. If the whole South were
sold at ten times its intrinsic value, the sum
realized would not compensate Northern
fathers, brothers, mothers, wives, and sisters
for the loss of the lives of the dear kindred
who were slain in the war. The North must
suffer this great loss, however, in silence.
She must bear the brunt of the burden of the
debt, too for the necessary national expendi-
lures in the Rebel regions have scarcely been
equalled, since the war, by the revenues they
have yielded. Her States, counties, Cities
and towns must still groan beneath the pres
sure of local war loans. And yet heartless
schemers are constantly endeavoring to make
frightful additions to these burdens in the
interest of those who, if not directly respon-
sible for all our national calamities, are at
least inextricably intermingled with the i'm
mediate authors and promoters of the Rebel
lion. Year after year the proposition topay the
Southern war claims seems to gain strength,
in spite of its preposterous character. 1t
will not be astonishing if this demand pre-
sently assumes sectional shape, and if the
entire Southern delegations unite in urging
it, in which event the chief change in their
mission, as compared with the olden times,
will be resolve to virtually enslave all the
white taxpayers of the North instead of an
effort to perpetuate and extend negro slavery
in the South. To ensure this end no pains
will be spared to win the support of Northern
members to the Southern raid upon the
Treasury. And the people of the loyal States
can find safety only in a resolute and prompt
determination to brand with opprobrium
every man, high or low, who lends himself to
this conspiracy against their welfare and
prosperity. Let no voter think that we are
giving expression to idle fears. Claim agents
and lobbyists always abound at the national
capital. 1t swarms with adventurers of every
grade, who spend their lives in inventing and
promoting schemes to pick the pockets of the
people. They are ever ready to influence
the weak, to buy the corrupt, to persuade
the merciful, to ridicule the true and
honest men of the nation, and
they will leave no art untried to consun,naate
that most profitable and pernicious of all
schemes which is involved in the proposition
to pay the claims of Southern loyalists. One
of the objects of the motions and speeches
made during the present session is to test
public sentiment, and to ascertain the vie VS.
of Northern taxpayers in regard to the pro-
posed new burden. The people should,
therefore, not hesitate to declare, in the most
emphatic terms, their unconquerable aversion
to the new load. They should scan, with the
closest scrutiny, the records and dispositions
of the candidates for denomination and re-
election, and trust no one whose integrity
and judgment are not proof against the
strongest appeals of the advocates of these
dangerous claims. The announcement that
the Senate Committee on Claims will make
report in favor of this huge caim-swindle
should be productive of increased caution on
the part of the people in the approaching con-
tests over seats in the next Congress