The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1870-08-26
THE PRICE RAID CLAIMS.
CIarke's Attempted Sinking Of ReSpOn.
sibility.
A FOrcible and Pointed Letter from Ex-
Gov. Crawford.
ENpoR1A KANSAS. AUG. IL. lS7O.


EDITORS KANSAS STATE RECORD: l
am told that Hon. Sidney Clarke, in his
speech at Topeka, last Saturday night,
asserted that Mai. Anderson and my
self advised him to let the original bill
for payment of Price raid claims Ego by
the board" Ii Mr.. Clarke made such
an assertion, he stated that which he
knew to be false.
Inever, directly orindirectly, advised
or even suggested anything OF the kind
TO him but on the contrary did every
thing i'll my power to procure the pas
sage of the bill.
During the winter of 1866, our State
Legislature partially assumed the Price
raid indebtedness. Immediately upon
the adjournment of the Legislature, l
proceeded to Washington, mainly for
the purpose of assisting in having Con-
gress assume the entire Indebtedness,
and thereby prevent an enormous debt
from being saddled upon the State.
When arrived in Washington, (early
in March, 1869 bill providing for the
payment of Kansas claims had passed
the Senate and gone to the lower house.
saw Mr.. Clarke and urged upon him
the importance of amending the Senate
bill so as to cover the entire amount OF
our claims, and passing the same before
the adjournment of Congress. l also
saw number of prominent members OF
the lower house, and every member OF
the committee having the bill in charge,
and each one promised to give the
measure his earnest support. likewise
talked with a number of Senators on
the same subject, all of whom agreed to
support the bill, as amended, when re-
turned to the Senate.
Having accomplished all that could
possibly be done, under the circumstan-
ces, returned home, feeling assured
that the bill would be passed during the
session. But such was not the fact, as
shown by the following dispatch:
WASHINGTON, D. c.. June 20. 1865.
GOV. S. j. CRAWFORD, TOPEKA: Price raid
claims in danger of defeat. think Anderson
or yourself should come here Immediately.
Bring Curtis order declaring martial law.
SIDNEY CLARKE.
answered that Maj. Anderson would
leave for Washington on the first train.
The Major went, and carried with him
Curtis order declaring martial law
The understanding between Clarke
aud myself was that every effort should
be made to procure the passage of the
bill during that session of Congress.
| Hence Major Anderson, Immediately
upon the receipt of his dispatch, starts
for Washington. If Major Anderson
ever advised Mr.. Clarke to let the bill
20 by the board, was not advised of
the fact. Such advice, in nay opinion,
was never given but on the contrary,
he was steadily supported in every mea-
sure. looking to the passage of the bill.
The truth is the bill had passed the Sem
ate, and the responsibility of its delay
or defeat in the House rested upon MIR.
Clarke. If he passed the bill same as
similar bills for other States had been
passed, agents of "rings" could not be
sent out to buy up the scrip at less than
one-half its real value. And if the bill
was not passed, unless he had some
plausible reason therefor, it might en-
danger his prospects for reelection.
So, on the eve of the adjournment of
Congress, when he knew it was too late
for anything TO be accomplished during
that session, he sends dispatch for
Major Anderson or my self to ''come
here immediately
When kreceived this dispatch from
Mr.. Clarke l supposed him 10 be acting
in good faith, aud, at considerable ex-
pense 10 the State, sent Major Anderson
TO assist him; but his assistance was not
needrd-the bin had UirtuaHy been KILL
ed before he reached there; yes, before
he started.
was in Washington, and his whole
| course during each session of Congress
since that time, proves conclusively that
he did not intend to have the bill pass
ed, but only sought an opportunity to
shirk the responsibility of its defeat.
If such was not the fact, why has he not
passed the bill during one of the four
sessions of Congress occurring since
that time? Similar claims of other
States in the Union have been paid long
/ ago. Why not the claims of Kansas !
Our men served the government as
faithfully as the men of other States.
| Our supplies and material furnished and
property destroyed was just as valuable
to us as the same was to the people of
other States. Yet we have not received
a dollar. The cause is plain to every
| intelligent man in Kansas, and it is use
less for Mr.. Clarke to attempt to shiFk
the responsibility. 1t rests where it
properly belongs-upOn the shoulders
of the s'soIe representative"
s. j. CRAWFORD.