The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-10-02
WASHING ON.
Tho Southern Claims Commission To
Resume Its Sessions.
THE WORK BEFOR E. TT.
Great Number Of Unsatisfactory and Def.
Gent Claims Presented.
THE INDIAN coMM1ssIoNERsHIP.

THE INDIAN C0MMIsSIONERsHIP.
WAsnINGT0N d. T., Oct l, 1871
Tho Southern Claims OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES and
Intentions Of tho Commission.
Judge Adds, President, and ex-senator Howell,
member or the Southern Claims Commission. have
returned to this city after an absence OF three
months spent IN mingled recreation and delibera-
ton upon the cases carried by them to their homes
for That purpose. Ex-Reprcsentatve Ferris tue re-
naming member OF the COMMISSION is detained at
his home In New York for few days, but will
shortly join his associates. According to the ar
rangements made before their departure their
sessions for the examination OF witnesses in those
cases wnere the claimants desire their testimony TO
be given personally before the commissioners.
Will be resumed on Tuesday next Assignments for
this purpose have been made, covering all the time
that can be spared from other dulles to the 10Th day
OF November next. The special commissioners ap-
pointed last June In the several Southern States to
take the testimony In claims OF small amount,
where the claimants are too poor to bear the ex-
pense Of bringing their witnesses to Washington,
have been employed In this duty all the summer,
and the dispositions In some three hundred cases
have been received from them to the present date.
Twenty-Five Of these special commissioners have
thus far been appointed, of whom about eighteen
are kept constantly engaged by the claimants resid
ing in their localities. some OF them, in fact,
being unable to meet all the demands for their
services. Although this number takes and for.
wards now more testimony than the commissioners
here can, with their own engagements consider
and dispose Of Immediately. it is probable that, to
the desire OF claimants to have their evidence
perpetuated while their witnesses accessible and
by agents residing at reasonable distances from the
he appointed in the larger and more populous OF the
once rebel states, but the commissioners Will not
depart IRON their first Intention OF limiting their
appointments to the smallest number that can rea-
sonably answer the purposes Of their appointment
IL Ia also probable that they VIII yie.d
SO far to the apparent necessities OF the
case In another direction to enlarge
the authority OF their SPECIAL commissioners beyond
the nominal amount OF s3,C00 the present limit OF
the cases in which they are empowered TO take es-
timony. This can be the more safely done because
experience has shown that even In the most inteli-
gent and conscientious class Of claims the amounts
demanded are in a majority OF cases much in ex.
cess OF any amounts which the commissioners are
likely to find themselves warranted in allowing on
full settlement thereof. Even where the cautious
and restrictive terms OF the act Qf March 1870, in
exacting constant active and knovn loyalty On
s"o PN'' v nc caiInalt, FatneI tnau MI orlElnuls
passive and secret attachment 10 the Union,
and IN requiring proof Of positive
or intended the claimants property for egitl
mate military purposes, instead of It's mere loss or
damage by unauthorized p;llagc military occupa-
ton are known, and recognized, there Is a para
mount disposition on the part OF claimants to
present their whole bill against the government and
leave the commissioners to decide what part Of it
they can or viii allow, and what portion Is to be
left to the future justice generosity OF the govern
ment, should any such sentiments move our rulers
TO further concessions hereafter The scale Of prices
too against the United States, is usually fixed the
same as In the limited transactions be-
tween private parties during the war and
under the exceptional state OF affairs then
existing in The South, while the commissioners,
controlled by prudence and measuraOly governed
by precedenC, are not disposed to go further than
assimIlate the articles taken from claimants to
those of the regular supply tables OF the army. and
to settle for the former at the prices OF the lat
ter aided to the additional cost Of transportation
The commissioners, therefore, decide that, Tor the
reasons above given, the various large sums named
at different times since The establishment OF the
commission as representing the aggregate amount
OF the claims presented cannot be taken any near
Indication OF the amount to be drawn from the Treas
ury In rendering to loyal people IN the South The
same compensation for private PROF erty taken for
public uses loya, people In the loyal states have
been receiving, also 10y acts OF Congress, since
the war began. Failure to establish the required
and consistency OF loyalty and to distinguish
between the necessary and proper use OF the pro-
perry, on the one hand and its loss, damage or de-
structon on the other; the constant detection or
fraudulent and false allegations as to loyalty aud
pretended iacts and reduction OF ovcr-estimated
quantities and exorbitant prices, viii SO inure to
AaGt f, nfaru nnrt
well from any apprehensions concerning his
monthly debt statement and the tax paying public
from fears OF a big raid on the funds In Treasurer
Spnnel's vaults. On the subject OF add
tional legislation concerning these claims ana
their Investigation 1t may be assumed that claims
for the authorized ana beneficial use and occupa-
tion OF buildings and grounds for barracks, quar-
tiers and permanent camps ana Notifications, as
well as depots ana hospitals, Will be expressly in
cluded within the jurisdiction OF the Commissioners,
who, somewhat against their own conviction and in
the face OF formidable array Of authortes cited
before them by able Counsel, have excluded from
present consideration difference to the restrictive
Interpretation placed by other government officials
upon the term, stores and supplies. 1t Is not uu-
likely too that the investigation OF all such claims
as these Commissioners have now examined will,
wherever arising within the United States he enrust.
ed to them or to some similar board. At present
claimants from Kentucky, Maryland and West vir-
glnia and Northern and Western States must apply
exclusively to certain bureaus OF the War Depart
ment, those from certain OF the States or portions
thereof ofcialy proclaimed by President Lincoln as
In rebellion exclusively to the Commissioners OF
claims, and those from Tennessee and two OF the
counties OF West Virginia to either poth at their
option. The subject matter OF all these claims Is
identical-viz., certain private property taken or
furnished for army use during the late war-but the
method OF reception record, procedure ana
proof, means OF investigation and payment
&C., are all difYerent Eight thousand claims are