Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1871-02-10
Claims Or''LOyaI Citizens OfLoutioun
County.


lief of certain ''loyal citizens of Loudoun
county, Va, was takenup.
Mr.. Wiley. think i moments cxplana-
tion will cause this bill so to receive the favor
Of the Senate that they will not either discuss
it or ask that it be postponed. | will state
in = few words what its general character Is.
In 1854 General Sheridan issued an order
directing certain officers to seize all the live
stock in the county of Loudoun, lying along
the Potomac river, county in Virginia never
within the enemy S lines. but which was com
mon ground for guerrias and the foraglng
parties of the enemy: Il rich county. well
endowed with stock and supplies, whence our
enemies within the lines came out occasionally
and seized property for their supplies. In
obedience to that order the officer to whom it
was addressed went through the county of
Loudoun. inhabited mostly by :.QuakerS loyal.
Industrious provident mcn:.afltt appointed
three appraisers before the property WAS ken
from the premises in every case: loyal men,
who appraised the property and who gave to
the parties Il certificate after having proved
their LOYALTY to the satisfaction OF the officer
in command The Government authorities
took this property to lIarpcrs Ferry and to
Nlartinsburg. They selected the fat cattle and
fat sheep and sent them to the Shambles to be
slaughtered for the Use Of the Army. and the
horses that were fit for service We're turned over
to the Army. The residue of the live stock
they drove to York. in Pennsylvania. and sold,
and the net proceeds Of the sale OF that prop
erty amounted to some $34 900 which from
that time to this has been in the Treasury
of the United States and used by the United
| States -,
| That is the character ofthese claims. There
are about one hundred and eighty-one Of them.
| think, altogether. The committee went
through each claim separately and distinctly
and that there may be no mlsapprehcnSlon
about the character of the claims and how they
were authenticated, if Senators have not the
report of the committee before them. | will
read how each claim is authenticated
Mr.. Carpenter Allow me to ask the Senator
whether this county was one Of the coun-
ties declared to be III Instruction at that time?
Mr. Wiley. twas one Of the counties within
the State of Virginia. believe.
Mr. Conkling. The whole State WAS declared
to be in Instruction.
Mr.. Wiley. Certain counties were not in
cluded
Mr.. Carpenter Was this one of the except
cd counties?
Mr.. Wiley. think not : but the fact WAS
that this county was never within the enemy )
| lines
Mr. Howard Was it not inclllIcl i'll the
Presidents proclamation?
Mr. Wiley | might as we'll read the order
of General Sheridan.
Mr. Howard. should like To know from
the Senator WAS not this county of L0udolln
included within the limits mentioned III Mr..
Lincoln proclamation?
Mr. Wiley. am not certain whether 1t
was exempted or not There We're certain
counties exempted.
Mr. Howard That l.: i very important
inquiry.
Mr.. Wiley. Mr. President. it strikes me
the important inquiry is this: We're c&c men
friendly to the Government? We're they loyal
citizens? Were they, if the Senator pea>e&:
within the enemy lines outside Of the control
Of the Federal Government? The, Facts show
that they We're always loyal; that they were al!
ways subject to the Government of the United
States that the exercise of the authority Of the
United States WAS never withdrawn from them
or hindcrcd from being exercised over them:
that in this condition ofaffairs. in order to Grip
pie the enemy by destroying the source Of their
supplies the same as if this county had been in
Pennsylvania or Maryland, General Sheridan
issued an order directing his officers to burn all
the barns. all the mills, all the haysacks and
all the grain of these loyal citizens None Of
that class of claims, however. are included in
this bill. 1t is only for live stock taken and
driven away and appraised under the Objection
or General Uevln. vino himself selected three
loyal Appraisers in each case The loyalty Of
each party was established the account was
stated, and the certificate Of appraisement is
attached to each one The loyalty OF each cit
zen whose claim is included in this bill is
proved beyond controversy. The bill is for
the amount thus appraised. The evidence;
shows TINT the cattle were slaughtered anu
issued in supplies to the Army. or they We're
driven into Pennsylvania and sold and the
money handed over to the Treasury Of the
United States.
That is the character Of each Of these claims.
and it strikes me they are such claims Us We
cannot afford to deny We have been 50 leu
lent in the administration OF the powers OF this
Government that we have not coniiscated one
cent of single enemys property since those
enemies laid down their arms: and yet here Is
Il practical confscation of loyal men s property
their stock driven from their farms, slaughter
ed and issued in supplies to the Army. or. To
the extent of S34000. sold. and the money in
the Treasury of the United States to-day. Can
the United States Government afford for one
moment to deny justice to loyal citizens who
have suffered in this way? | think not.
These accounts have been carefully: HGluly
scrutinized There is q certltlcatlon OF the ap-
praisers in every individual instance. and the
accounts are proved beyond controversy. both
as to the loyalty of the claimants and as to the
amount specified in this bill. This is not bill
to compensate them for the destruction Of the
barns. or the mills. or the houses or anything
of that kind 1t is only for the live stock drlv-
en- away and issued, after being slaughtered to
the Army, or sold, and the proceeds now lying
in the Treasury of the United States.
Mr. Carpenter Will the Senator allow me
to ask him question
Mr. Wiley. Certainly.
Mr. Carpenter In his opinion is there any
distinction between this claim for the live
stock driven away, and the claim for the prop
erty that was destroyed on these farms? #
this Government is liable, in the one case: Is
it not also liable in the other?
Mr.. Wiley. That is my opinion distinctly
and unequlvocalIy. -.
Mr. Carpenter THAT there is no distinc-