The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-04-21

taken by the State for the defense of her citizens.
Inc Reserye 4 corps was organised et cost to the
army Immediately after the Bull Run defeat thereby
exposing our borders TO the enemy. In 1ses the
tons Of the State, and the money advanced to pay
them. The Legislature subsequently legazed the
six regiments were organized for border defense,
but were called to the Potomac, TO reinforce Hunter
after his defeat and the destruction OF Chambers
burg was the result. An extraordinary session OF
the Legislature was called, aud s8,000,000 more ap.
PropIiates Pnp & ior defense; but tne war soon after
money paid for the Reserve Corps and for the milf
tia in 1853, was repaid 70 the State BY the General
Government The State, in the opinion OF the COM
mittee discharged her duty faithfully, but her bor
ders were exposed, and her citizens suffered spoa-
ton, because her defensive troops we're transferred
The report tnen reviews the various acts OF AS.
sembly, from 1861 to 1868, in all eight different en-
actments providing for the adjudication of the
claims, and for the payment OF portion OF them.
by the General Government was steadily kept in
view by the State and that the State has recognized
her duty to procure an adjustment OF them for her
The report concludes as folows:--
Under the several acts above mentioned the border
claims have been examined and ascertained under
the sanction OF State authority, and the evidence OF
their amount and character is upon ne in the ONCE
of the AuditorsGeneral. Some OF those ascertalned
under the earlier assessments have been paid by
the United States, and upon those located in Cham
bersburg half a million of dollars has been paid out
OF the State Treasury under the act OF 18th OF Feb
ruary, 1866. Speaking generally, the validity and
Oh bne DOTOeT ClalInb nave De6n ABBeTJ6u
the strongest possible manner by the State Govern
ment and the whole scope OF State action CONCERN
ing them points to their ultimate adjustments and
AMOUNT OF CLAIMS.
The losses which are the subject OF the present
inquiry caused by successive raids In 1862 $685.
ana 1864, by the advance and operations of Lees
army in ls6S and by depredatons and appropriations
of property at several times by Federal troops. As
to the latter it is TO be noted that the militia by
whom some Of the damages were occasioned were
mustered into the United States service before their
advance the hOrdpr and COnatitutpd O. RI of
Federal forces The aggregate amount OF the claims
cannot with the means of information at hand be
exactly stated. In the official reports Ole in the
Auditor-G Generals Office, some OF the claims are
duplicated; some of those reported upon under the
the sum total Of the claims will not exceed two two
million eight hundred Thousand dollars and they
viii be subject to such revision as may be thought
proper in case Of and whenever their fnal payment
and settlement shall be provided for. 1t is believed
that they are held entirely by the original claimants
that they have not been assigned transferred to
other parties.
DUTY OF THE STATE.
The duties which the State owes to her own cit-
zens In the present case may be made the subject
of debate. That she should take prompt and effec-
tual action to afford or to secure TO them
able indemnity fer their losses ought to be admitted
by all; but the particular line of action to be pur-
sued by her may be open TO question. She has al
upon the claims under the act of 1885, d there
fore direct pecuniary interest to that amount in
enforcing them against the Federal Government,
Bat, beyond this interest of her own it is believed
to be her duty TO provide for or to obtain further
demnty 10 her people, Sne owes protection TO them,
and she alone can claim their behalf and on her
own the guarantees Of the Federal Constitution.
IL remains to inquire what immediate or direct
relief II any, can be furnished by the State to her
| citizen claimants. She cannot assume the payment
Of their claims and place those claims in the forms
of pubic debt TO be met by her hereafter because
the State Constitution forbids the creation of debt
OF such magnitude. Nor (by reason of another pro.
vision Of the Constitution can she loan her credit
to them In any way whatever.
But she may appropriate money from her treasury
to pay the claims In whole or in part may divert
fund, and apply 1t to the same object Pending the
| application to be made by her upon the Federal
Government for indemnity, and before that applica
| money In aid OF the claimants or in extinguish
| ment Of their demands. The power of the two
houses to do this is complete, and their exercise
| the power is wholly within their discretion. 1t is
! clear power but one to be exercised II exercised
| at all, under full senseOf representative duty
| and In full view OF all those considerations OF
expediency and justice which pertain to the ques
But either as the representative OF our people, OF
| In her own right as the holder OF the claims, the
| State Government should promptly press upon the
| Federal Government the recognition and allowance
| of these clams-as matter OF justice to the State
and OF Federal obligation under the Constitution O
| the United States.
| r--0 A. ii. DILL,
o. r. BUCKALRw,
s GEORGE C0NNELL,
| c. M. DUNCAN.
revision Of the claims by the courts, to prevent al
speculation and fraud, and the payment OF the nte
rest on them by the State. Tne State becomes tn
| payment of them, and the $780, 600, with interest
| already paid to ChambersDurg, and when the claim
are paid to the State the claimants are to be paid.
Senator White does not entirely agree with tn
other four members of the committee. He hold
| that the claims should be properly adjudicated b
the State, as the bill provides, and that In equit
the General Government should pay them; that tn
| D1Id nnf iptar In "a M afta havn