Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1872-10-11
VOL. XVIII.--N0. IL.

resentatives. April 10, 1872, on Claims
for tho Use and Destruction of Private
Property during the Late War.
The camping Of such an army as that led by
Mcclellan or Mende on a farm for even day
or two saliced to destroy it. Many q fair
homestead blooming with beauty, luxuriant
with the coming harvest, and promising Il
pleueons return to the telling owner, was
transformed in night almost into Il desert
The instances are not few in which the destruc-
ton hus reduced the proprietors and tenants
of small farms TO the verge of poverty; and
these losses have f,leu with peculiar hardship
on widows aud orphans, who required the
more careful outstanding of their small resour-
ees TO make both ends meet" Especially
frequent are such cases Of hardship Ia Mont
goulery county, which lies within the shadow
OF the Dome that covers us and which should
! symbollze the moral reclitude as well as pow
er, size, and aspirations of this great Republic.
While the dusky antipodes of Japan can o9en
the hand Of your bounty in mammoth suhsi-
dies, and the ou,stre,chcd arms of Ethiopia
encirele you ia welcome embrace. let YOUR
brethren ut the door at least have Justice.
While the band Of war pressed heavily on
all western Maryland, the county Of Montgom-
cry particularly suffered. In 1850 she owned
within her borders five thousand four hundred
ana twenty-one slaves, worth 81 SOC, 900, n
property IN which her people bad invested I'M
der the solemn recognition aud sanction Of the
Constitution, in which instrument New Eng
land had secured, US one Of the conditions OF
its adoption, against southern remonstraace,
the extension OF Tue slave trade till 1903
These -, 500, 900 Of property, more than
fourth Of her entire wealth. you forcibly con-
sumed in your holocaust Of freedom For his
she is urging no claim; but as you lay her un-
der tribute, stripped as she has been, equally
with other portions Of The land to support the
Government and pay the war debt, see 10 it
that she suffers, us far ms you can affect il, only
her fair proportion Of the actual desolationg
and ravagcs Of the war. Equiiahly consider
ed, every exaction from Il citizen for national
purposes bey ond his disrihutige share Of the
common burden is but the contribution of q
trustee or agent, which the Government, in
good conscience is bound to reimburse him.
But further, not only is the relief afforded
by the act of July !, 1864 too narrow, first,
in limiting the compensation 10 such articles
taken by or FURNISHED to the Army MS were APP
propriated by the authority of an officer; aud
secondly, in restricting HE proof Of such APP
pioprlaiions to written official evidence or the
testimony Of those attached to the Army or in
the employ of the Government, but it is gross
~ inadequate in that it excludes all claims for
supplies that DO not come within the defni-
tioni technically, Of "qiariermAser's stores"
or subsistence or ale founded on 'depre-
daiions' or the damage, as such, to property.
Now il might fairly be contendcd That upon
The advent Of an army which practically SUI
pefscdes or suspends the ability OF the ordina-
ry civil authorities to maintain law and order
and punish offenders, aud renders the citizens
powerless to protect his property exposing
him indeed to personal danger from Struggling
soldiery II he attempts, the Government, which
is responsible for the presence Of that army is
responsible for ali the consequences Of its acts
which the private citizen by no reasonable pre-
CAUTIONS or efforts Of his own can prevent.
But, conceding that the Government should
not be held liable for losses from theft and nm
authorized depsedutons as commonly under
stood, or for destruction Of property wnntonly
committed there still remains class Of depre-
dations which, while perpetrated without spe-
ciic orders, and not literally within the
denomination Of qBartefnaster's stores" or
subsistence" were yet committed rs much to
meet the necessary wants and eSgeneies OF the
Army, and were expressly SO applied, as
any supplies technically recognized as such.
Examples Of this species Of depreciation are
grain-felds into which cararymen and team
siers turned their furnishing horses, and fenc-
ing consumed rs fuel for camp-ires. Growing
wheat is not recognized as among ''quarter-
masters storesp or "snbsstencc, nor are
fences that have been burned allowed for ex-
/ Gept W the IDtIhFitbIs RAG OF tDfu-WpOu. now
inadequate such compensation, to commute,
say, twenty panels Of post and riil fencing,
| worth 81 30 per panel, as cord OF wood at
the price Of three dollars and yet this is the
rate Of compensation which now mocks tho
owner who seeks relief for the destruction Of
his Enclosures and the laying open Of bis
farm as n common
But not even ths meager pittauee is 1vailG-
BILE ii the fences were torn down to admit of
q nd frgtfr
/ brcastworks. And thelc is further. no relief
whatever where farms have been SEEMED over
| aud rendered unfit for husbnudry, or even oc-
cupation, bg entertainments and bitches, or
were made the sites Of Qualifications, rs was
| particularly the case in the vicinity OF Wash
| inpton; where 100, aeres Of valuable groves
and bodies Of timber were lclled as defensive
! distractions, or to clear the view aud preYent
surprise.
Another class Of meritorions claimants in
Mary land are those interested in and doing
business in connection with the Baltimore and
! Ohio railroad, aud the Chesapeake and 0u0
canal. These works run Lcside the Potomac
river, along which the war ragged with especial
fury. Every canal boat was liable to seizure
for The transportation Of troops and supplies,
and their availability for such uses peculiarly
exposed them 20 loss and destruction.
Sill another class Of sufferers NOT sufficiently
provided for are the owners Of churches SEM
nafies school-houscs, and other buildings
that were occupied rs quarters and hospitals
for troops True such occupation has been
ia instances paid for 50 far rs such use could
he treated as mere renting But such a rule
Of payuent il grossly Inadequate ; for 1t ox-
ciudes from the estimate all injury in excess
Of Ordinary wear and tear, while the buildings
were often 60 dismantied aud ruined as 10 reu-
der them unfit, except al heavy outlay, for
their original purpose. II also debars from
consideration the incidental injury 10 the busi-
ness connected With The edifce, sometimes its
chief element Of value, as is Tie case where
/ institutions Of learning were appropriated,
and the scholars we're necessarily dispersed to
/ their homes or other places Of tuition.
| President Grant while in command Of tho
army, advocated the equity Of compensation
| to owners Of property occupied or destroyed
for 'tpublie use, " AS appears from his ihdoFse-
mont Of the claim Of James and Emma s.
Cameron for reief for the appropriation OF
/ their residence by United States troops recent
ly quoted, and with approval, BY the Com
mittee on Claims Of the Senate
IsotDgST.-Dnrnc The progress Of tho cleo
ton ON Saturday last, colored indisdnal
presented his vote, wien the following con-
versation look place
Judge Have you registered
! YOter--Yes, sah.
/ Judge-We cant fnd your name-when did
Won ragfafer9