The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1872-09-13
Mr.. GREELEY AND THE SOUTHERN
CLAIMS.

Whatever may be the fate of the
proposal to pension Confederate
soldiers and the widows and or
phans of those who fell in arms
against their rightful Government,
it is certain that the election of
Mr.. Greeley to the Presidency, if
it take place, will give new life and
hope to the vast and various war
claims which have arisen in che
South as one of the consequences
of the rebellion and the opera
tions carried on for its suppress
sion. Among that numerous and
In many respects influential body
of professional men engaged in
the preparation and prosecution
of claims upon the Government at
Washington the prospect of large
and lucrative additions to their
already profitable business is free
ly discussed, and it is worthy of
attention that, irrespective of the
past political associations of indi-
viduals, the collective support of
this distinctive interest is given
to the ''compromise-gauge" candi-
date of Cincinnati and Baltimore.
The claim agents. s q class, are
noted for their sharp, sound judg-
ment and are pretty sure not to go
astray in the conclusion they have
drawn for their own benefit from
Mr.. Greeley's success, if success
he should gain.
With regard to the aggregate
sum of the Government claims
thus dependent upon. the removal
of the present obstacles to their
payment, it is not possible to form
fairly approximate estimate, and
If 1T were the amount would scarce
ly be credible. But n partial view
may assist in the formation of an
idea of the magnitude of the
whole, and add new interest to the
study of the financial aspects of
the Presidential campaign.
For quartermaster and commits
sary stores taken or furnished in
Maryland, Kentucky, Missouri.
Tennessee, and West Virginia there
has been paid, upon strict proof of
loyalty and ola necessary and or
derby appropriation of private
property to public use, not less
than three millions of dollars;
while claims of this class to the
amount of eleven or twelve mil
lions have been, rejected-princi-
pally for disloyalty and of course
to be revived in a certain contin-
gency-and others, to the amount
of nearly five millions, are await
ing settlement, either under the
present restrictions or in accord
ance with the ''liberal policy" that
so many claimants and their at
torneys hope to see inaugui ated
next March.
In March, 1871, Congress estab-
lished a commission at Washing
ton to settle the claims of such
residents of the insurrectionary
States as could show q clear, loyal
record from the firing upon Sum
ter to the surrender of Lee and
Joe Johnston, for stores and sup
plies actually taken from them for
the use of the Union armies in
the South. The commission has
been in existence not yet. a year
and a half, and has before it TO-
600 claims, aggregating the enor-
nous sum of nearly $4,000, 900.
This commission, like the officials
engaged in settling the quarter
master and commissary claims pre-
viously referred TO, eejects.a al eases
where claimants. we've S'AeRtrah' =
or continued to reside rom choice
Within the rebel jurisdiction, or
served in, or furnished substitutes
4 or supplies to the rebel army, OF
voted for secession without. aetnal
compulsion, and disallows all
claims that are for the damage,
distractions and loss of property
by the incidents of war, or for the
use and occupation of real estate
of Whatever charactergor for the
depTedations OF Struggling and
undisciplined soldiers and camp.
followers upon the property of'tht
residents along a line of march, OF
in the vicinity of the scamps; YET
with all these restrictions and ex.
cIusions the lowest estimate places
the ultimate Awards OF this com
mission at not less than from fif
teen to twenty millions OF dollars
sum which cannot well be be
grudged to the hmp oyerished 10y
aliSts who are to. receive it, but
which the taxpayers of. the coun
try-aIid they are the whole PEG
ple-=-esn illE afF0pdH t0 part with
Many thousands of dollars hav,
been spent inehectnally-and tn,
result of thelexpenditure OF man,
thousands moro is yet undeter
mined-in efforts to secure the al