Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1872-09-20
From thc Washington Patriot.
'El9c Southern Claims
Commission.

Political J7Rc:line-EKOw It Works
f1racGiced upon ClairrlssU ts-ss Black
lists = Arbitrary DeeIslOns- Lne
we sSIe SGo OF <sSsns sea 10 sEe ss'e
The Southern Claims Commission was
established under an act of March 3, 1871
The object of the bill, as alleged in the bill,
Itself providing for this Commission, was
to pay loyal citizens OF the United States
residing in the insurrectionary States tor
stores and supplies furnished the Federal
army during thewar.E 4iTere was nothing
specially 1niagnanimous in this piece OF
legislation. 1t was merely the expression
on the part Of Government of an Intention
to pay. its honest debts .e1s.sg4.y uEa
The Southern Claims Commission, coll
sisting Of A. O. Adds, g. j.. B. Howell, and
Orange Ferris, appointed by President
Grant, was organized accordingly, and
went to work. Their first official notice to
claimants WAS issued March 20, 1871, and
sets forth that con the 10th day OF April
next they will begin the examination Of
and the hearing Of testimony and other
evidence sa.l
The method OF procedure was, as stated
uader the revised rules and regulations OF
The Commission issued June l, 1871, for
the claimant to Gle with the Commission a
statement Of his claim, together with all
oath that he had always been a loyal adhe-
rent Of tie Government Of the United
States and list OF witnesses relied upon
to prove tie facts alleged in the Petition
! The witnesses i'll each case were to be eX-
! anined before the Commission at Wash
I ingt0n, Ebut WheI ever, in consequence of
! tee slnailncsS Of the claim, the poverty OF
the claimant, the renCteness of the witness
! ses, OF their inability from any cause to
attend before the Commissioners, or for
any other coed reason, it is desired that
! the testimony Of the claimant or witnesses
I be taken at Or near their places of resi-
! dencc, written application must be filed
with the clerk OF the Commissioners -
! The testimony, whether taken by a special
commissioner at the home of the claimant
or before the Commission at Washington
! was examined by the Commissioners, who
reported in favor of allowing or disallOWiDe
each particular claim. With this the du-
ties Of the Commissioners ceased, aad
Congress might or might not, make the
appropriation to pay the claims faVorably
reported.
circular of tie Commission, issued
August /, 1871, ordered that in all claims
less than % 900, the testimony might be
taken at the residence OF the claimant, by
a special commissioner, but that i'll al
claims exceeding that aluOunt, the claimant
must come TO Washington and bring his
witness with him for a hearing. The
special commissioners were appointed by
the Southern Claims Commission, at pei
diem OF three dollars and twenty cents fol
each folio Of one hundred words. North
Carolina was more highly favored than
any other State, having i'll all i've special
commissioners, which VAS more than the
number allowed in any other State, viz
john Minor, Fayetteville; -Jeseph Dixon.
IookeIton; Henry ~. Pnitcllard, Char
lo,te; Gilmore W. Woods, Chapel lid, and
X. +. Fend,e.on, WOodyil!o.
Under this ruling, there We're filed with
toe Southern Claims Commission, up tC
The time OF their first and only report on
the 14th December, 1871, 10,O9y claims.
. OF these claims, s, SEQ were for less than
$1,000 each. The Commission reported
further that they had examined and passed
: upon $50 claims, and that 25G were en-
tirtly rejected, and that 324 were allowed
III whole or in part. 'l'
Taking North Carolina again as the
faiieat example to show the proceedings OF
tAls Commission, We find the following tC
be the resIll. If the report, viz