The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1872-08-22

For several years our GOv0fnWeut ~
been making efforts to get secure poses
sion Of tho rebel archieves, which were
spirited away from Richmond at the
time Of its capture. These papers con-
tain important information = to militia
~ events, and especially - to the histo.
~ Of the attempts to barn Northern
cities and TO spread pestilence through
them By the Confederate government.
But what is moro important at the pres
ont time, is the evidence which they
contain showing the status Of Southern
men who are making large claims against
the Government for losses during the
war, and swearing to their loyalty. II
is estimated that the possession of these
archieves will be the means of saving
many millions of dollars to the Govern
ment by the discovery of fraudulent
claims. In order to obtain them, the
Secretary OF the Treasury has paid the
sum Of $75,000. They were obtained
through the agency of Col. John F.
Pickett, rebel officer, who is now . sup.
porter of Greeley. His statement in
regard to them is published, and is as
follows: -
"Thcy were stored in fear trunks and
duly delivered at the Executive Mansion
on the Bird of this month. The dOcu-
ments consist of the archieves of the
State Department Of the Confederate
States without the abstraction Of . sim
gle piece. The secret service vouchers,
by which many persons of little note on
this side Of the line might have been
compromised, did not leave Richmond
with these more public papers, but were
and honorably destroyed by
Benjamin, tho day Of tho evacuation Of
Richmond. There is, says Pickett, but
one paper the pcrusal Of which gave me
any pain-thc report of the Hon. Jacob
Thompson. on the operations on the
tho existence of which was un-
known to me, until tho Government OFF,
Ger, with whom lately went to Canada
for the documents, found il. The publ
cation of his report, Pickett adds, will
doubtless cause Jefferson Davis
and J. P. Benjamin to feel unc3mforta-
bic for little while. But rs expect to
20 with neither of them when I die, my
sympathy shall not be Of heart rend-
ing character, especially as they have
treated me badly enough in my time.
And here must be suffered, as one still
faithful to the lost cause. to say that
wholly rcpudiate the policy of attempt
ing to burn northern cities during the
war, especially Democratic cities, and
that I always Indignantly denied the al
legations until | saw ThOmpson's report.
so let those three worthless vince, not
the noble people whose cause they butch
cred. These now famous archives have
no political significance whatever. His
and financially they are valua-
BILE. dare say NIL good citizens and tax
payers are Interested in them. In the
latter aspect they may save money to
the Commonwealth by defeating the
claims of those who threw up their hats
for jeff. Davis, and shouted the death of
Yankees, during the war, and now come
mp here with their claims and perjurc
their souls by swearing they were al
ways truly loyal. l have no sympathy
with such the conqucror stripped me Of
every dollar, reducing my children to
The verge Of want and degradation, and
me to insigni6canco and end
less toll. But If nero expression Of
regret ut the part took, could insure
the return of tho last cent with COM
pound interest. would scorn-with
scorn unspeakable-to accept it on those
terms. l do not pretend to have been
truly loyal, but rs I labor under an i'm
preston that tho war is over at last,
am willing to take fresh departure, and
cndcavor by the arts of peace to telieve
the party now in power from the care
of administering the common govern.
mcnt any longer"