New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-08-05
WASHINGTON.
"THE SOUTHERN CLAIMS COMMISSION.
UPWARD OF S56,O0OOO0 CIAIMED-THE PROGRESS
MADE IN SETTLING CI.AIMs-A LIST OF CLAIMS AMI

"rHE SOUTHERN CLAIMS COMMISSION.
UPWARD OF S56,OO0O00 CIAIMED-THE PROGRESS
MADE IN SETTLING CIAIMs--A LIST OF CLAIMS AND
CLAIMANTS PREPARED. .-...--..'
WASHINGTON, Aug. An the claims pre-
senfed to the Southern Claims Commission sitting at
washington, under the OF March s, 1871 have now
been numbered aud registered, and their number is
found 10 be 22,2e5, aud their aggregate amount lie
claimed to be something in OF &5eoooO In their
last report TO Congress- the Commissioners estimated
the Total number Of claims TO be filed under the act at
isooo ana the amount to be claimed at s5o00o0oo in
round numbers The extraordinary e1ertons Of the
claim agents however when they found that the time
Tor ming claims not likely to be extended for
the present beyond the two years originally fixed
by Congress- resulted IN considerable addition the
estimated number and amount OF the claims be ned
NO less than 1878 claims representing. according to
claimants hgures, considerably more than 100000
were Med under date OF March 8. the last day allowed
by law for the presentation OF claims Many
shut out from consideration by the what
expected termination Of the right to present Them and
there are believed to be several thousand persons yet in
the late insurreetionary States who. despite the ex
ertons OF the Government agents and the attorneys
nave not even heard OF the act Of Con-
gress passed for the benefit of such OF
them as were not adherents OF the Confederacy.
Claims are presented daily TO tue Quartermaster
General and Commssary- General by residents OF the
pN'''i VINO nave DuJ
that Congress passed special nearly years ago
10 pay Tor property taken for army the States
IN repeliop Gen. Meigs, the QuartermasterGeneral,
VIII not recommend statute Of limitations for claims
coming before him the case Of claims before the
Loyal Claims Commission and the Commissary General
believes from his daily experience that such statute
whenever passed would be certain
itorious claims against the Government from
Just settlement, and that in the OF the
Southern claims, Congress either
tend the time for filing them before the
Commissioners submit to the alternative Of receiving
and considering them singy, under the Constitutional
right OF petition, ali the excluded claimants have
already signied their intention of prosecuting their
claims directly before the Claims Committees of the
two branches OF Congress- Under the settlement
made by the Commissioner about 100000 have been
distributed among 1,4OO claimants scattered all
over the eleven insurrectonary States, the award
cept IN comparatively small number OF cases, being
for few hundred dollars each. At the coming session
of Congress they expect TO award about 100000 to be
similarly distributed and will then have disposed
of about "a cent OF the number of claims filed and 20
cent OF the amount claimed Now that all the claims
n oct re % @ ran DC age mad ne
pared and have IN press full digest OF the claims CIV
ing by States and counties the games or claimants and
the amounts claimed accompanied by the explanatory
statement that the those OF citizens OF the
Southern states who have within the past Two years de-
cared themselves to have been devoted adherents 10
the Union throughout the late war, and the amounts
trSuted Voluntarily or oherwse, for the use Of the
Union forces operating IN the South, but not the
damage loss and distraction Of real aud personal prop
ery suffered through the casualties OF war or the un
authorized spoliaon and depredatons OF the troops
has been prepared chiefly TO meet the applications of
former officers and soldiers OF the Union army curious
claiming to have been bOtn loyal and opu
lent ~ or II years ago But the for the
the pamphlet free Of charge to all who apply in person
OF by letter. .......