Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1873-02-15
THE LAST VETO.

The objections made to the President
veto of the East Tennessee University bill
have neither persuaded nor frightened
him from the course pursued. Anothe
bill of similar character, providing pay
ment for rebel property destroyed in the
prosecution of the war having been pre-
sented to him for his signature, he re.
turned it as before. The bill was entitled
can act for the relief of those suffering
from the destruction Of saltworks near
Manchester, Ky, pursuant to the order OF
Major General Carlos Buell." The rea.
sons given for returning it will commend
themselves to the good sense Of every
disinterested person. They are as fol-
| lows:
| According to the official report OF Brig
| Gen. Craft, by whose immediate command
| the property in question was destroyed,
| there was a large rebel force in the neigh
borhood, who were using the salt-works, and
had carried away considerable quantity of
| salt, and were preparing 70 take more, as
soon as the necessary transportation could be
procured; and he further states that the
leaders Of the rebellion calculated upon their
supply Of salt to come from these works, and
that in his opinion, their destruction was q
military necessity. / understand him to say,
in effect, that the salt-works were captured
from the rebels; that it was impracticable to
hold them, and that they were demolished so
as to be of no further use to the enemy.
cannot agree that the owners of property de-
stroyed under such circumstances are enti-
tied to compensation therefor from the Uni
ted States. Whatever other view may be ia
ken OF the subject it is incontrOvertable that
these salt-works were destroyed by the Union
Army while engaged in regular military op.
erations, and that the sole object of their de-
struction was to weaken, cripple, or defeat
the armies of the so-salled Southern Confed-
eracy. am greatly apprehensive that the
allowance of this claim could and would be
construed into the recognition of principle
binding the United States to pay for all prop
erty which their military forces destroyed in
the late war for the Union. No liability by
the Government to pay for property destroyed
by the Union forces in conducting battle or
seige has yet been claimed, but the precedent
proposed by this bill leads directly and
strongly in that direction, for it is difficult,
upon any ground of reason or justice, to dis
tinguish between case of that kind and the
one under consideration. Had Gen. Craft
and his command destroyed the salt works by
Smelling out the enemy found in their actual
occupancy, the case would not have been
different in principle from the one presented
in this bill. What possible difference
can it make in the rights of owners
or the obligations of the Government, wheth-
er the destruction was in driving the enemy
out, or in Keeping them out of the salt works
This bill does not present case where pri-
vate property is taken for public use in any
sense of the Constitution. 1t was not taken
from the owners, but from the enemy, and it
was not then used by the Government, but
destroyed. Its destruction was one of She
casualties of war, and though not happen
ing in actual conflict was, perhaps, as dsas-
trous to the rebels as would have been Vie
tory in battle. Owners of property destroyed
10 prevent the spread of contiagration, as is
a general rule, are not entitled 10 compensa-
ton therefor; and, for reasons equally strong,
the necessary destruction of property found
In the hands of the public enemy and con-
shutting part of their military supplies
does not entitle the owner to idemnity from
the Government for damages done to him in
that way. fully appreciate the hardships of
the case and would be glad if my convictions
OF duty allowed me to join in the proposed
relief But cannot consent to the doctrine
which is found in this bill, as it seems to me,
by winch the National Treasury is exposed
10 ell claims for property injured or DESTROYED
by the armies of the United States in the
late protractea and destructive war in this
county. IT g Cn,,r
EXECUTIVE MANSION, Feb, IL, 1873.