The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-03-23
CONGRESSIONAL NOTES.

Southern War CIaims-The Increa sing
Pressure Upon Congress and the Alarm
Revived in the Senate-PropOscd Re-
organization OF tho Customs Revenue
Servfce-The Proposed Flooding Of the
Colorado Desert.
WASHINGTON, March 20, 1874.
Upon d section In the Army Appropriation bill
as 1t came from the House, providing for the
transfer Of all pending war claims before the
Commissary General and the Quartermaster Gen.
eral to the Commissioners of Claims and that
they shall have exclusive jurisdiction OF all such
claims hereafter, and upon the amendment pro-
posed by the Senate committee reporting the bill,
providing for the continuance OF the authority Of
the Commlssary General. &C., over these
claims, and upon an amendment to this amend
ment, proposing the adjudication Of large
mass Of Southern war claims by the Court
OF Claims, there was on Tuesday discussion in
the Senate. from which it is contended that
II the door is opened to this mass OF Southern war
claims there will be no end to the catalogue short
Of the bankruptcy Of the National Treasury. Such
were the opuons of Senators Frelinghuysen, Car
penter and Sargent particularly, against the prop
osltion to open the door to the recognition OF the
mass Of Southern war claims arising from the ap-
preparation, occupation, or destruction or loss OF
properly from the operations OF the armies of the
Union in the Southern States during the war OF the
late Southern rebellion. According to Senator
Sargent, unless we draw a line which win cut or
all these southern war claims we may establish
a precedent which Will open the door to them ALL
and to the restitution OF the cotton tax, un.
consututionally levied and tor several years
collected from the southern cotton crops and
finally to an indemnity Of two or three
thousand millions for the general loss Of slave
property, resulting IRON the emancipation OF the
ever, this item OF slave property. 1t Is roughly est
mated That the property destroyed or that appr0-
rInf nd nv n
the Jour years OF our late civil war would amount
to an aggregate OF not less than So 000 100000.
gate loss is simply impossible. The best that Con-
gress can do Is TO provide for q lew exceptional
to the government There is no danger that dur.
ing this session Of retrenchment the iberanty Of
Congress toward Southern claimants will be car
rled to dangerous excuses. There Is no danger
that the unconstitutional cotton tax collected
from the South will be refunded this session, Tor
the act would drain the Treasury OF 500 600
THE REACTION TO BE FEARED.
But when the severe spasm OF Congressional re-
trencnment shall have subsidized. when new Con-
gress free from the bad Odor OF the last Congress-
shall take the place OF the present Congress- and
when the dominant party snail begin to cast about
for the southern balance OF power In the Presdcn-
tlal contest OF 1875, we shall probably have South
ern rebel measures passed by the two houses and
lions aud an expansion OF the currency which
will carry us on tidal wave OF prosperity through
we were In the time Of Van Buren, in the year
Immediately succeeding It, ''Suf1cient unto the
day Ii the EVIL tnere0f' but 1t Is apparent to an
observer here. with only half an eye that the fit
oil retrenchment which has seized upon this Con.
gress will pass OF with the elections OF the CON-
ing fall for the next Congress, whatever the re-
suits may be.
CIVIL SERVICE REFORM.
The Committee on Civil Service Reform have
agreed to report Mr.. Woodford's bill for the reor-
Ranization OF the Customs Revenue Service with
amendments. The substance of the bill is to pro-
vide for three commissioners to codify, simplify
and reconstruct the whole budget OF tariff revenue
laws including the abolition OF moteties the sub-
stitution OF fxed salaries, and to report to Con-
Srcss at the next session. This means that nothing
4 to be done upon the subject this session In the
Important matter of Custom House reform, unless
lQiae nerttpaclQpa WeQhex of tha House or the