Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1874-05-23
SPEECH OF SENATOR DAVIS.

Mr.. Davis, of West Virginia, called
ND his bill to reimburse the State OF
West Virginia for losses incurred dur
ing the late war, and addressed the
Senate upon the same.
Mr.. Davis commenced by sketching
briefly the circumstances attending the
organization of the State government OF
West Virginia, and the part taken by
her during the war; He said that as
State it had been loyal to the govern
ment from the very beginning. From
her peculiar geographical situation she
was forced to bear the part OF marc
knocks and cruel blows from both OF
the .contending armies. She was the
bulwark. the. fortress interposed between
the loyal States Of the North and " est
and the opponents of the governments
end her people were compelled TO uli-
dergo numberless hardships and sacii-
fees. He argued at some length ule
question of the obligation Of the gov
ernmsnt to pay its loyal cltizehS 10
losses sustained at the hands of the FED.
eral troops, quoting in support OF the al
frmat;vn nositiou which he took, Vat
tel. Grotius. Whiting, fancy anu " IL
mot. He held that the essence OF Ihe
opinions and decisions were contained
in the plain proposition of law that the
Government is bound TO compensate Its
loyal citizens for all property taken
from them by its agents or destroyed
bv federal troops. As to the damages
inflicted by the Confederates, or those
resulting from the accidental conse-
ouences OK war, he said that West Viz
gina claimed no compensation, though
in strict Justice she might be entitled to
it. As to the rights of citizens IN IN
surrectionary States, he held that loyal
citizens of Virginia, Louisiana, or any
other insurrectionary State, was rs much
entitled to protection of life and prop
eytv. and for compensation for his prop
cr,y taken or appropriated by the COY
crnment, as citizen Of New ork,
Massachusetts or any other Northern
State. But West Virginia did not
come under the head Of an insurrectlon-
ary State, as her loyalty was distinctly
and frequently recognized by the gov
eminent from the commencement OF the
war to its close, by the prsclamations
of President Lincoln, and of the gener-
ais of the army, as well rs by the action
of Congress. He maintained that the
claim which he now presented on be-
halt of West Virginia, was neither 4
new nor an extraordinary one, and citcd
large number of precedents, dating
back to the ncrolutiary war and run
min" down to the present term OF Con
~resS. In regard IA the fears which
have been expressed as TO the drain
which the allowance Of war claims
would cause upon the treasury, he sald
that they were largely overeStimated.
lie exhibited official figures and est
mates which lie summed up as follows
shat the amount of claims now pending
and probably to he presented would
Soake total Of s75,00O,001 OF the
claims heretofore acted oil about one
fifth had been allowed. Applying this
proportion 60 the above amount ne estI-
mated that the probable sum the gov
crnment would be liable for would not
exceed Sl5,030,o0). To pay this
amount there is now in the treasury re-
,ulting from the sale Of captured and
abandoned property in the South some
SI5.59l.0}j. He then argued that the
government was not only legally but in
duty bound to reimburse the people of
West Virginia, who had stood ap for
it in its extremity, and at the lime when
it cost something to be true to the gov
eminent. He concluded with q strong
appeal to the Senators to do justice to
this claim and to the people OF the boy
der snd Southern States.