The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1874-04-15

promise to pay in the shape of bonds,
and borrow the money. That these
promises to pay are not yet paid and
that the Southern as well as the
Eastern and Nothern people are
jointly aiding in paying the princi-
pal and interest.
They seem to forget, too, that
without the stores and supplies TAX
en- from the Southern people at the
time and place some of the most
brilliant movements of our army
would have failed-victories would
have been still-born and our armies
crippled and compelled to retreat or
starve. These supplies, though con-
tributing largely to the success of
our armies, have not yet been paid
for. They cost the Government no
transportation, no interest, and as
indicated by the claims presented, at
least so per cent less than the same
property would have cost in a North
ern market !; yet these men use their
best Efforts to defeat or retard the
payment of these most meriforious
debts. 3
The laws of the Statute Books, if
properly construed, would provide
for the payment or these claims, if
the officers dare construe them; as
they will not do this, change in the
law is needed, in fact, imperatively
demanded, and the sooner the peo-
pie give expression to this demand
the sooner they may hope for Justice.
( There has been too much apathy on
the subject. Those who were with
the Confederacy say, don't care,
| can get nothing for my stores"
That may be so, yet your neighbor
can, and that will bring what you
need-money into your country.
There is due your county $4,000
to $4,000 from the Government
get that much money in there and
see the change things will take. Busi.
ness will liven up at once. Your
counties are issuing bonds. These
bonds go into Eastern markets and
are sold at from 60 to 80 cents on
the dollar; for $1,000 in bonds
you get from G0,000 to $4,000 in
money to use; in sixteen years you
will have paid out for your county.
to enrich the Eat 81 100000 and
owe another hundred Thousand. If
you had what is due you, you could
either borrow the money at home
and have the interest enr ching your
own section, or not be compelled to
borrow at al.
Some members of Congress say it
will take over 500 100000 to pay
the Southern claim. l say, AMEN
If we have $10O,O0O,OO0 due us, in
the name of all that is right pay us
Give us the money, then. that you
owe us, and we can pro per as in
days of yore we can turn our waste
places into garden patches, and make
the face of the earth glad with our
thrift.
l, for one, propose to make a
straight-out fight on this question.
let the result be what it may. /
know there is an immense debt due
from the United States to the people
of the South. for stores and supplies
actually furnished to and used by
the United States Army during the
war. This is debt of honor. more
sacred than the bonded debt, for
there was no speculation in it, and
should be paid, and if / had the
tongue or pen of Clay, Webster, or
Burke would say to those men who
oppose its payment or attempt to re-
tard or delay the settlement: "You
had better dig your political graves.
have drawn this out longer than
[ intended, but you will know how
to excuse it. l am your obedient
servant. d. w. CLASSIC.