Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1874-05-30
Saturday, May so, 1874.
Synopsis of Speech Of Hon. II. g..
Davis.

On the 18th instant Hon. H. G. Davis. Of
West Virginia, called up his bill to reimburse
the State of West Virginia for losses incurred
during the late war; and addressed the Senate
upon the same.
Mr.. Davis commenced BY shetehipg briefly
the circumstances attending the organization
of the State government Of West Virginia, aud
the part taken by her during the war He
said that as State it bad been loyal TO the
government from the very beginning. From
her peculiar geographical situation she was
forced 70 bear the part of hard knocks and
cruel blows from both Of the con,ending arm
les. She was the buwark, the fortress inter
posed between the loyal States Of the North
and West and the opponents Of the govern
ment and her people were compelled to under
co uumberless hardShips and sacrfces. He
argued at some length the question of the obli-
CATION Of the government to pay its loyal citl-
zens for losses sustained at the hands Of the
federal troops, quoting in support Of the aitir-
native position which be took, Yattel Gro
thus, Whiting, fancy, aud Wilmot. He held
that tie essence of the opinions and decisions
were contained in the plain proposition Of law
that tie government IS bound to compensate
its loyal citizens for all property taken from
them by It's agents OF destroyed by federal
troops. As to the damages inillcted by the
Coniederalos, or those resulting from the acci-
de tai consequences Of war, he said that West
Virginia claimed no compensation, though IN
strict Justice she might he eutitled TO 1t. As
to the rights of citizens in insurrectonary
States. he held that loyal citizen Of Virginia,
Louisiana. or any other insurrectionary State,
was as much entitled 10 protection Of life aud
property, and TO compensation of his property
taken or appropriated by the government as a
citizen of New York, Massachusetts or any
other northern State But West Virginia did
not come under the head Of an insnrTeciionary
State, as Der loyalty was distinctly and fre-
quently recognized by the government from
the commencement Of the war to lis close, by
the proclamations Of President Loncoln aud OF
the generals of the army, as well as by tue ac-
ton Of Congress. He maintained that the
claim which he now presented on behalf OF
West Virginia was neither s nov nor an extra
ordinary one, and cited large number Of pre-
cedeuts, dating back to the revolutionary war
and running down TO the present term Of Con-
gress. In regard 20 the fears which have been
expressed as to the drain which the allowance
of war claims would cause upon the treasury
he said that they were largely overestimated
He exhibited official figures aud estimates from
which he summed up as follows. tia, the a.
mount Of claims now pending and probably 70
be presented would make a total Of S75,OOO,-
600. OF the claims heretofore acted on about
one fifth had been allowed Applying this
proportion to the above amount be estimated
that the probable sum the government would
be liable for would not exceed Sl5,000.0 900
To pay this amount there is now in the treas
ury resulting from the sale Of captured and
abandoned property in the South some Sl5,-
500 700. He then argued that the govern
mcut was not only legally but in duty bound
10 reimburse tie people Of West Virginia, wh'
had stood up for it in its extremity, aud at the
time when it cost something to be true 10 The
government. lie concluded with strong ap
peal to the Senators to do justice to this claim
and to the people Of tue border and southern
States