The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1876-10-20

House oil Representatives FeOAu~' ~
1876. It was read twice, referred to the
Committee on the Judiciary, ordered to
be printed, and eau be taken up and
passed whenever the Democracy get full
control Of the several branches Of the
Government:
Directing compensation to be allowed
for the use and occupation Of prop
erty by the United States army dur
ing the late War.
Be L enaded by he Senate GEd House 81
Rtpreseatatissso f de United Sdtts Of A"sT-
la in Coa1ess assembled, That the Secre'
tary Of War be, and he is hereby author
led 10 alIOw reasonable compensation 70 ALL
CITIZENS Of he United &ates FOR THE
USE AND OCCUPATION OF THEIR PROPERTY
ny THE UNITED STATES Army, or any
part thereof, during the late Civil Mar,
in the same manner and under the same
regulations as compensation is now al
lowed for QuartermaSteTs' stores used BY
said army; Prorided horeuer, That the
affidavit OF the claimant, supported BY
the competent testimony Of any reputa:
bic citizen, SHALL BE SUFFICIENT
PROOF TO ESTABLISH THE FACT
OF THE USE AND OCCUPATION OF SUCH
PROPERTY BY SAID ARMY. But il Is not
the intention OF this act 10 limit the par
ties TO the amount OF proof herein speci-
fed; but other and additional testimony
NAV bc taken 10 establish the fact Of the
use and occupation, and the rental value
Of the property occupied.
The Wheeling RegittT has once or
twice attempted to make its readers be-
lieye that the class Of claims covered BY
this bill are barred by the Fourteenth
amendment 70 the Constitution OF the
United States, which provides against
the payment Of the debt of the rebel gov
eminent or The rebel debt Of any State,
or payment for any slave emaneipated
under the Thirteenth amendment. Moth.
ing could be further from the fact. The
class Of claims contemplated by Mr.. Rid
dies bill are entirely different. They
are Of the class introduced into the
House of Representatives last winter by
the Democratic members from West
Virginia to the extent OF 100000, viz:
payment for damages done to roads,
bridges, pixies, &C., by the armies Of the
United States. They include also pay
ment to rebels, who were in.arms at the
time, Of claims for wheat, corn, -four,
fences, horses, mules, cattle--eyery' i'm
imaginable thing that was taken or used by
the armies ofthe Government during the
invasion Of tie South. As Mr.. Blaine
said in his speech in New York last
Monday night, there are liS bills, beside
the general law introduced by Mr.. Riddle,
now pending in the House for payment
Of these Southern claims. Speaking Of
Mr.. Riddles general law, Mr. Blaine
made the following comments on it:
"The bill pending to-day in the House
Of Representatives before the Judiciary
Committee, to which It was referred last
February and whence it has not been re-
ported back, reads thus: "That the secre-
tary Of War is hereby authorized p al
low reasonable compensation to all citi-
zens OF the United States"-mark you,
"all citizens"-not all loyal citizens.",
Heretofore, and generally, We have been
paying all The claims that Ioyalmen have
against the Government Of the United
States. Now the proposition is to jump
shat distinction-to leap clear over it.
1t authorizes the Government to pay "all
citizensof the United States-to allow
reasonable Compensation 20 all citizens
Of the United States for the use and &C.
cupation Of their property by the United
States Army, or any part thereof during
the late civil war" Mark you, whenever
the army encamped or marched on foot on
railroad or turnpike, or crossed bridges,
Losses and rents may be demanded and
damages collected. And want the law:
yers here present 10 listen to the rule Of
evidence: "Provided, that affidavit Of
the claimant, supported by the competent
testimony Of any reputable citizen, shall
be sufficient proof TO establish the fact Of
the use and occupation Of such property
BY said army" Laughter.l A man
puts in 4 claim, and he has an associate
swear that he knows It isa good claim and
that concludes the case, Petroleum V.
Nasty puts in claim for losses at Con.
federate Y Roads, and Bascom, who keeps
the liquor store, sWears he knows il Is
Just, and the claim Ia made out, Nothing
more isto be heard II y claimant sWeats
that the government owes him, and q
reputable citizen endorses his statement.
And tell you that when you come to the
construction that 4 Democratic House
puts on a reputable citizen you open
wide door. h.
II We mistake not, the Wheeling Regis.
ter wanted to know the other day why
the Republican party did not provide
against the payment Of such bills as Mr..
Riddles bill contemplates, iii is true
that the 18th amendment does not bar
them. Mr., Blaine answers all such ques.
tions as follows:
Ny answer 10 that is this, that when
the i4th amendment wal passed in 1865,
itneyer entered into the brain OF man TO
conceive OF .. height and length and
breadth and depth Of Democratic and
rebel impotence and insolence that could
think Of asking the United States to pay
their side Of the expenses OF this war.
Applause That Il the result Of ten
years Of progress, to bring them up TO
that. ELaughter.1 It had never Been
dreamed Of at that time-neyer once.
Now gentlemen will say, "This is
all nonsense-this Is great bug
bear. You are getting this up for
the campaign, to affect people who are
green; its . campaign ruse." My an.
swer 70 that or rather any question-for,
aSI am q Yankee, claim the privilege
OF answeting one question by asking an.
other-I AK: GWhy do Southern men
put these claims in lift is mere nonsense!
ffthis means nothing-if, to use phrase
Of the day, this does not mean business
why do they put the bills inT Just
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