The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1876-10-31
THE PAYMENT OF REBEL
CLAIMS.
A Plan Devised by Hunter, Of
Virginia, by which the Clause
In the Fourteenth Amendment
Forbidding the Government 10
Pay the Shareholders for Their
Slaves may be Avoided.


In the Fourteenth Amendment
FOrbidding the Government 10
Pay the Shareholders for Their
Slaves may be Avoided.
WASHINGTON, Oct. &c.
A letter Of R. N. T. Hunter, Of Virgin.
10, writing in 1873, upon the subject Of
paying the Southern claims, is revived
here to-day. He had a plan for paying
the rebel claims, both for property taken
and for slaves, which, he held, would
avoid the restrictions imposed by the 14th
amendment. He proposed to proceed
upon the same plan as contained in the
act OF June %, 1886, for distributing the
surplus revenue among the several States.
Upon this;point Mr.. Hunter wrote when
the United States government wished to
transfer their surplus revenue to the
States, finding that it had no authority to
give money to the States, il saved con-
stitutional point and eludedthe difficulty
by giving the transfer the form OF a
loan on deposit, without interest, to be
resumed by the United States in certain
events, in prescribed mode.
az propose that $4,000 Of the sum named BY
Mr. Lincoln, rs that which he was willing TO give
the despoed SHAREHOLDERS, should be deposited with
the StAtes without interest and in the same man
ncr be loaned 10 the slAVeholder IN proportion 10
his losses. II the loan Of the surplus revenue In
the manner In which It was made was not m as
sumption Of power, to give money 70 the States,
not granted In the Constitution then the dePot Of
500 100000 with the Al1veholdIng stAtes 10 the
same manner and upon tho same terms, would be
no violation Of the 18th Amendment which for
bade the Government TO pay for the Slayes lost BY
emancipation. The Inducencnt to deposit the sur
plus revenue With the States was the hope that II
would be used far more useiully for tbs purpose In
this way than II II remained In the Treasury o the
United States. Far greater would DO The Induce
ment TO deposit 500 600 09C with ne haVenoldiinS
slayehOdcrs, than existed for that Of the surplus
revenue when Il took place. II would be dlttcuIt
10 estimate how much such q deposit, 10 be loaned
TO the llAVeholder, would contribute 70 the pros
perity and revival ol the States, oI which hs
was citizen. That this revival would greatly
promote the interests Of trade and commerce In
which all are interested, Il proposition 20 plain
as 10 need no discussion. All may zee how much
this would increase the prosperity Of these now 20
depressed States 10 contribute 10 the common taxes
estimate The advantages oi The pecuaiary returns
Of the Government ol the United States and their
people, should probably be not far wrong In say
Ing that the advantages would repay before very
long. 10 the whole Union, the expenses Of the
original outlay. do not propose either TO attack
the validity Of this amendment or 10 violate II. A
loan Of $500, 900 TO the slave. holding States
without interest, 10 be loaned again on the same
terms, without Interest, or with smal Interest, 70
be recalled at the pleasure Of the United States, Is
no payment ia whole or in part for the Losses suS-
tAued by the slave-hOlderS and II II be not, II s
no violation Of the I4th Amendment. Butin the
present depression Of the former slAve-hodiDg In
terest In the South loan Of this sum might 90 far
TO "a tsiy the claimant, although Il would not pay
them. The United States Government might thus
be relieved without any violation o. the l4th or
18th Amendments 10 the Constitution, and great
ly TO the ad vantage Of all concerned"