The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1876-11-02

protected in their fire upon the fort by
that and the other houses. The attack
was likely to be renewed the next day, so
it is said in the report, and the command
ing general ordered that the houses should
not furnish breastwork and a protection
to
THE SOUTHERN FORCES.
The houses were destroyed. Now you will
see that it is case plainly and clearly,
without any doubt at all, OF property des-
troyed by the ravages and necessities of
war. Such claim has never been paid,
as | understand, in any government. But
a bill was introduced to pay for that house,
to pay out of the treasury $4,000. All!
it was Kentucky claim, and vet, who do
you suppose offered the bill? Why, in the
language of the orators of the times, was
it some repentant rebel who had found
his way INTO congress? Oh, no; that bill
to pay for that property, to establish the
precedent in this country that property
destroyed by the ravages of war must be
paid out of the national treasury, that bill
was introduced by John A. Logan, of Hi
nois! Laughter. That bill was report
ed from the committee on claims by
Senator Howe, most eminent Radical
senator from the state of Wisconsin, it
was passed by the Republican senate, it
was passed by the Republican house of
representatives, while Mr.. Blaine was the
speaker of the house. Applause.
Oh, that distinguished gentleman comes
here to Chicago and he warns the people
of danger if they allow the Democratic
party to come into power, that such claims
would be paid, but when we were in the
very crisis, when the precedent was about
being established which would fasten the
government for untold millions Of dollars,
he raised no warning voice in the house of
representatives, the place where he ought
to have spoken if he was going to speak at
all. Applause.
THE NEXT BILL
to which will call your attention was that
of the East Tennessee university buildings.
They, too, destroyed because of the neces
sites of the war, and bill was introduced
for their payment. By whom? By nc
Democrat, north OF south, but BY Henry
Wilson, senator from Massachusetts, who
was afterward made the vice president Of
the United States by the Republican par.
ty. Applause That bill passed both
branches, when both branches were Re
publican, and Gen. Grant stamped it whit
his veto and sent 1t back, and said that
such dangerous precedent should not bt
established in this country. Applause.
But the Republican party, the Logans anC
the Mortons, the Republican senators, anG
the Blaines in the house, found no obiec
ton to the precedent, and they passed il
atterward, and the money was paid out o
the national treasury
The next case that | will call your at
tention to is that Of the salt wells in Ken
lucky, on Goose creek aud its tributarie
lin Kentucky, The commanding genera
found that the salt-works near the gap il
Kentucky were being used to supply tn
southern army with that necessary supply
for its existence. He took possession of thu
wells, and could not hold them, and he
DESTROYED THE SALT WORKS
to prevent their being used to supply thC
southern army with salt That was sen
up to congress; bill was introduced, no
by some unrepentant rebel of the south
not by some Democrat of the north, bu
by Daniel Pratt, a Republican senator
from the state of Indiana, establishing tn
precedent that the government must pa,
for the loss of property when that propert,
is destroyed because it furnishes to tn
enemy a necessary supply in war VIVA
would you think of the case of a powder
mill burned by private individuals ant
which was likely to fall into the hands @
enemies, and furnish the enemy with tina
necessary power in war; ard it being de
strOyed, the goverpment that destroys it
to prevent its use in that way, has to pa
for it, That bill for the Kentucky salt
works on Goose creek and the tributarie
thereof was introduced by Pratt. VIII
do you think raised their voices against it
Two eminent senators, one now deaC
Charles Sumner, of Massachusetts,
loud applause and in your presenc
tonight | speak his name with great rt
spect. Applause That other senate
who said these bills ought not to be passe
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