Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1876-09-23

The persistent efforts of Republican speak
ers to awaken fear that a triumph OF the Dem
ocracy will result i'll assuming the "rebel debt
is the greatest hum bug ever palmed Oft upon
the American people; No Intelligent mass can
First, there is no such thing as rebel debt
Boston Post, Sept. 10.
There is no SUCH fhiing as a r 1HSsi
debt. But there are such things as
rebel qcar claims. They crop out
afresh every time there is a Demo
cratic victory. Some years ago a
direct tax of s., 153, 1856 was appor-
toned among the Southern States.
They paid S2,402,110. The Govern.
ment has not pressed the payment
Of this balance, but it is due, and
the Democrats not only brought for
ward proposition not to collect
this amount, but to refund that
which has been paid. If Samuel j.
Tilden is elected the money will be
refunded, and the deficiency will be
made up by taxation in the North.
1t is also proposed to pay $6S, O72,-
OSS 20 the cotton tax lobby, and the
Democrats insist that former rebels
in the South shall be compensated
for the use and occupation of all
property by the United States dur.
ing the war of the rebellion. And
it is proposed (H. R. No. 553) "to
adjust and settle the claims of citi-
zens of the United States for stores
and supplies taken or furnished dur
ing the rebellion for the use Of the
army of the United States, and for
other purposes"
When this proposition was up, it
was remarked that a careful eSti-
mate of the sum which would have
to be paid out of the public treasu-
ry Oh this proposition indicates no
less an amount than S1,205, 163, 900,
aggregating for rebel war claims
the enormous sum OF
$2,4S2, 642, 133.
A sum far exceeding the national
debt, which we do not feel able at
present to pay.
Oh, no! there is no such thing as
a rebel debt, says the Post, but there
are rebel claims which threaten.
should the Democrats come into
power, to impose onerous taxation
upon the North, and especially up
on New England, which pays so
large per centage of all taxes for
national purposes.
Among hundreds of bills present
ed by the former rebels for payment
which now await the result of the
November election, we have space
only for few. They indicate the
character of the rest:
A bill to pay Mrs, Priscilla Burwell of Vicks-
burg $625O for rent of property bv the United
State Army.
bill to pay Walter Aiken, Maury county,
Tennessee, $4,000 so.
4 bill to pay the county of Randolph, Vir-
ginnia, $1,000 for damages done the court
house, Jail, clerks Office, roads and bridges
during the occupancy by Federal troops
bill to pay John Morrison of Memphis
$4,000 for rent and damage of property by l
United States military authorities.
bill to pay the treasurer of Prairie county
Arkansas, $4,000 for use and destruction OF
the court house and Jail by the Federal army
during the late war.
A bill to pay Mary j, Joshlin aud Lavinia
Scott $4,000 for their MILL wooden factory
and dwelling destroyed by Union Soldiers un'
der military ORDERS
A bill to pay certain parties named $6O,366
for expenses in dredging the Southwest Pass
of the Mississippi river in 1859.
A bill to pay the financial agent of Dawson
county, Tenn. the sum Of 36,4l6.45, in full
settlement of claims of said county on account
of occupancy by the United States troops of
the county court house.
A bill to pay Mr.. II. Howard of Tennessee
500 on account of property burned by the
United States army.
A bill to pay Randall Brown of Nashville
$1,000 for property taken by the rebel forces:
A bill to pay John T, Stratton of Memphis
s5236,67 for use of cotton-shed. by United
states army,
A bill to pay Joseph Tagg of Memphis $500
or buildings destroyed by the United States
military authorities at Memphis. I
bill to pay Joseph c.. Smaller of Little ,
Rock $3264 for cattle and sheep taken by
Union soldiers. u