Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1876-10-14

THE OPENING OF THE TREASURY
TO REBELS.
On the 18th of FEBRUARY, 1876, after
the Democratic Congress had got well or
ganized, with its standing committees at
work, the following bin was introduced
by Hon. Haywood Y. Riddle, of Tennes-
sec.
.H. R. AGA. A hin directing compensation for the
use and occupation of property by the United
States army during the tate war.
'Bc it enacted by the Senate and House of Rep
resentatives OF the United States OF America In
Congress assembled, that the Secretary Of War be.
and he Is hereby authorized to allow reasonable
compensation to all citizens of the United States FIR
The use AMI occupation of their property 10y the
United tates army, or any art therof. during the
late civil war. i'm the same manner and u der the
same regulations as conversation 10 IOw allowed
for quartermasier stores used by said army Prorid-
ed. horerer. That the afi avit oft e Claimant, sup
pores by the comp tent testimony of any reputable
citizen, shall be suffic ent proof TO establish the fact
of the use and occupation of ouch property by sail
army. But IT Is not the in ention of this act to linn
it the parties TO the amount of proof herein speci-
fed but other and add tional testimony may be
taken to estab ish the fact of the use and occupa.
ton. and the renta value of the property occupied,
This bill, as appears from the Congress
sional record of February %, 1875, Mum
Der 53, page 81 was read II first and sec
ond time, referred to the committee on
judiciary. and ordered to be printed. 1t
will be seen that the bill proposes:
First-To open the Treasury of the
United States TO claims of al. citizens,
whether loyalists or rebels, for the use of
and occupation of their property by the
United States army during the war OF
the rebellion. ~ etis i
Second-That it proposes to prove
these claims by the affidavit of the inter
ested claimant, supported by the testi-
mony of only one witness. -i1
The true inwardness OF the southern
Democrats can be plainly seen in the
above bill, which has already gone
through the regular preliminaries, so
that it can now be called up and passed
at any moment. 1t not only enlarges the
class of claims the south expects the Gov
ernmcnt to pay, but it opens up a loose
ness i'm proving losses that is almost in
credible. Not only are those southern
Democrats preparing to open Il road into
the national treasury tor the payment of
property destroyed. and used, by Our ar
mics, which according to the established
principles Of all governments they have
Il right to, but it prepares the way for
them TO secure pay for the occupation of
their property. On this principle the
Government would required to pay any
fancied, or real, damage which a man
may claim to have sustained by q regi-
ment camping on, or marching over his
farm. The bill means that if it means
anything. The establishment of this
principle is the very shortest road to ma
tional bankruptcy ami ruin. But worse
than this is the uncontrolled power YES
ted, by this bill, in the Secretary of Wan
to pay these enormous claims. A Dem
ocratic Secretary of War would very like
ly be a Confederate Major General.
| Northern men-northern Democrats as
well us Republicans, Is not this q greater
danger than you wish to incur? But
says IA Democratic friend, ''the Democrats
of the north would not be III favor of
Il payment Of such claims" Let us see.
Our readers might gain a little light up
on this subject, by looking over the
claim presented Congress last winter
by Hon. Benoni s. Fuller. Il Democratic
Congressman from Indiana. tor Mrs. An
ME Whitmore. of Whitfield county,
J Georgia. Mr.. Fuller is Il candidate for
reelection and talks loudly of reform"
But here is the claim, and it is a fair sam
pie of hundreds of others that are before
the House and such as the above bill is
calculated to cover and secure payment