, 1876-10-03

but of tho purpose OF tho Confcdcrates to
change tic law and authorize the payment
OF clnima FOR losses in tho War to lnen who
woro in nrma against the Union. Tint
tho apprehension Of snct n danger
In not fanciful Is sufficiently appnr-
ent from the fact TINT general bills look.
ing to tl,nk end wore recently introduced by
Confederate members at tho last session of
Congress, which only require Confederate
minority in both Houses Of Congress and
T1LpEN In tho Presidential chair to become
tho law Of the land. Ono Of tho nots (1Iousa
Bill No. 2,3G4) directs Tho allowance Of CON-
ponsation for tho uso md occupation Of prop
orty by tho United States during tho War,
md another blouse Bill No. 55B) proposes to
pay for stores and supplies taken or furnished
for the nr1ny Of tho United statos. Theso
bills mike no distinction NJ to the status Of
tho claimant during the War, authorize tho
reimbursement Of losses suffered by The
Rebels, and require only an affidavit Of tho
loss by tho claimant, supported by tho testi-
mony Of one other Citizen. Under these
bills, every Rebel who fought tho Gov
ernmcnt for four years may recover from
1t tho value of his fences destroyed,
Ills property occupied, his cattle. hogs, and
corn taken by tho United StAtes armies as
they advanced into tho cnomy's country.
They amount to q reward for rebellion aud
put premium On treason. So monstrous a
proposition, We venture to say, was never
made before In tho history OF tho world.
It III puerile and ridiculous to point to tho
private claims introduced by Republican
Congressman to reimburse loyal mon who
suffered losses from the Confelorates as an
indication TINT the danger will not DO my
grcnter from the Confcderates, who propose
to pass general laws admitting Rebol claims
for losses suffered at the hands Of United
statcs armies. Not only ia the principle Just
tho reverse, hut the money involved is out
OF MI comparison. THUS tho Government,
through tho Southern Clai1ns Commission,
has paid loyal citizens something like
3A, ,000, GOO, while 1t is estimated TINT tho
losses Of the Rebels from tito War which
would DO included in tho bills already intro
duced would amount to Sc, $500, ,000,O 200, aud
would moro than double the present national
debt. But the ConfcdorateB nre not content
with tho naturalization Of individual losses;
they also desiro that a1l tho tux evor paid by
tho Rebels, 6itlior ~ States or individuals,
on account Of tho War shall bo refunded.
Thus Confederate from Georgia introduced
bill ut the last session {IIouse Bill No. 23e)
providing that tho cotton tax bo refunded and
tho amount paid back in thirty years. per
cent gold-bearing bonds. The total cotton
tax, levied botween the years 1863 aud 1868,
amounted to $C8, ,072,JS8, and the thirty
years. interest thereon would DO S102,-
1oS,570, making over $170,000 900 in
nll Another bill proposes that tho
United states shall refund that por-
ton of tho tax of $9o,0OOo0O lowed
in 1861 for tho prosecution of tho War
which was paid by tho Rebel states. Tho
proportion that fell on the Northern States
was about 315,000,oo0. OF tho $4,000, 600
apportionod to tho Rebel States, only about
oue-llalf was over paid {tho other half being
still due), but the Confeaerates now propose
to make tho North refund even that part OF
it paid by the lsobols. In one word, the
Oonfe2crates propose, in caso they shall gain
control of tho Government, tint the North
shall indemnify tho South III full for all war
taxes anl for all individual losses sustained
by reason Of tho Wnr which they brought on
mud waged ngainst tho Government. 1t ia
| not claims for losses suffered by loyal citizens
at tho hands Of the Confederate army, hut
cla1ms for losses suffered by disloya1 citizens
ut the hands Of tho Union army, which
thoy propose to allow ovon to the
extent Of bankrupting tho Govern
mont. They justify tho proposition on
ths ground TINT tho Southern Statos that
seeded merely exercised their sovereign
right of withdrawing from the "Leaguc," aud
TINT the Northern soldiers were "trespassors,"
as Bfr. T11DEN characterized them ut tho
time, in waging war upon thom mud coercing
tho1n to rotur1. to their allegiance.