, 1876-10-21
TIE GREAT DANGER AHEAD.

pending national election IL one which tho
Northern Democrats ovado and the Southern
Confcderates persistently ignore. It is tue
payment or non-rayineut to former Rebels of
Losses growing ont Of tho War. The pur-
pose Of reinbursing tho South for lis War
losses has been charged upon the TtLpEs
party, md the charge is sustained by the at-
titudo Of tho combined South, the concession
which its Northern allies are ready to mako
to attain control Of tho offices, and the bills
introduced at the Inst session of Congress
covering part OF the ground. How las
this charge been met? BY On ominous 81
leuca on the part Of tho South, mud suspicious
evasion on the part Of the Northern Demo-
crats. We have yet to SEQ in tho records Of
any Confederate Convention, in tho columns
Of my Confederate newspaper, or tho
reports Of any Confederate stump.speeclles,
my frank, open, mud earnest disayownl
Of tho intention. Such disnvow-
al could not be male without
en1angoring tic combined action of tho SIX
teen Southern Statcs so confidently counted
upon by tie Democrats. Tho hope for tho
payment Of Southern clains il tho strong
bond that holds Tho South together as CON-
pact, sectional, and political body. It is IN
interest that sp1eatls through all c1asseB Of
society, and even reaches tho negroes to
aomo extent in that it promises more money,
better tines, and higher wagcs. Suppose
tloro noro claims held agaiust the National
Government in tho State Of Illinois amount
ing to fifty m!liionaof dollars, divided n,nong
thousands Of people in oil parts Of the State
in large sums and small, and the payment Of
taese cfaims depended upon the success Of
q particular political party,-tloca my Quo
think that there would be the slightest
difficulty in carrying Illinois for TINT party
or that candidate mort likely to approve the
payment of aucl claims? But this Is
precisely the situation in the South.
There are tons of thousands of people
IN tho sixteen Southern states of high
aud low degree who have Claims large and
small for War losses, amounting IN the 49,
gregato 10 not less than two thousand mill
ions Of dollars, OF more than the present ma
tioual debt; the Republican party l,as pass
cd laws prohibiting tile paymen. OF clain,s
for losses mndo by mon who wero disloynl to
tho Union; what more natural than that the
claimants, and thoir friontls, and nll who hope
to benefit from tho allowance, should con-
tinue to secure the elevation to power Of an
opposition party from whom different pol
ICY is awaited? THIS ia what las been done,
aud this Is why tho organs and apokes,ncn Of
tho Confederatoa at tho South dare not, even
for Northern effect, dlsavow tho purpose Of
admitting these claims II tho T1LpEa party
shall come into power, To do 60 sincerely
would be to tear away tho bond that holds
tho South together III this political contest.
How Ia 1t at tho North? Tho charge
Is met with ambiguity aud evasion by tho
Northern alliea Of tho Confederate claimants
First thoy tell us TINT tho payment Of these
claims Is prohibited by tho constitutional
amendments. Tl.ey know tl.at this is not
true. The only prohibition made by the
Fourteenth Amendment IL tho payment Of
"any debt or obligation incurred iu ail Of
insurreetion or rebellion against tho United
States, or any other claim for tho loss or
emancipation Of any slave" This psohi.
bltion does not Include tho assumption by
the NasIonal Government of.the State dobta
Of tho various bankrupt 8outheru states,-a
bill for which, ingenious in its construction
and with ample margin for lobby expenses,
Is in charge Of ex-Gov. nWA1KEn, ot
Virginia. now member Of Congrcss.
It does not include the refunaing
Of the cotton tax, amounting to sos, ,00o, 900,
besides tho interest which Inns accrued there.
lnx. 4 &o.s - -