The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1876-11-02
REBEL WAR CLAIMS!
GRAND RAID ON THE TREASURY.
How Loyal Men are to
be Taxed!!!
WHAT DEMOCRATIC RETREyCHMENT
MEANS.

The following list has been carefully compiled
from the Congressional records of the late ses-
sion, and shows more completely the designs of
the " Reform" Democrats upon the Treasury,
if they once obtain the power, than any bun
combe campaign speeches or convention plat
forms could possibly do. These are the legisla-
tive acts Of the Democratic members of Con-
gress The speeches and platforms are only
professions for electioneerng purposes. The
total sum here proposed to be appropriated is
more than our present national debt by $780,
100000, being S2,5o3, ,622, 1886. And this, it
must be remembered, is only an earnest of what
these " Reformers," these Democratic econo-
mists, would do if once fairly placed in power
in the executive department and in both houses
of Congress
BILLS OF GENERAL NATURE
for the adjustment and payment of Southern
claims, and for purposes of sectional charac-
ter introduced at the first session of the Forty
fourth Congress by Representatives of the party
of ECONOMY and Reforms"
H. R. No. $3.50, by Hon, f. J. Ellis, of Lou
isana Approprates S4,202 900 to repair and
rebuild the levees on the Mississippi river.
H. r. No. 1858, by Hon. R. L. Gibson, of
louisiana For rebuilding levees, &C., on the
Mississippi river, s., $50, 600
H. Il. No. 645, by Hon. Benjamin Wilson, of
West Virginia: To indemnify West Virginia for
damage 10 TOduS anu blluStS III IOuhIy
by the Union armies, S2O0,000.
H. X. No. 232 by Hon. Philip Cook, of Geor-
gia Proposes to refund the claimants S6S S,Of2,
O00 collected the internal revenue tax on
cotton in 1868 and subsequently.
H. K. No. 9S2. Hon. K. Q. Mills, of Texas To
refund the cotton tax to the producers of the
cotton.
II. R. No. 553, by Hon. W. W. Wiltshire,
Arkansas "To facilitate the adjustment and
settlement of claims OF citizens of the United
for a. nd s,lDrlioS taken furnished
during the rebellion for the use OF the army OF
the United States; - including the use and loss
of vessels and boats, by authorizing suits to bo
instituted in the United States court in the dis
trict wherein the property was taken or used,
such suits to be tried by said courts in the
same manner and by the same rules of evidence
as that now prescribed by law for the trial
of civil causes in the Circuit Courts of the
United States y that is, by jures of the vicin-
age. Judgments rendered by said courts TO be
paid out Of a general appropriation for such
claims by the Secretary of the Ireasury-the
Southern Claims Commission to be abolished,
and with it all tests Of loyalty.
II has been estimated that 81 POS 163 600
would be required to pay such claims, and that
as large an amount would I've required for claims
under II. r. No. 2364, introduced by Hon. H.
Y. Riddle, Of Tennessee, directing compensa-
ton to be allowed for the use and occupation of
property by the United States army during the
late war, under which the Secretary of War is
required TO allow reasonable compensation to
al citizens of the United States for the use and
occupation Of their property during the late
civil war by the United States army or any
part thereof: and providing that the affidavit of
the claimant, supported by the testimony Of any
responsible citizen, shall be sufficient proof to
establish the fact Of such Use and occupation by
the army.
II. r. No 1914. by Hon. W. VI. Levy, of Lou
i.iana, and II. +. No. 1853. by Hon. F. II Hurd,
of Ohio, propose to reopen the Court Of Claims
to claimants for the proceeds of captured and
abandoned property, without regard to loyalty:
and the former also provides for abolishing the
Southern Claims Commission and referring to
said court all claims for stores and supplies taken
from citizens of the insurrectionary States, in
Guiding use and loss of vessels and boats, rent
and occupation Of houses and buildings, and
such stores lumber. tobacco, sugar. &C.,
without respect to loyalty Of claimant
The balance of proceeds of captured and
abandoned property in the Treasury is about
nine millions Of dollars. Claims for such pro-
cecls have been filed in the Court Of Claims and
Treasury Department and presented to Con-
gress for over thirty millions. More than two
thirds of these claims are barred by statutes Of
limit tation, and the above bills are intended to
remove the har.
1t is proposed also by House bills to refund
the amount OF direct tax collected in the South
crn States, amounting to S2,4e2, 10, and to
remit the balance Of said tax uncollected,
amounting to s2,e61,77e.
H. Il. No 1904, by Hon. Eppa Hunton, of
Of lands sold for direct taxes in the insurrec-
tionarv States.
H. r. No. 3537, by Hon, Eppa Hunton, of
Virginia For payment Of rent for lands sold
for direct taxes and occupied by the United
States.
H. r. No. 236S, by Hon Carey Young. of
Tennessee To pay for all cotton seized after
May 20, 1865.
ii. Il. No. 1912, by Hon. Philip Cook, of
Georgia To authorize the Court OF Claims to
take jurisdiction of all claims relating to cap
tured and abandoned property.
H. K. No $50, by Hon r. Z. Mills of Texas
Directing the Secretary Of the Treasury to pay
to owners the value OF all cotton seized after
May 50, 1866.
II. X. No. 1882, by Hon. G.. C.. Cabell, of Vir-
ginia Directing the Secretary Of the Treasury
to pay to the owners the value of all cotton and
tobacco seized after April TO- 1863.
II. X. No, l12S, by Hon. j. +. Phillips, of
Missouri: Provides that the authority Of the
Quartermaster General and Commissary General
TO pass on claims for stores and supplies taken
and used by the United States armies engaged
in the suppression Of the rebellion and for use
and occupation of property by said armies shall
cease, and conters jurisdiction over all such
claims on the Circuit Courts Of the United States
in the Southern States.
II. r. No. 2507, by Hon. o. r. Singleton, of
Mississippi Provides for transferring claims for
stores and supplies from the Southern Claims
Commission to the Court of Claims
II. +. No S71, by Hon. H. Y. Riddle, of Ten
nessee: Provides that the testimony of "any
reputable citizen" shall be admitted by the
Court of Claims and War Department as eff
fectually establishing the fact of appropriation
OF property for the use of the armies of the
United States.
H. R. No. 2627, by Hon. H. Y. Riddle, of
Tennessee I: Provides in effect, that in claims
before the Southern Claims Commission and the
executive departments the only evidence of
loyalty to be required shall be such as enabled
Gazsway B. Lamar to obtain IA judgment in the