Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1876-10-19

10 them OF those cltlZenS who remalT
ed loyal adherents to the cause an
the Government of the United State
in States proclaimed as in insurrect
ion against the United States durin!
the rebellion"
| 1t will be observed that this Law
confines claims exclusively to "loys
adherents," &C., signifying that tn
! Government holds itself responsible
to no others for losses sustained b.
the war. The Southern Claims Com
mission has adhered strictly to thi
principle, as will be seen by few o
the eighty standing interrogatories
propounded to all claimants.
"Did you ever do anything or sa,
anything against the Union cause
and if SO what did you do or say, ant
why?
"Were you at all times during tn
war willing and ready to do whatever
you could in aid of the Union cause
(which side did you take wher
the insureent States were seeding
from the Union in 1860 and 1861
sDid you adhere to the Union
cause after the States had passed into
rebellion, or did you go with your
State !?
"What were your feelings concern
ing the battle of Bull Run or Manas
sas, the capture of New Orleans, the
fall of Vicksburg, and the final sur
render of the Confederate forces?"
The law allowed two years in which
to file claims of this character, and
the reports of the Commissioners
show that %, 1898 have been presented
for allowance. Ofthis number 1922
have been examined, and about half
thereof reported favorable to Con-
gress, to be paid, leaving still 13.076
claims unadjusted. The gross value
of all claims filed is SCOPES $50.
As has been shown "loyalty" is a
test of the validity of claims under
this general act, yet it has repeatedly
occurred before the Commission that
the most violent secesslonlsts and
rebels have endeavored by wholesale
deception and perjury to prove them
selves loyal and to recover on claims
that were fraudulent upon their face.
False swearing doubtless has carried a
few such claims successfully through,
but most of them have been rejected
as unworthy.
But what becomes Of the
TENS OF THOUSANDS
of other rebel claimants who have
not dared to venture before the
"iron- clad" com mission, but who re-
gard themselves az equally entitled
with loyal men to compensation for
private property taken or destroyed
by the Union armies. Before what
commission" are they to obtain re.
fyeas : ibis question they prompts
country by eleoting a tribunal where
disloyaIty commands premium
rather than works a disability. A
peep into the files of the House
shows how thoroughly ready they
are to improve their opportunity.
There, among the various bills under
consideration, are scores providing
for special relief of this class OF
claimants and it is significant that
not half dozen even suggest 'loyal-
tyn as an excuse for their pay ment.
The character of these claims may
be judged by examining the follow
ing briefs made from the face of the
bills as introduced. and showing the
name of the introducer, the amount
and purpose of the appropriation
By Mr.. Harrison, of Ala. A bill
to pay the Medical College of Ala
bama $4,000 for loss sustained by
military occupancy
BY Mr.. Clarke, Mo. A bill to pay
the University of Missouri SIT ,475
for damages done by the soldiers OF
the Union army.
By Mr.. Young, Tenn. A bill to
pay La Grange Synodical College,
Tennessee, $34, 300 for rent and de-
struction of building by United
States troops.
By Mr.. House, Tenn. A bill to
pay Shelby Medical College OF Nash
Vile $40, 604.9O Torrent and for prep
erty taken from said building during
the war.
By Mr.. Tucker, va. A bill to pay
Washington and Lee University
formerly Washington University
SIT, 484 for injury done to said uni
versity in June, 1864.
By Mr.. Riddle, Tenn. A bill to
pay Cumberland University, Tenn
essee, $4,000 for property appropri.
ated by Union soldiers.
By Mr.. Durham, Va. 4 bill to
pay Madison Female Academy SlO,-
325 for damage done said institution
by Union troops.
By Mr.. Bright, Tenn. A bill to
pay the Presbyterian Church OF
Murfreesborough, Tennessee, S1O,-
600, said church having been used as
hospital for sick and wounded
Union soldiers.
By Mr.. House, Tenn. A bill tc
pay Duncan MARI s8,024 for wood
and brick taken from him at Clarks-
vile, Tennessee.
By Mr.. House, Tenn. A bill tc
pay Andrew duncan, of Nashville
$50, 229, on account of property taken
and used by United States military
forces.
By Mr.. House, Tenn. A bill &c
pay Mrs. Sarah A. Turner sl2, 400
for damage done to property at bel
home in Rutherford county, Ten
nessee.
By Mr.. Bright, Tenn. A bill tc
paw Thos. Hoard s58, 995 for supplies
taken and used by the army of the
United States from the farm of said
Hoard, (the battle ground Of Stone
River,) near Murfreesboro, Tennes
see.
By Mr.. Atkins, Tennessee. A
bill to refund to the citizens o.
McNarry county, Tennessee, certain
sums of money, aggregating $40, 600
Estimated the same having been
forced loan under a special order by
Col. J. w. Harvey, 46th Illinois vol
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