Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1876-08-25

ONbT " ClllhtuS vi lut E0Ohti ipl iOooOo NhhS-
cd by the rebellion. But this extreme lib
erality only gave zest to the presentation of
claims against the United States that If al
lowed would double the national debt.
These claims now endanger our whole
financial system.
have here in my hand a list of one hun
dred and forty separate claims now pend
ing in the Democratic House of Represen-
tatives, amounting to 81, ,5S2, ,260, every one
OF which is for injuries caused by our army
in rebel States during tho war. Here is
another bill introduced in the Senate by
Mr.. Merrimon of North Carolina to revive
the claims which existed in the South prior
to April l3, 1861, in favor Of persons "who
promoted, encouraged or in any manner
sustained the late rebellion" These in
clude postmaslers, custom-house officers
and other agents of the Government, who at
the beginning of the war paid over TO the
Confederate States the balance due from
them 10 the United States.
REFUNDINa THE COTTON TAX.
AT the close of the war, when every in
dustry, employment, trade or production
VI lub lOydl OldltS was htdNlly hdAOu W
meet the enormous cost of the war, Con-
gress placed upon cotton tax of three
cents pound. This produced from 1868 10
1868 the sum of SOS, ,072 ,0SS, and was then re-
pealed. II was substantially the only war
tax paid by the South, when the aggregate
taxes collected in the loyal States was still
S400, ,000, 900 for one year. This cotton tax
was charged by the producer 10 the con-
sumner when the cotton was sold, and was
scarcely felt by The planter who raised the
ton. And yet every year since there has
been a persistent demand for the refund
ing of this cotton Tax, not 10 the men who
paid it, but 10 the States in which it was
paid and as sure as fate this tax will be
refunded by the first Congress after the
Democratic party Is restored 10 power. !
have in my hand fifteen different bills,
now pending in the Democratic House of
Representatives, to refund this cotton tax,
and the proceeds of captured and abandon
ed property, and TO make easy this whole
sale raid on The Treasury Of the United
States.
PAYING THE BILLS OF REBELS.
And, fellow citizens, l have here bills
pending in that Democratic House more
wide-reaching still. Here is bill intro
duced by Mr.. Wiltshire of Arkansas, now
pending before the Committee on War
Claims in the House of Representatives.
This bill provides:
"That all citizens of the United States
having claims against the United States for
stores or supplies taken or furnished dur
Al.s.llf ns,fl sNf
the United States, including the use and
loss of vessels, or boats while employed in
the military service of the United States,
may institute suit against the United States
for the adjustment and recovery of such
claims in The District Court OF the United
States for the district in which such stores
or supplies may have been taken or furn-
ished, or such vessels or boats may have
been used or lost"
Reflect n moment. ALL citizens OF the
United States, rebels as we'll as loyal citi
zens, having claims for stores or supplies
taken or furnished during the rebellion for
the use of the army, including the use Of
boats, may sue the United States, and re-
cover the value thereof. The loyal people
must pay all the war taxes, submit TO the
loss Inflicted by rebel raiders, and then
pay for all the forage taken by our troops
when within the rebel lines, all the rails
burned, all the corn, sweet potatoes, and
turkeys consumed.
MILLIONS FOR DAMAGES TO REBELS.
But, fellow. citizens, TO complete our liza
bility, l have here another bill introduced
by Mr.. Riddle of Tennessee, and now pend
ing before the Judiciary Committee of the
House, which directs the Secretary of War
TO allow and pay 10 all citizens of the Unit
ed States, rebel as well as loyal, reason
able compensation for the use of their prop
erty by the United States army or any part
thereof during the late civil war. Every
camping ground; every field of battle;
every march or retreat; every tree cut
down every grain-field injured by any
officer or soldier in our army-for each and
all of those are part OF the army-must be
paid for at a reasonable rate. Suppose a
rebel Secretary of War, such as Tilden
would naturally select, was armed with
this authority, what countless claims would
be fastened upon the Treasury! An intel
ligent writer has estimated the amount COW
cred by these two bills at $,2il0, 0,OO0,0 900.
Whether this be exaggerated or not, 1t is
apparent that under such legislation the
Treasury would be utterly bankrupt. We
know from the experience of the Southern
Claims Commission the tendency 10 swell
such claims by perjury and fraud. The
number of claims decided was 9222. The
amount claimed was $40, 1858, ,437.5l; the
amount allowed was So, ,056, ,S94.00; the
amount dlsallowed was SIG, ,205, ,542, and we
hap nf aI
lowed were fraudulent and grossly exag-
gerated. How will it be when all the guards
thrown about this tribunal and other Of
ficers and courts authorized 10 pass upon
claims shall be broken down and they are
filled by men in sympathy with the rebel
lion?
DEMOCRATIC CONFESSION OF ERROR.
And now, fellow citizens, let us examine
upon what principle or policy it is propos-
ed to restore the Democratic party TO pow
er. have said in the Senate, and now
repeat it to you, that the Democratic party
does not dare TO present a single issue up-
on which it has stood since the foundation
of the Republican party; not one. We
have been engaged in no holiday work.
The war looms up now in the distance, but
it is mountain in the skies. Our right to
wage it, our measures of finance, our organ
ization of armies, the abolition of slavery,
and the reconstruction of revolted States,
with the infinite number OF collateral ques-
tions, once fiercely disputed, now almost
forgotton-all are settled and by tho Repub-
lican party. Every slep in this history we
met and overcame the opposition of the
Democratic party, and now we can proud