Weekly Trinity journal., 1876-09-16
THE CONFEDERATE CLAIMS.

! 1t is perhaps fortunate in one respect
that the Democrats obtained control of
one branch of Congress, as thereby the
people can be guided to certain extent
as to what will be the course of the par
ty in the event of its obtaining full sway
in the government of the country. 1t
might be supposed that the more astute
! leaders Of the Democratic party would
have foreseen the probable effect of this
''show of hands," and endeavored 20
check the exuberant feelings which a
temporary triumph had aroused in less
polite Demscratic breasts. But whether
such was or was not the case, the House
of Representatives has been the theater
for display Of Democratic designs not
well calculated to produce feeling of
confidence in that grand old party in the
average American bosom.
Without instancing the little peccadil
loes of party character which charac-
terized the late House, we shall refer to
the number and character of the meas
ures introduced to reimburse Southern
ers for the damages done by the Union
forces during the war. Already more
than one hundred bills have been intro
duced providing for the payment of these
different claims, which vary in amount
from two or three hundred to many thous
ands of dollars. Two questions naturally
suggest themselves by perusal of the
list of bills introduced-are these claims
just ones, and if so, why is their present.
alton delayed until this late day? For if
the claims are just and proper, there can
be no question but they should be
promptly paid. But in addition to the
introduction of these special laws, there
was also introduced general law, inten-
ded to cover all eases of this nature. 1t
is there provided that the cases shall be
prosecuted in the United States Courts,
and that the oath Of the claimant corrob-
Grated by that of one other witness, shall
be deemed ample evidence, though the
claimant is generously permitted to bring
in other evidence to substantive his
claim. Any man can see wha! a field for
rascality is here opened. Since the in
PRODUCTION of the special bills has shown
more fully the various pretexts which
will be used to get a grab at Uncle
Sans greenbacks, a calculation has
been made by gentleman familiar with
the subject, and it appears that the ag-
gregate of the sums thus thrust forward
will reach the nice little amount of more
than two thousand millions of dollars
And after all, this is but q step toward
national bankruptcy. For though the
Democratic platform affirms and accepts
the Constitutional amendments, we
know that in the opinion of that class Of
Democrats which rule the party's policy,
those amendments were not legally
adopted, and in the event of a Democratic
! restoration, the Fourteenth Amendment
which prohibits the payment of any por-
| ton of the rebel debt, or for the slaves
emancipated as war measure, will be
treated as a nulity and the credit of the
government at once put to the task Of
! discharping these assumed Obligations
and although the design may not be car
ried out to the full extent hoped for,
they will yet serve to destroy the national
credit, and load us down with obligations
which another century will hardly clear
away. If these Confederate claims had
foundation in justice, they would have
! been presented for action long ere this,
not waiting until dominant partisan in.
fuence could be brought to bear in their
favor. And it is withal, a legitimate
source Of wonderment' that they are
! brought forward even thus early. For it
must be patent to those hoping to make a
grab into the Treasury in this manner,
! that no claim of this character can hope
to pass both branches of Congress and
receive the Executive sanction without
receiving the severest scrutiny. The
time has hardly yet arrived to foist bo-
gus claims Of this nature on the country
with any fair hope Of success, but the
partial triumph Of the Democracy has
crazed the less astute portion Of it and
they act, like the old Saxons, as if the
days OF their seven Kingdoms had come
again. But it cannot be denied that the
signs of the times indicate that tri-
umph of Democratic "reform" means a
double and treble addition to the volume
Of debts which a Democratic war fastened
upon the country.