Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1876-09-15
A Thousand Million Dollars Wanted.

An act "To facilitate the adjustment and |
settlement Of claims Of citizens Of the United |
States for stores and supplies taken or fur. |
nished during the rebellion for the use of
the army Of the United States, and for other
purposes"
This bill, introduced in Congress by
Wiltshire, of Arkansas, just before the |
adjournment, has significance not com |
pretended by the casual reader or
thinker. The purpose, however, is
direct, and 1t is a matter of surprise that |
any Democratic member of the House at
this time could have been persuaded into
cmbodying in a proposition intended toll
become law scope of possibilities so
disastrous and ruinous to the country.
The first section of the bill amounts TO |
this: That all citizens having any such
claims, including the loss of vessels and !
caFgoes, the emancipation of slaves, in
| jury to property, commercial inconven-
fences, and every species of damage re-
sulting directly or indirectly from inva
sion by q victorious army, whether for
actual maintenance or for incidental APP
plication of personal effects, may institute
! suit against the Government in the Dis
! trict Court of the United States for the
district where the losses were incurred,
and courts are required to hear cases,
whatever may be the sum involved.
Another section makes it the duty of
the United States District-Attorney to
represent the Government in each dis
trict, and when he is absent, or the func-
tions of his office are suspended, the
| United States Marshal is to serve valid
writ or process, by pasting copy on the
door of the United States courthouse,
and this shall be held sufficient to author
ize a trial in all cases.
1t goes on further to state that "fces
are to be paid to Attorneys, Marshals
and Clerks according to the amount re-
corded, or to be recorded by the plaintiff"
And then an important item comes in
clearly expressed:
In all cases of final judgment the sum
awarded shall be paid out OF any general ap-
| preparation made by the Government, upon
presentation of the judgment TO the Secre-
tary of the Treasury, with interest at
per cent from date of rendition of judg
| mcnt.
To clear away every obstacle in this
contemplated wholesale raid upon the
Treasury, it is proposed that the laws
passed to protect the Treasury in 1871,
1879 and 1878, together with the Com
mission of Claims, are repealed, and all
books, records, or papers filed with the
Commission of Claims are to be deposit
ed with the Department of Justice, and
to be delivered over to the District
Courts where cases are brought for
claims"
This is comprehensive enough for the
most skeptical. 1t is, in fact, the most
sweeping of all Southern attempts yet
inaugurated for depicting the Treasury
of the United States. 1t is measure to
reward Southern rebels for their fruit
less endeavors to destroy the Republic.
Through it's cunningly-worded provisions
the Southern traitors are to be fully and
> amply reimbursed for all damages Incl
dent to the war; and every advantage is
, given the claimant, and the bill is put
forth mainly in the interests of Southern
. autocrats whose property was lost in
the vain effort to establish a slave oil
! garchy upon the ruins of the Union.
, These suits are to be heard in the
: districts where the losses are incurred"
| This is master stroke of policy. 1t
{ means the trial shall be in the South /;
the witnesses from the immediate neigh
borhood the Judges slightly biased
e through ambition to cultivate popularity
r among their constituents, and the whole
proceedings under the direct influence
j of similar grievances to be redressed.
Should Samuel j. Tilden, through any
4 means of political trickery, in which he
c is consummate master, succeed in his
: election to the Presidency, it would prob
. ably involve the Congressional districts,
i carrying them for the Democracy, and
e the State Legislatures going with the
a same would secure the Senate, when the
, machinery of the Government would be
wholly in their hands. Under such a
state of public affairs Mr.. Wilshire's bill
. would speedily become law, the courts
> would be largely, if not absolutely, under
7 the control of the Administration, and
u the rush upon the Treasury would begin
: The amount it would take to satisfy this
demand can scarcely be realized. Care
= full and able men, whose positions have
y given them the knowledge upon which tC
o base a tolerably correct estimate, think
o the sum would not fall short of one thou
IT sand million dollars.
. Every clause in this bill is intended tt
4 make the collection of these claims al
e easy matter, while not one safeguard il
d thrown around the Treasury. NOquestiOI
y is asked relative to the claimants loya
:, n status during the rebellion. The Unior
= and Confederate soldiers are forced upoI
an equal footing Notwithstanding thr
v former gave all-home, friends, property
II yea, life itseif-tO save the country
N while the latter sustained their losses il
n the mad effort to destroy it. Under thi
2. bill of the astute Mr.. Wiltshire the con
s trast is amply sufficient in that, Will
,r there is no adequate redress for UniO
T. soldiers in their great sacrifices, the rebel
r are to be paid even TO the uttermos
IN farthing.
The claims from Southern sources al
le ready before the Commissioners amour
n to something over one hundred millio
n. dollars. These claims for damages, i
t, most part fraudulent, have been refuse
j. under Republican rule; but let this bl
l. become a law and the one hundred mil
ions will not only quickly be paid, bu
o. swelled in proportions to thousan
ne millions-nearly, if not quite, half tn
Sc present national debt.
lis Are the American people prepared fC
rd a crisis of this character? Are the oil
n. veteran heroes of the war to be Statistic
ly with this misapplication Of their services
d. Are they willing to step out from b.
n meath the banner of victory and, placin
.e- themselves side by side with those who
'e- they conquered, say "We ask nothin,
MS not even considerate remembrance, fl
IL our sufferings in preserving the Uniol
lr. and are willing you should be paid doll
IN for dollar for every wrong or injury v
nd may have inflicted in thus sustaining Il
a integrity and unity of the Republic"g-
is The Republic.
de
tic Tudo,i. c+ooL ororo+;or,