Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1876-10-27
The Democracy and the War claims.


West Virginia arrays itself with the
"solid South on the question of war
claims. That State cuts large figure
in the preposterous list of demands pre-
sented to Congress at its late session.
And it is noticeable that in regions
where these claims are more nurnerously
held the Democracy have theiy. greatest
strength. This is not an accidental co.
incidence. Gradually we are coming to
clear understanding of the determna-
ton of the eX-rebels to secure payment
for the property destroyed in the South
during the rebellion. They invited war.
In the presentation of that war much
property was wiped out of existence. y,
This was particularly true of West Vir-
ginia, which in the early campaign was
repeatedly fought over. The private re-
lief bills from that State are, according.
ly, very large. One man demands $204,-
600; another wants $54, 700; and Mr.
Hereford, who, as Chairman of the
House Committee of Commerce, pro-
posed to improve the mill.creeks of West
Virginia at public cost, has a" modest
claim in the House for $4,000. One
claimant demanded pay for sixty chick
ems, another for several chicken coops,
another for fence-rails, and one exacting
petitioner puts in a claim for a horse
valued at $2,3 300, and two barrels of
sugar at $50 each. The curiosities of
some of these bills would furnish inter-
esting reading to the taxpayers, but the
sum total is something astonishing. In
cluding the proposed refunding of the
cotton tax, the direct tax and the private
claims, Congress has been asked to pay
about $4, 800, ,000,0 on Southern ac-
count. 1t is expected that the United
States will pay the costs of both parties
engaged in the late conflict.
In West Virginia, we find, the numerous
claimants have not been able to suppress
their exultation over the anticipation of
Republicans fought good fight in that
State, but there was no such thing as
moving the men who believed that the
triumph of the Democracy meant cash
for their bills for damages. These men
are now so elated over their hopeful
prospects that they do not hesitate to
boast of the good time coming, when the
United States Government will pay for
all the damages of the war. This is
perfectly well understood in other States,
but in West Virginia, where the people
have longer brooded over their losses,
there is more outspokenness, possibly,
than in other localities. There is no
reason why such claimants should not
expect that the triumph of the Democra-
cy would insure the payment of their
bills. In fact, all of the initiatory steps
have been taken by the Democratic
House of Representatives. AS we have
seen, the so-called war claims introduced
at the late session of Congress amount
to thousands of millions. No action was
asked upon these; they were simply pre-
sented and referred. They are to be
considered when Congress meets, after
! the Presidential election. Whatever may
then be their fate, it is certain that they
will be pressed again and again, and the
"solid South" will demand of Demo
cratic Administration, whenever we have
one, that these demands shall be paid.
The usual answer to any statement of
this alarming conspiracy is that the
amended Constitution forbids the pay
ment of such claims as these. The men
who make that rejoinder know how dis
ingenious it is. The amendment simply
bars assumption of any portion of the
rebel debt and compensation for lost
slaves. Heretofore, Congressional legis-
lation has provided for the payment only
of Ulaims OF UlJlzens VINO were loyal to
the Union. Them is now in the House
of Representatives a BILL left over from
the last session, which ia designed to
change all this. By the passage of this
bill it will be enacted that the Secretary
of War shall pay the claims of all per-
sons who lost property during the war,
provided single witness shall certify
that such loss was caused by the use or
occupation of the Union forces. AT one
blow it is proposed to remove all South
ern war claims from the Claims Commits
sion and give them to the Secretary OF
War for adjudication. No distinction
between the assailants and defenders of
the Union is to be made. How Wade
Hampton, for example, would act as Sec
retary of War were these claims laid be-
fore him, we need not ask. ...u.
AS If TO make the way still palmer,
another bill yet in the files of the House,
and in condition to be acted upon, pro.
vides for the opening of the District
Courts in the South for the admission of
all kinds of war claims. And the House
Committee on War Claims have enun-
ciated the extraordinary doctrine that
pardoned or amnestied rebel is, TO all
intents and purposes, as fully entitled
to recover damages for seized or de-
stroyed property as II he had been loyal
during the war. In the case of Pirknell
and Brooks the committee reported that
the proof of such pardon Is equivalent TO
affirmative proof, under the statute of
captured and abandoned property, that
the party never gave aid and comfort to
the rebellion" 1t is easy TO see how
wide door to the public Treasury this
theory would open, If It were once an
established principle of the legislation