Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1877-09-29
Vireinia's Claims.

ers, United States Senators OF Virginia, s1d
the Hon. B. B. Douglass, John Goode, It.
G. Walker, - orgerson, Geo. Q. Ca6ell,
John R. Tucker, John T. Harris, Eppa Hun
ton and - Pridmore, Virginia Represen.
tatves in Congress
GESTLEMEN-You are aware that the Legis
lature of Virginia bias repeatedly and urgently
passed resolutions invoking your Influence TO
obtain from the United States just, equitable
and legal claim which she has against the United
States; and recently the great Convention which
set in Richmond 1.-THE largest which ever assem-,
bIed 10 Virginia) had the subject before it.
Many Of the tax payers Gudgiog from letters
rcceived) have taken up the subject, and seem
to thiDk.,he matter has been neglected by the
agents of the State and by their representatives
10 Congress. Ifany apology is required for
making this appeal to you it is:hoped the cir
cumstauces ucder which it is made will be
deemed by you sufficient. All the circumstances
CONNECTED with the case may not be koowu to
you--some Of them certainly are not-and l
ak leave, as briefly as possible, to acquaint you
With them.
Advances made by Virginia and other States
fer carrying 90 the war OF 1872 with Great Brl
tain, was the origin OF The debt.
1t vas many years alter the close OF the var
Of 1872 before the United States commenced
rciunding any portion o: tae advances THIS
made hg :he -tsteo, and when 1t did, an unjust
aLl arbitrary mode Of settlepcnt Was made
The States we're powcrless, and had TO receive
such smounts as the United States chose to pay.
They, however, protested agains! the Hode Of
settlement. Years after, the Stale and Uoited
States Courts decided: "a every case. that the
made OF set,!cG.eat conteaGcl for by the States
SA~ iegai and just.
10 1851 the State of Maryland. BY an spt OF
Congress. had her accouots reopcDcd and reset
lcI, aud she received $.iIu.Ws.
The Secretary Il the Treasury, by Il resoIu
ton Of Tie House Of Representatives, vas di.
!, y? ii 20 report TO Congress the amounts which
ee.c due to lireinia and other States, on the
same basis OF settlement made with Maryland,
AID 10 conformity to the decision Of the courts
aud the acts Of Congress. la June, 1888, the
report Of Mr. Cobb was made. as will presently
he seen.
Alter the Leglslat,.le sppolnted DIR. Thomas
Green and the undersigned her special agents
tie claim was presented 10 the Unlted States
Senate, and, alter iu discussion Was passed
by ms ority Of nearly two to oue; it went to
the House and TWO committees. Viz: the Com
mttee on Fnaooe aad toe Committee on Mill.
tarq haairJ. Each reported unanimously IN
rs favor but owing to q combination oil clrcum.
stances i. was, at the close Of the sessan, lost
by small majority. The war saaa amer came
on, and since, you we'll know, there has been no
disposition to nay CT reeognz! any claim from
the South. No man can deny the justice or
validity of this claim. Should it be paid Let
the following statement answer the question -
When cur revolutionary mar ended The Gov.
ernment of the United States found she was
largely indebted to her officers and soldiers who
had fought her battles and Won our indepcu.
dence The old Congress had made liberal
promises which the GoveTnuels was wholly
unable TO fulfill. It vas homeless and landles:;
she lsnls were owned By a few of The States
aud the Indians; the Government had Do credit
and there was a pail haueiog over it. Virginia
had won with her arGa that grand and magni.
6cent country thsa kuowo as the Northwest,
Of Ohio, Illinois, Indians, Michigan and Wis
cobsin. She came forward, and. in spirit of
generosity, beraty and patriotism which has
DO parallel in tho history of the world, donated
the whole Of that empire to the United States.
She dedicated it to freedom, and only stipulat-
ed that the pledges sha had made to her off.
GERS and soldiers should be redeemed by the
United States. TO have done 30 10 good faith
would not have required an area equal to ten
counties in any one of the these States; and yet
strange as it may seem, up to this day thOus
ands and thousands Of these claims remain un-
satisfied numbers Of them upon mere himsy
and technical pretexts, while the descendants
Of many of the patriots who sleep in soldiers
graves are in absolute want.
When it was decided to move the seat of gov.
eminent to Washington, public buildings had
to be erected The UDited States had not re-
covered from the Revolutionary war--it was 10
DO condition to make the necessary appropria.
TONS Again Virginia came forward and loaned
the United States $4,000 (then large sum-
'for the purpose of erecting public buildings.
Now, will it be believed, not one dollar of this
loan, principal or interest, las been refund ed
no, not one dollar; and as few, If any, of our
present members of Congress know anything
about this transaction, I have taken the pre-
caution to obtain the papers, and now refer TO
them: SEQ Hanniugs Statutes at Large, vol.
Is, page 1851. This was in 1870. 10 1850 the
Committee on Claims of the House of Repre-
scDtatigcs of the United States made report
and urged payment. Again in 1852, and sgaio
the judiciary Committee Of the House (the
Law Committee), (Sce House Reports of 3lst
OF lst Session 32d Congress; House Reports of
leI OCSoiVu oDA OUuStCscJ A>Us IIOIs nUOut
the same time two or three reports were made
10 the Uoited States Senate, all fully recogniz-
iDg the debt and all recommending the payment
with interest, which at this day would amount
to nearly $1,000 Notwithstanding this claim
passed the ordeal Of five committees, payment
up to this day has not been made.
When the war Of 1872 was forcad on US, the
United States was 10 no condition to carry it CO.
Some of the States came to her assistance.
Virginia was again in the van, and rendered
larger amount Of aid than all the others com.
bincd. Many long years elapsed before the
Uoited States could refund any Of the amounts
thus advanced. Virginia was not then in need.
She has not and never has been importunste.
Other States pressed their claims, aud most Of
them received the amount due; Massachusetts
and Maine. so late as 1870, received about
500. 900; Juue, 1858. the Secretary Of the
Treasury, II. Cobb, reported TO the House Of
Representatives that between one and two mil
lions Of dollars were due to Virginia 90 the
same basis OF settlement made with other
States .E
Sxty-three Senators, after an able debate,
f,,1l, 1,l- IL 4 1