Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1878-09-25
Southern Claims,

eeining lhe southern CLAIMS W hhoNh
on examination to have no basis on
which TO stand, Andon closer inspee
ton II will appear that Republican cam
paign thunder Is the most audacious
tissue OF lalsehood ever presented IA
an intelligent people The payment al
sothen claims was inaugurated under
Republican rule, II was advocated In
both branches Of Of congress by Re
publican leaders, and tho great mass
Of claims already paid have been ap-
proved by Republican Legislators, or
allowed by Republican courts, II can
not DO denied that every law or decl'
sion Of tho courts under by virtue OF
which southern claims have been paid
and under which payment is now
claimed was originated and enacted by
q Republican congress and interpreted
by Republican judiciary, all the Of
fees OF the government since the close
Of the war prior to the forty.iourlh
oonrcsS, legislative and executive, hay'
ing been held by the republican party
In addition to passing all laws under
which payments could be made, we
find that the Republican party, prior
to 1876, has actually paid Of southern
CLAIMS more than 100000, 900.
In the speeches made by Republic
can congressman on this subject which
are thrown broadcast over the country
1t will be found that their compilation
OF the claims presented to this con-
gress ia a gross perversion OF facts. 1t
started ont with the statement that
thirty-scve hundred and ten bills Of
this character were introduced, when
N reality the total number is only
six hundred and tlirty.onc. The num-
Der is multiplied six times. This may
be an unintentional mistake onthe part
Of the Republicans, but We have yet
to find Republican newspaper hon
orable enough either to correct the
mistake or prove the original state
ment. To aggregate the large mum
Der Of so called claims that they
vauntingly parade, one bill is repeated
"a times, in their compilation, another
40 times, another 20 times, another
"a times, another 70 times, another
II times, and others in corresponding
ratio. As we have before remarked,
the danger lies not in the number Or
the amount PRESENTED, but the num-
Der and amount OF those PAID.
The bills reported from the CON-
mittee on war claims at the first SEES
sion Of the torty-lhird, congress
amounted to the sum of $5,9l2,790.
That was a Republican congress. The
same committee Of the forty-fourth
congress,the first Democratic congress
at the first session epolted bills favor,
able to the amount of $2l5,3Gl. The
present congress has not paid to ex-
coed $4,000 of sothern claims and pay
ment in these cases were urged by the
Republican side of the House. The
test case OF the present congress was
the bill for the relief of William and
Mary college, of Virginia. The ablest
speech made in favor of its paymnet
was by Republican from Massach
sets, and the leading speech against
it by a Democrat from Wisconsin, and
strange to say this case which has pro.
voked so much. debate at
this session Of congress and which
has acquired such newspaper notority
was passed without serious opposition
by the Republican house Of the forty.
second congress. This is specimen
Of Republican mendacity, and it will
without doubt be migrated in their
platform of principles in the coming
campaign.-We People, Concord,
N. II.
The people feel that all the bad
time and accompanying misery are