Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1878-08-02
Rebel Claims.

In letter as late as Oct. 81, 1873,
but published, we believe, in 1876, r.
M. L. Hunter, of Virginia, an United
States Senator from that State prior to
the rebellion, and now, as then, a great
man in the Confederacy, elaborates a
plan by which the old STAKEHOLDER may
evade the prohibitory clause of the
fourteenth amendment respecting in
demnity for slaves liberated by the war.
Hunters sagacity is only equalled by
his loyalty. The fourteenth amendment
abolishes an institution of the Con-
federacy. 1t eXpels the last vestige of
slavery from its soil and prohibits all
compensation for slaves freed by the
war. But the astute Hunter discovers
that the prohibitory clause is unconsti-
tutional, and therefore nugatory. The
slaves were private property; their for
cible emancipation was in the nat
ure of seizing that property for public
use without compensation; that the
claim is in the individual owner; that
fourteenth amendment, had no power
or right to divert it, and that conse-
quently the owners of that property
under the Constitution have valid or
bona fde claims for reasonable COM
pensation, to wit: $400, 100000.
But discovery so sagacious was not
original with the astute Hunter. AS
early as 1867, in the Maryland Consti-
tutional Convention, he was anticipated
by the equally sapient onventionists.
They formally asserted the claim un-
der the Constitution. They authorized
the Legislature of Maryland to receive
and dispose OF the amounts due to their
old slaveholding citizens when paid by
the United States, and notoriously, in
that as in other of the old slaveholding
States, lists of the slaves emancipated
have been prepared, and the claims
covering their value only await for
their payment the harvest of wholesale
plumber when the Democracy shall pass
into power.
But in Missouri the climax of rapaci-
tyin proposed plunder has beenreached.
1t is, however, only preliminary-only
precedent-for further wholesale or
general spoliation. In Missouri, State
Commission has investigated and Off
cial CERTIFICATES have been awarded to
all claimants for compensation for
loses incurred or supplies taken by the
rebel forces which overran its territory,
and these certificates, as the claims for
indemnity for slaves, only await the
success Of the Democracy to be prompt
ly honored by the Government.
Indeed, as precedents for their pay
ment, two bills in the Forty-fourth Con-
gress were introduced by Messrs. Knott,
of Kentucky, and House, of Tennessee,
appropriating small amounts for prop
erty and supplies seized by the rebel
forces, and if they are passed or recog-
nized by Congress, and should the ma
ton be again inflicted with Demo-
cratic Administration, Missouri and
every State South will realize the pro-
digious amounts these claims will in
volve.
What amount these Missouri claims
have reached we do not know, but the
known aggregate so far of rebel claims
actually presented or demanded is real
ly appalling! Already it equals $2,-
985, 554, 1927, to-wit;
Refunding direct tax of 1861. ..... $2,493,llO
Refunding cotton tax principal and
Special relief bills (FForrty-fourth O'-'V'-''O
,Congress). ,:............ ;.....; 2lsl ,497
Use and destruction of property and
supplies destroyed or used by
Union forces in the Confederate
States. ......,......... 2,4lO,926 $50
Compensation for slaves, ...;.. 4OO,OOO,C00
Payment of rebel mail contractors
up to July /, 1856. $4,000