The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1878-03-16
WASHINGTON.
The southern Claims-The Pro.
iessional Lobbyist and Claim
Hunter-MiIIions OF Dollars In.
yolved In these Claims.
WAsH1Noros, March "a, ls7s.

r.
The thousands Of claims which are
waiting TO be hurled against the Govern.
ment as soon as the opening wedge shall
have been driven in, have been brought
prominently before the country by the
strange lapse Of memory on the part Of
Judge Reagan, Postmaster General Of the
late Confeleracy. Mr.. Hale has taken
the trouble to bring together some Of
these vast schemes to deplete the Treasury,
and a startling exhibit they make. The
Southern "claim.charmer" Is more than
horrible nightmare; he is stern, per-
sistent and tireless reality.
THE CLAIM HUNTER.
There are certain varieties OF the hu-
man species which infest Washington
and hang on year after year without any
visible means Of support. Chief among
these Is the claim hunter, who soon ap-
propriates the peculiar arts OF nearly all
the other varieties. He ia more or less a
lobbyist at all times; prior to the creation
OF the Court OF Claims and the Southern
Claims Commission he was a lobbyist
before anything else. The Court and the
Commission have left the claimant less
to do in the way Of lobbying in the gen
eral accepta,ion Of that word. To every
claimant, however, there remains Of ne.
cessity large amount Of button holing
and pulling and hauling, while many
claimants must lobby in the departments
or 10 Congress or there is no chance lcr
them to realize on their hopes.
No matter from what part Of the coun.
try they come, or whatever may have
been their @preyious condition." nearly
all claimants get into the same grooves
and become very much alike. They are
gregarious-move in aocks and enjoy the
sweet solace Of each others woes. It is
not exactly the company Of misery, for
they all have hope; on hope they live and
fatten. They meet casually at the hotels,
at the Capitol-any where, everywhere
and, arguing by analogy, very easily talk
themselves into fortunes. They know all
the big claims ever got through, and II
these, why not their own2 They don't
tax their minds with the thousands that
have failed. Failure Ia barred; they
dream only Of success. A few-a small
and diminishing few-eome here able to
give great dinners but the dinnersdwindle
with their purses and soon they find their
level with the hopeful ones who don't
bother about purses. How most Of these
people live is q standing conuRdrum.
They must have food and raiment and
shelter, and. in Washington these things
mean money TO most people. The claim
hunter seems 10 be u law Of economy unto
himself. Some times he turns part OF his
claim into an available asset and gets an
advance on it; for this the claim must be
exceptionally promisiug or the lender a
good samaritan. The'great majority Of
claims brought here would not sell for
ten cents the basket full.
It has been no uncommon thing for a
claim hunter to come to Washington in
fair circumstances and expire financially
by dry rot. There are hundreds OF sto.
ries told to illustrate the hopeful tenacity
which enables a man TO hold on 10 moth.
ing while he lets what be has slip through
his fingers. Here is one Of the stories:
Soon alter the war Virginia gentleman
who had a
rlrrEgs THOUSAND DOLLAR CLAIM
against the government, remarked one
day to his spouse, "Wiie, | reckon III
hitch up and go to Washington and get
the money for this" With "Goo' BY
Back to- morrow" he jumped into his
buggy and drove to Washington. For
some reason he couldn't get his money
the frat day, SO be was obliged to go to a
hotel and stable his horses. The second
day brought the same experience. Days
ran into weeks; his landlord was pushing
him, and he was obliged to sell his turn.
out. By this time he had discovered that
claim hunting Is a business TO be learned
BY experience, requiring much patience,
early rising and close attention to bust.
ness. He had to live-at least he thought
he had-and as he couldn't raise money
on his claim lie raised it on his farm.
Weeks were swallowed up in months,
and months sought refuge in years. Still
the claim hangs Ere. The claim he has
with him, bat The horses, and the cattle,
and the farm are all gone. They say that
this Virginia gentleman is'still in Wash.
ingtop, and that he is going to get his
claim through to morrow, and to NOR.
row, and tomorrow.
Most numerous and conspicioua Of
claim hanters is the gentleman from the
south who was
"RuIsgD BY THE wAH sAH,"
| lost our lands, Lost our niggahs.i lost
eva thing but our ouah-by gawd sab
we KEEP our onahw He usually comes
| 10 town on short allowance Of ready cash
and II his wife doseh't take to keeping
boarders as a basisof supplies or II he cant
get an appointment At the House, he has
| 10 learn 10 do as others do-live on hope.
Since the new era Of conci!iation bemay
fud his way into department. Not a
few OF the Southern claimants are women,
who come with all sorts Of claims and
use all sorts Of means to get them put
through.
The report OF the Commissioners Of
Claims, recently published, gives some
| idea Of the extent to which the Southern
people have gone into the single branch
OF the claim business over which these
Commissioners have jurisdiction. By
act Of Congress, March 8, 1877, the Com.
missioners OF Claims are TO receive, ex.
anime and consider the justice and vail.
dity Of such claims rs shall be brought
before them, Of those citizens who re-
mained loyal adherents TO the cause and
the Government Of the United States
during the war, for Stores or supplies
taken or furnished during the rebellion
for the use Of the army Of the United
States In States proclaimed rs In insur.
rection against the United States, includ.
| ing the use and loss Of vessels or boats
while employed in the military service Of
the United States" Il is q prime