Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1878-07-08
r SNOWDEN

PUBLISHED DAILY AMI 4h4-HIAhAA -
EDGAR SNOWDEN.
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MONDAY EVENING, JULY s. 1878.
, =, We are By no means favorable to SO calico
. southern claims The South made gallant
. SIGHT for constitutional government, but was
defeated, and has to stand the inevitable conse'
oueuces Ct defeat, and among those conse'
ouences are the losses her citizens sustained by
reason of the war. There are, however, some
few claims under this head that are both legal
and equitable, and that any other civilized gov
!, eInmInt but that of the United States would
Day, Fhe House of Representatives, however. at
f,s late session eDdeavored to prevent forever the
+, owners of such claims from obtaining their just
dues and that too. by trick unworthy almost
Of "a average Congressman. 1t passed bill,
by the aid Of southern democrats. cuuniDgly
devised to cheat the South, for while it appar.
emily opened the door to fair consideration Of
those claims, it 10 fact ingeniously, but mono
the less effectively, forever barred their pay.
ment.
= Mr.. Carkson N. Potter, of Now York, under
the suspension Of the rules, two days before
the adjournment reported tho following bill,
as having been unanimously agreed upon by
the Committee on Civil Service Reform
1t passed the House by lGG yeas to
"a nays, and every southern member
present save one voted for it. OF eighty
southern members who voted on the bill 70
voted yea. They knew, of COURSE, that even
if the bill went through tho Senate and was
signed by the President, not a single southern
man would be benefited by it. Ii they did net
know it they we're too Indifferent to tho inter
es,s of those who elected them and did uot e1-
anime the "stntute of limitation feqtue' of
the bill, or failed to comprehend it. Ia either
ease they did not fulfill the trust oonfaed to
them:
b it enacted. g., That any person who
may have claim against the United States, OF
which the Court Of Claims would not DOW
have Jurisdiction. but founded upon equity and
ustice. AND NOT BARRED BIZ ANY
STATUTE OF LIMITATION PROVIDED
BY ANY Law OF TIE UNITED STATES,
may file his bill in the Court Of Claims of the
United States, setting out the grounds OF kls
claim and the relief desired by hi1G!1And the
Attorney General of the United States shall
appear and plead thereto as provided for other
casee.
Sec, 2. Any issue Of fact joned upon such
till may be tried by the Court az now provided
for cases of which it has jurisdiction.
Sec. 3. The Court shall fnd the facts ap
bearing from testimony before them 10 each
case and shall report their taad.ngs to Congress
a1ith their opinion as to the determination that
should he made Of such claim.
Sec. a. Congress shall not consider, nor allow,
nor authorize the payment Of any private claim
not payable under existing laws until the same
has been heard and reported to Congress by
said Court Of Claims as herein provided.
Secs All claims against the United States,
provided for Dy this act, not prosecuted nllhiu
six years from the passage Of this act, or OF the
time when the same severally accrued, shall
DO barred, except that when the claimants are
under legal disability to sue, the aclion must
be brought within six years or within three
years after suoh disability shall cease.
The above bill is nothing less than notifca-
ton Of the intention Of those who voted for it.
10 pass laws a. the next session of Congress
regulating every debt of the United States
Originating ID any Otate 1o@' n0o o'eA wv
REGARDED as one of the southern States. Not
only reputation, but mark section 4-"Con'
gress shall not consider, nor alolo nor authorize
the payment Of any private claim until tho same
has been heard aud reported to Congress- by
said Court of Claims as herein provided y
The first section of the bill closes tho doors oil
the Court by the statute Of limitations then
The fourth section shuts the doors Of Congress
except by an impossible way through said
Court 1t is not surprising that this bill did
not leave the committee that had charge Of il
until the last hours Of the session, but having
been reported. that it should have passed, and
that too by tho votes of southern members
exceeds the bounds of ordinary conception.