The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1878-09-05
TFroln the N. Y. Tribune
SOUTHERN WAR CLAIMS.
The Demand Appalling
A Demand for $3.50, 100000 Already
This Only Part of What Will
Be Called For.

cation Of Southern claims, containing
much new matter which the taxpaying
North will not find reassuring reading.
From the classification are excluded all
claims for depredations committed by
our troops, or for damages committed by
| the Confederate Government upon loyal
citizens, or for emancipated slaves; or, in
other words, the demands which form a
| large proportion Of what are usually
known as Southern claims. This COM
! putation groups together the claims for
| the refund of the cotton tax, for proper
| ty seized and sold under the Captured
and Abandoned Property Act for cotton
seized according to law, for stores and
supplies-and under this head come a
great horde of disloyal claimants who
were given an equal standing in the
courts with loyal claimants by President
Johnson's proclamation as interpreted by
the Supreme Court; for rent of buildin gs
and lands occupied in the rebel territory;
for property deliberately destroyed or
damaged as military necessity, and for
slaves enlisted into the Union Army
from the border States. And the total
sum demanded under these seven classes,
is at the very lowest estimate $3.50 ,0OO,
000 Let it be remembered that this is
only partial representation of Southern
war claims that it includes none for
depredations committed by our troops.
Let it be remembered, also. that in addi-
ton to all this, the South has already
demanded during single session OF
Congress about $300,000 900 for internal
improvements. Two such sums make
startling total. Let it be observed, also,
that bill is pending in Congress to en-
large the Jurisdiction of the Court of
~ To ~ o1l o1
urged before different departments of
claims have been barred because of the
time allowed for presentation had expir-
ed. If this bill passes, however, disloyal
will stand as we'll as loyal claimants be-
fore the Court, because President John
sons proclamation removed the disabili-
ties in this respect which treason had
imposed. 1t will then only be necessary
for claimants to prove that their prop
erty was taken, which they can usually
do by showing the receipts our Army
officers gave them.
A COLOSSAL SCHEME OF ROBBERY.
WHAT THE CoNFEDERATEs AND DEMOCRATS
WANT THE GOVERNMENT FoR-wAR CLAIMS
FOR $350,000,000.
WASHINGTON, Aug GA classification
and statement of the estimated aggre-
gates of the Southern War Claims which
already have been prepared and in behalf
of which strong and persistent pressure
was and will be brought to bear upon Con
gress, is obtained from a gentleman who
has for many years occupied position
under the Government where his oppor-
tunities for forming correct opinion on
| this subject are unsurpassed. This gen
| IiuiIao no Cont hory, Wor G1o
| into seven classes, which he describes as
| follows:
COTTON, SUGAR, TOBACCO.
l. Claims for the refund of the tax
upon raw cotton amounting to three
cents perpound levied and collected in
| 1866 and 1867. The legal basis of these
claims is that the tax was substantially
an export tax, because no drawback was
allowed on cotton sent out of the coun-
try, and the tax was therefore contrary
to the spirit of the Constitution. But
the argument chiefly relied upon to Sc.
cure a refund of this tax is that it was
discriminating tax laid upon an agricul-
tural product in it's natural state and
most unjust in its operation because, the
price of raw cotton being regulated at
Liverpool, the tax fell wholly upon the
producer. The amount involved is about
$50,000,000 and the claims are chiefly
held or controlled by syndicate formed
| about eight years ago, by whom the agi-
| tation in Congress has been maintained.
The motives which led to the imposition
of this tax were found in the desire to
pay off portion of the enormous debt
which had been left as a legacy of the
war. To this end the industries of the
North were being taxed to their utmost
+Lo fp,h
ing nothing either to the support of the
Government or the payment of the pub
lie debt. All industries in the south ex-
cept agriculture had been prostrated,
and the special tax which was placed
upon cotton was thought to be the least
oppressive which could be devised to
give to that section small share of the
burden for the existence Of which it
alone was responsible. Nothing can now
be urged in support OF these claims which
was not apparent at the time the tax