St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1878-03-15
Perils of the Treasury.

We would not do the Southern Dem
| Ocrats in Congress the injustice to ac-
cuse them of forming a conspiracy to
undermine the Treasury, but at the
same time, we submit that there is good
ground to suspect that they act together
in supporting IA class of legislation which
| would bankrupt the Government. We
desire to call attention to the following
bills now i'll the hands of House Com
mittees and ask our readers to Judge
for themselves us to their purpOrt and
the intention of their authors.
By the proclamation of President
johnson, the state of insurrection in the
United States ceased to exist August
20, 1866. The decisions of the Courts
OF the United States make this date the
termination of the war. The date was
fixed at that period because certain
portions of the South, notably Texas,
were occupied by Federal troops until
that time. Now Congressman Mills OF
Texas brings in bill which declares
that the rebellion ended June 30, 1865
thus shortening the period of the in
surrection more than year. Why is
this After the date when the rebellion
was declared to have ended, there were
no disloyal people. If any considerable
class can establish the fact that they
suffered injury between the date of
President JOhnsOn's proclamation of the
end of the war and the date fixed by
Mr.. Mills, they can claim compensation,
since after legal declaration that the
war ended ut certain date there could
be no disloyal persons thereafter. 1t is
said that large number of claims will
lNn Fad L
comes Il law.
All the claims for pro nerty destroyed
or taken by Federal armies in the South
have been considered by tribunal
created for the purpose, known as the
Southern Claims Commission. Many of
these claims have already been rejected
two or three times. Many have doubt
less been granted which were Justly
barred, simply because the claimants
committed perjury. Representative
Shelley has presented bill which pro-
vldes for the transfer of all these re-
jected claims to the Court of Claims.
where the question of loyalty is not
raised. The bill also extends the time
for presenting and preparing to prove
such claims three years. This bill
would give every variety of claim grow
ing out of the war, now rejected, new
standing in a court where the test of
loyalty is not applied, or rather is APP
piled so as to help the claimant, since
the bill provides that such claimant
shall only be required to prove that he
has been loyal since his property was
seized.
The proposition to refund the cotton
tax has been renewed, so as to have it
paid back to the original owners. 1t
amounts to over S6O,00O,0OO. Con-
gresham Reagan of Texas has intro
duced bill to repeal the joint resolu-
ton which declared the forfeiture of all
claims OF persons engaging in the Re-
belllon, of date earlier than April,
1861. Mr.. Cause has introduced bill
which provides for the distribution of
the proceeds of the sales of "lost and
abandoned property" among Southern
claimants. In 1864 Congress gave the
claimants of such property two years in
which to file their claims. That limit
expired ten years ago, but Mr.. Cause
would remove the safeguards and open
the doors OF the Treasury to new
raid. The proceeds of the sales of such
property were $27 100000. The claims
already filed amount to 49,, OOO, 900 and
are still coming.
These will serve as samples of the
general legislation which the Southern
Democrats are pressing, and which,
when they become stronger, they will
demand. In addition there are hun
dreds OF bills to relieve special claim
ants which await the action of commit
tees.
When the safeguards so wisely placed
to protect the Treasury from all such
claims are removed, the test of loyalty
no longer required, and new life given
to claims rejected ten years since, the