The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1878-08-24
Hendricks on Southern Claims.

The specious plea of Mr.. Hendricks and the
Democratic leaders generally that the Constitu-
ton prevents the payment of Southern claims
is certainly put very plausbly, namely: 'You
are to be told that the success of the Demo
cratic party means payment for slaves and
Southern claims, even to the bankrupting of
the Treasury. Can it be necessary to say that
the fourteenth amendment to the Constitution
forbds much that you are assured we will do?
The constitutional provisions are that neither
the United States nor any State shall assume
or pay any debt or obligation incurred in aid Of
insurrecton or rebellion against the United
States, or any claim for the loss or emancipa-
ton of any slave. Any man who tells you that
an obligation can be assumed or paid in VIOLA
tion of the Constitution deals falsely with you."
But the futility, subterfuge and sophistry of
this plea is shown by the very clause of the
Constitution quoted by Mr.. Hendricks; and
since he charges others with dealing falsely
who intimate that the Democracy will pay
Southern claims if they get the power to do so,
we are at liberty to charge him with dealing
falsely in making such plea. Mr.. Hendricks
should know, and doubtless does know, that
the,re is vast area for the production of South
ern claims not covered by the article of the
Const tuition; that there are many hundreds Of
such cl l.ims, involving hundreds of mllionsof
dollars, low before Congress and the several
DeoartmeI ITS of the Government; and that
hundreds lpore are to be presented and urged
in the event ,,f the complete asdendancy of the
Democratic party.
/. Claims for the refunding of the tax on
raw cotton, amou nting to three cents per pound,
levied and collected in 1866 and 1867, aggregat-
ing about $70,0O0,0O0.
q Claims for the value of cotton. sugar and
tobacco seized and sold by the United States
under the so called Observation-Disclosures
property acts of 1868 and 1864.
g. Claims for the value of cotton seized by
agents of the Government after June 30, 1865,
contrary to law and in violation of their orders
T. Claims for stores or supplies, including
steamboats, and other vessels, taken for the
military or naval purposes of the United
States.
5. Claims for rent of buildings, wharves,
and lands occupied by the United States in
the insurrectonary districts during the war.
6. Claims for property destroyed or dam
aged in a deliberate and orderly manner by
competent authority, as a military necessity
on the part of the United States in further
auce of the operations of the Federal forces,
or in obstruction of the operations Of the en-
emy.
7. Claims for slaves enlisted in the Federal
army from the loyal border States and only
partly settled when proceedings were sus.
pended by act of March 30, 1867.
These seven classes of Southern claims, 1t is
believed, will involve an aggregate amount of
not less than $3.50, 900, 900. and there are many
other varied forms of claims which may be,
and doubtless will be, presented, if the Democ-
rvcy come into power, with Its Northern wing,
a. it has in the past, and will bs in the future,
entirely subservient to the solid Democratic
South.