The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1879-02-19
War Claims IN Congress.
An Interesting Debate In Which Hon.
D. W. Aiken Took a Part.

An Interesting DeDSte n Wnlcn bon.
D. W. Aiken Took a Part.
The bill to pay John j. Armstrong, OF Vir-
ddria during the war, was discussed at length
Mr.. Conger, of Michigan, started off in Oppo-
sitlun to the bill, contcnding that II Its prin-
cIple was 4 correct one the troops that march
ed across Long Bridge ought to have been
TO meet the enemy and pay the owners of
property which was to be used for war pur-
poses what they demand for their property.
Mr.. shelley, Of Alabama, had nosympathy
generally with these war claims. There were
no Confcderates presenting sucli claims.
There were not IN Alabama twenty war
claims, and he certainly would not vote for
any Alabama claim wherein loyalty was set
Mr.. Butler, Of Massachusetts, expressed his
viewsOn war claims, so long as such claims
were presented for damages done during the
Ing between the sections OF the Union, Both
sides desired that ~"bygones should lie by
gones," and that all about the wal should he
forgotten. There was one thing. However,
the valor and patriotism OF those who fought
for the Union In the hour Of It's direst peril.
Nor would the bravery, earnestness. ,(hc
might say. loyalty, to the cause which they
cspouscd Of those who fought on the other
States should he put on the same ground that
the Fathers Of the Republic had put them
upon In the war of the Revolution, by assuni-
Ing their debts for raising and recruiting
troops, and after that let no claim arise out
the war, except the claims OF MANNED and
disabled soldiers; and with that determine
ton on the part OF the people Of the country
North and South-the time would not be far
take into charge OF the Government the
MANNED and disabled soldiers OF the South
ern army, remembering their courage, their
she mis:nfen nm" Iade pneer Which made them
fight upon the side they did.
Mr.. White, Of Pennsylvania, opposed the bill
as n war claim for the use OF and damages to
property In an insurrectionary State.
Mr.. Conger here spoke at length and spirit
against paying the rebel claim. For want OF
space we cannot publish II.
Mr.. Aiken, OF South Carolina Said: Mr..
Chairman, before the vote liz taken on this
bill I would like to say. q word IN reply TO
what fell from the lips Of the gentlemen from
Michigan, Mr.. CONCERT I wish to say to him
thnt had he waited n m1lie ne = ne ti,p YOU'D oun
tlmcnts OF at least the southern members on
this side Of the Hall. The gentleman is al
ways too fast. =.
only, ! will say that the gentleman from Mas
sachusctts Mr.. Butlerl uttered my sentiments
exactly. lam opposed to all these so-callcd
"%southern war claims. For an examination
OF tnem i refer LnC ScntleIlun lTOIl I1lClllBdu
to the Record containing n speech made on
this floor during last session by the gentleman
from Indianapolis, mfr. HANNAH An cxami-
nation Of that speech will show that one.
come from republicans. and that forty-nlne
out Of four hundred Of the claimants are men
living north of Washington City. Yet they
are all scheduled under the title Of southern
war claims
Mr.. Chairman, no man h was true to
the confederacy, whether he bore arms or not
will ever be found presenting a claim upon
this floor against the Government for DANA
thing left within the breast Of a confederate
that tells him he would compromise his hon.
or II he were to come and AK paymen Tor
damages one during that conflict, after he
in defense of what he believed to be rlghtand
just.
Mr.. Hanna: II SO, why was 1t, at the last
session, when we proposed to amend the Con-
stitutiOn so rs to bar these claims forever,
that sixty-one southern Representatives rOt.
cd against the adoption Of that amendment ?
Mr.. Aiken: In reply to that will say. the
gentleman must remember that every claim
upon the Pri,na Jucie evidence that the claim
ant Is a loyal citizen; and, sir. this Is no court
before which questions OF that Kind can he
tried. II 1t were. ! venture the assertion that
evidence could be brought 10 convince the
jury that the claimant was loyal at some time
or other to the Confederate states. Hence l
am opposed to bringing any southern claim
to Congress from the simple fact that we cam
not have both sides OF the question tested.
lam glad to know that there Is libcrality
enough on the other side OF the House to vote
for reimbursement TO cleemoSynary, reli-
gi0us, or educational institutions TINT were
damaged In the South during the war. For
one, my independence will not allow me to
vote even for them. I think that We should
20 back to first principles; that VIC should go
10 work and rebuild such institutions our.
alan IVn ricIy nl aNnrxthtnr nT that slr1
during the war. We have no favors to aSk Of
those who whipped us. We have ncknowI-
edged that we were OvcrpOwcrcd. and VIC arc
willing to come back ana 90 our best ior me
Union. Sir, I do honestly believe that to-day
the Treasury OF the Government OF the Uni
ted states would he safer In the hands OF the
men who defended the confcderacy than II Is
In the hands o! the men who now control 1t.
Laughter on the republican s!dc.] I believe
that II the Southern States hnd been repre-
sentcd here In ISL and 1872 and 1871 NJ they
arc represented to-day. there would be no
such cry as that SlU,W0,TO had boon taken
ovt OF the Treasury to pay southern war
claims"
For, sir. Judging these claimants by tho few
I have met In my State, 4 grander set
Of villains never drew n dollar out OF the
than The loyal me to whom money
was paid when VIC were not here to say they
should not he paid. Sir. my little State was
then represented by NELL do not know
where they are now; God knows. They
.Iinughtcr and applauscHwl,o were never
South Carolininns, and yet they sat here and
voted for the claims OF men who never had a
Just title to u dollar then in the treasury. III
our States all over the South had been prop
crly represented, not Il dollar Of that money
would have been paid.
AS I said In the outset, I have spoken my
own sentiments. Whether 1 am speaking.
not know. but / believe they arc the senti.
mcnts of my entire State. / care not what
the prcjndiccs OF the people ahrond may be
for that State because OF It's rebclliOrs proc.
united in the defence Of this Government.
/ claim rs their representative to he ms firm
III the defense OF this Union and Its flag hs
any man coming from the most loyal state
In the Union, | care not whether II be III New
England or in the Northwest. We arc here
to-day. those Of us who truly represent IT,
little State, to protect the Treasury, and !
say the best way to protect IT, so far as theSc
them from the Halls OF Congress. lap
Mr.. Keller: I do not rise at this late hour OF
the day for the purpose OF going generally In
to the uuectlon of war claims. We can hang
rs many speeches rs we choose on t ut HueS'
ton {; and it seems to HE each succeeding day
this question Is up We get some new views.
In this we are either taking better or worse
ground than we have held TO Ill the p'st.
from Massachusetts, rightly (and l tried to
listen to him carefully We nrc TO understand
his position to be this that notwithstanding
the fact q loyal claimant may come here from
the South witha meritoriouS claim he Is not
to be paid, and q disloyal claimant Is also
to be paid; and that II we will enter In
TO some sort OF arrangement or that KIND,
drawing no distinctions between loyalty and
disloyalty on this floor, there may be such q
change OF sentiment In the North that before
a great while the country will be prepared to
pension the confederate soldier; II hat is
the position Of the gentleman, and If IL Is not
the gentleman Is certainly entitled to correct
1t low :,
Mr.. Butler: I never require, II my friend
will allow me, necessity for the correction or
what I have said. ! repeat that, whenever
question of the depletion OF the Treasury
by claims of anybody Is put, l think the pity
or the humanity of the North will take care
the maimcd men Of the war; and II you
want to know, l say that sec no more reason
why Il con Moderate soldier, MANNED and Grip
pied In the honest discharge of what he con-
to be his duty, should not be pension
ed than why a confederate soldier who hon.
eStly believed he was doing his duty should
be put into II republican, Cabinet. Laughter
and applause.
Mr.. Keller: invited the gentleman from
Massachusetts, In order that there should be
no mistake about his position, TO restate his
position and l was successful In getting him
l invited tho distinguished gentleman to re-
state his case, although In the first place 1t
was very well stated. Now, as the gentleman
from Massachusetts is In favor of p~cnsiOning
the confederate soldier. lie Is therefore, accord.
Ing to his reasoning, taking the antllcsisn OF all
he had TO say IN favor Of putting 4 confederate
into q republican Cabinet.
" 2 t~.,- ~~.y0 -nlI Tho