The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1879-01-30
"A FAMILY LECTURE.

A Northern Democrat Defines Southern
Democracy-A Vigorous Arraignment of
the Policy and Hopes of the Confetierates.
In the House of Representatives in
Washington, recently, Gen. Bragg, a
Democratic Congressman from Wiscon-
sin, stirred up the Southern Brigadiers
to boiling heat, and read them lecture
they will not be slow to forget. A bill
had been reported from the Com
mittee on War Claims sending to the
Court Of Claims, for adjudication, de-
mand for the payment Of damages to
property destroyed during the REBEL
ion. Bragg vigorously opposed the
measure. He began his speech,
says q correspondent, by attacking
Southern claims on general principles.
He pictured in very dark colors the suf
| fering inflicted on the Northern people
by the war of 1861 and declared that
their interest should be considered
prior to any demands that might be
were all admitted for adjudication be-
fore this court it would inevitably re-
suit in the bankruptcy of the treasury.
He said that it was most remarkable
result in the cases tried before this
commission that in nineteen out of
twenty judgment goes against the
Government because there is not
sufficient test as to what is
loyalty, which has to be proved by
dispositions before the court. At this
point Mr.. Bragg began to warm up to
his subject. The Republican members
gathered in the area in front of him,
and the Southern Democrats, who sat
all around him, were beginning to be-
come uneasy. They did not, however,
reach the boiling point until Bragg had
got further along in his speech. "Loy-
atty is sentiment" said Bragg, and
then added: "There are gentlemen
upon this side Of the house who served
in the Confederate army who can fur
nish more proof, probably, that they
were loyal to this Government than we
could do, who fought upon the Federal
side, because they can prove by wit
nesses that what they fought for and
what they sought to maintain was
government based upon the principles
of our fathers that we Northern Abol-
itionists had seen fit to attempt to tear
down the structure that our fathers left
us, and that they were loyal and
we were disloyal." This was greeted
with loud laughter from the Repub-
hcans, but there was rage on the part
of the Southern members, noticeably
that of Chalmers, of Mississippi, and
Mills, of Texas, who sat back of Bragg,
and Gibson and Ellis, of Louisiana, who,
sat Immediately in front of him. Mills
arose in his seat and tried to interrupt
Bragg. who would not yield, and Chal-
mers made similar Intellectual attempt.
Gibson and Ellis turned red in the face
with anger. Bragg continued: 10y
atty is sentiment, and when you I'M
dertake to prove by dispositions that
this man was loyal and that man was
loyal you can bring up one Of his field
hands to swear that he heard old massa
say, when he did not get proper pay for.
the stores that the Confederates had
taken from him, or when his son was
refused furlough, that he would
like to see that Southern Government
go down, and that such vagabonds and
tyrants as old Bragg, who shot down
soldiers for visiting their homes, should
not be upheld as representatives of the
Government. You can prove by that
negro how he heard massa say that he
| 4o n g.
produced a sensation throughout the
House and the galleries. Bragg went
on: "Now, that is ex-parte testimony.
The affidavits do not cover the whole
ground, and it is not in our power tore
but such evidence. Only the other day
[ heard a gentleman, member of this
House from North Carolina, say he
knew of a oman from North Carolina
who had proved large claim before the
Southern Claims Commission, and had
established her loyalty, while if they
had called upon him he could have
proved to the courts satisfaction that
she and all her friends were heart-and
soul friends of the Confederacy." At
this point Mr.. Waddell, who was the
member alluded to, arose and excitedly
called out, And you may say that of IS
per cent. of the population of the
South" To this Mr.. Bragg, turning
around and facing Waddell, who
stood back of him. replied quickly,
81 say it of 80 per cent" He then
continued, regarding the claim
of the woman referred to: "And the
only Recommendation that woman had for
her loyalty, and which carried her claim
through the court. was that her brother
in-law was member of the convention
which nominated recent President of
the United States. The gentleman
from North Carolina says that 95 per
cent. of the population of the South
were true to the Confederacy. That re-
calls to mind the very eloquent remarks
made yesterday by the gentleman from
Mississippi alluding to Mr.. Hooker. !
was astonished that claim SO exceed
iprIv 1ova1 &c tbic obo,,1d find 4bo crop