St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1879-10-24
The South and the Treasury.
RAIDS OF A HUNGRY HORDE.

A year ago the Tribune issued an ex-
ira containing the various articles upon
the subject of Southern Claims which it
had published in previous months.
This compilation, prepared from official
documents at Washington, brought the
record of demands upon Congress for
Internal improvements at the South
down to March Is, 1873, and for private
''relief' to March 26, 1873, and showed
the enormous aggregate of S65O,OOO, 900.
This vast sum was stated to be only
the beginning of what the Solid South
would demand. The truth of that state
ment is proved below. The Tribune
has caused the record to be completed
from official documents to the close of
the extra session of this year, and this
is the appalling result: From March,
1873, to July /, 1879, and emitting va
rious blind claims for enormous unspec-
flied sums, bills were introduced into
Congress calling for 1851 ,S61 900 for
Internal Improvements in the South,
and the private claims amount to S53,
4I5,942 more. The official records,
then, emitting the independent esti-
mates of Judge T. w. BARLEY, coun-
sci for large number of claimants,
prove that within period of less than
two years a solid and dislOyal South
has demanded from the Treasury of
the Nation which for four years it
sought to destroy, and which it now
seeks to bankrupt, sum vastly great
er, by reason of the blind claims which
are not reckoned, than $1,287 ,524 ,735.
These figures need no comment to show
that the rule of the Solid South means
shame and ruin.-N. Y. Tribune, Oct. 10
In an editorial on this subject the
same paper says:
The figures stagger by their magni-
tude. The South submitted bills, al
the second session of the last Congress
and at the extra session of the present
Congress, involving an expenditure Of
$753, SOL 900 for internal improvements
at the South alone. At the same time
bills relating to private claims were of
fered which demanded $12, 1868, 00(
from the public Treasury. In addition
the claim is still urged with intense
zeal for repayment of the cotton tax
and it is estimated that this alone
would take 350,000,0O0 from tn,
Treasury. From the beginning of tn,
first session of the XLVth Congress t,
the close of the first session of tn,
XLVIth, the bills presented on behal
of the Solid South called for 81 ,2S7,
, 524 ,735-more than enough to bank
; rupt the Treasury. Yet these bills d,
} not cover the entire demand of tina
, session thus far. The above statemen
does not include any estimate for tn,
| cost of constructing railroads which i
is proposed to build by Government
/ aid, at the rate of $4,000 per mile 70
, the San Antonio and Mexican Borde
Road, $4,000 per mile for the Texa
| Pacific, and similar sums for othe
7 roads, the length of which is not nov
ascertainable. Enormous as these de
4 mands are, thus swelled by sums of un
. known magnitude, they still do no
1 cover all the requirements of the hun
S CRY South. There is wanted paymen
e for the value of slaves emancipated a
war measure, payment for losse
a caused by the movement of the Unio
!. armies, and payment for losses impose
:, by Confederate or disloyal State Gov
+ ernments upon the loyal citizens of tn
t South. In short, these claims are i
d number as the lice of Egypt, and i
magnitude absolutely incalculable.
What is the North going to do abou
r. them One thing we may as well ur
It derstand at the outset the Democrat
t. of the North are going to pay these c
n any other claims which the South ma
k make, if they have the power. Ther
!, will be protests by the score. Of effect
n i've resistance, there will be not AM
6 Confederate Generals already have sc
a cured chairmanships of the committee
y which pass upon these claims and job
e The Solid South will in future have
N clear majority, as it has now, in ever
a Democratic caucus. The demands
le the South will be obeyed by ever
n Northern Democrat who has any amb
e, ton to hold high Office by Democrat
rs votes, or to WELD large influence
ar that party. The Democratic party, [
e speak plainly. does not care if it do,
% bankrupt the treasury. In fact, the M;
I; Jprlty of its voters and leaders woul
e, rather see the Union dishonOred final
:" clally than not. But whatever me
m want, when the Solid South demand