The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1880-05-26
Southern Claims.

/ Here are the reasons why the Com
mittee on War Claims in the lower
house of Congress, to whom was referred
the petition Of Samuel ". Lancaster
Of Madison county, Mississippi, refused
to report favorably upon said petition.
1t is noticeable that these committee:
are very technical when they are re
/ quired to consider the claims of Southern
citizens
The petitioner asks compensation of tbs
+ government in the sum of sos, $40 for horses
cattle, sheep, swine, farm produce, and other
:. property alleged to have been taken from
] him in said State at different time in 1865
and 1864 ''by and for the use Of the United
States"
And here is the summary manner in
which they disposed of the claim of Cal
vim Cheairs, of Benton county, Missis-
sippi:
The Committee on War Claims, to whom
was referred the petition Of Calvin Cheairs.
Of Benton county, Mississippi, for compensa-
ton for certain c0mmissary stores and quar-
termaster's supplies taken by and for the
use of the United States Army during the
rebellion, in the State of Mississippi, during
the months Of November and December,
1862, report that they have considered the
same, and report adversely thereon, solely
on the ground that the claimant had the OPP
portunity, of which he failed for insufficient
reason, TO present his claim to the consider
alton of the Southern Claims Commission
This Committee refuse now to undertake
SO relieve him of the consequences of his
own negligence.
\ Mr. Jordon Broadway, of Marshall
county, Mississippi, presented a claim
for horses, mules, corn, -four, bacon
etc, to the value of 32.270. alleged to
have been taken from his plantation by
a squad of Union soldiers. But the
Committee found Jordan a hard road
to travel" through a Broad,gay, and
dismissed his claim on the following
grounds in which he received poor COM
fort for his loyalty:
The petitioner shows that he made out and
presented his said claim to the Quarter-mas-
ter-General for allowance in the year 1866
through proper attorneys OF Memphis, Tenn,
and claim agents at Washington, and the
Quarter mas ter General refused TO act on same
Ior the reason that he did not have jurisdie-
non; that il was then too late to present the
same to the Southern Claims Commission.
Upon this statement your committee re-
port adversely to the right of claimant. He
could have had his pay any day in court. 1t is
not alleged that ms attorneys and agents were
ignorant Of his rights Doubtless they were
not, aud pursued the course by them deemed
most advisable to their clients interest. His
own ignorance may be a misfortune, but it Is
no excuse for neglect Of Congress, and in in
vokine the charity of the same and this com
mittee, when by his delay he has put beyond
the power Of the government the discovery of
the attendant circumstances, having corrected
also in his petition the names Of his comman-
ders Of the squad Of soldiers, with whom he
conversed familIarly, being, as he alleges,
Union man, in full sympathy with them. In
stead OF charging this claim to be presented
at this remote period-beng loyal man long
pent up in the heart Of the Confederacy-if he
had not hailed it as q Heaven-sent opportuni-
" to behold once more the old flag, aud con
tribute horse or two for its sake, with some
bacon and flour to tile imperiIed soldiers that
bore it, he should at least have been so mind
ful Of his country's interest as to have Presen-
ted his claim while it was yet possible for 1t
TO have been investigated in the light of the
then recent occurrence 1t is now too late.
But while he looses (if indeed that Is lost which
was consumed in SO noble cause from his
standpointl he still has the consolation of
kn6wing that the flag under which that squad
Of soldiers gladdened his loyal heart still
floats.
Sic ttur al Gstrd.