The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1880-09-04
THE SOUTHERN CLAIMS HUMBUG.

A month ago, when the republicans held
their ratification meeting at Chicago, the Times
noted the fact, in relation to the speakers on
but one point, which ran IN this wise: That
of the 40 democrats in the L. S. senate 80 were
from the south; of the $50 democrats in the
lower house OF congress 100 were from the
south that therefore, as the party action on
the important measures before congress
was decided in the party caucus, the south
really had control of both houses of congress,
and the election of Hancock by the vote of the
south giving them also the president would
thus place the entire government in the hands
Of the southern brIgadIers," who would not
fail to use the power thus obtained to pay IN
told millions of rebel and southern claims and
''play smash" generally; and the Times was
so impressed by the idea that it candidly ad-
mtted, in one OF its ponderous editorials on
the subject, its inability to see how the demo-
Gratis cold meet and overcome it. The Times
editor, however, after revolving the subject for
a few weeks, seems to have obtained new light
In the matter, for in that journal of Tuesday,
commenting on the same idea, elaborated by
Washington correspondent OF the New York
Times, we find our Chicago contemporary TAX
ing it down and dressing it off handsomely and
effectively as follows:
Now as to all this, the Times has to say that
there can be no doubt that southern claimants
would be delighted to get their arms up to the
elbows INTO the public treasury. There can be
no doubt that the southern statesmen W no have
introduced these measures intend to get them
through congress if possible, and intend to get
all the money they can, even To the largest
amount stated by the Washington writer, from
the taxpayers of the country rs peace offer
ing to ex-rebels and persons OF very doubtful
loyalty. But they ure not at all likely to sue
coed. The Washington writer says truly that
"thc business men OF the democratic party in
the north will not hasten to the support of
measures advocated by their southern brethren
which look to a payment of these claims, and
great increase of the national debt" North
crn democrats in congress know this perfectly
well. They know that If they should vote for
such measures as have been described their
democratic constituents would attend to their
case with vengeance We may rest perfect
ly well assured, therefore, that if King Caucus
COllllldluS tUtlu " NOlt iOi ulIlS Which,, tuCt
should become laws, would take a billion and
a half from the treasury, they would revolt
They have great regard for King Caucus, but
they have more regard for their northern con-
stituencies, which hold the power of political
lite and death over them. They can be pretty
safely trusted not to pursue course which
would destroy not only themselves, but their
party in every northern state, and make the
north more solid than it ever was in the days
of the rebellion.
This from apapcr which certainly is far from
overfriendly to the democratic party, coupled
with the fact that all the so-called rebel
claims" are barred by the 10Th constitutional
amenument ana that all other southern
claims" must be approved, under existing
laws, by very loyal court of claims" before
they can ever get before congress, and we think
the whole republican howl about rebel and
southern claims may be safely eliminated from
the political canvass as frivolous and unwor-
thy of further attention.