Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-09-02
WHAT TIE SOUTH WANTS.

The solid South, aided by the Northern
Democracy, seeks TO gain control of the
National Government. Those who imagine
that if this ambition was gratified there
would be nothing to apprehend from the
change, have studied the situation with
little care. 1t is not only the establishment
of the State Rights doctrine that is sought,
though that implies the destruction of free
institutions in ten States of the Union.
There are pecuniary claims Of the most ex-
travagant kind lurking behind the present
Democratic positions, and it would be fatu-
Gus to take it for granted that these would
not or could not be pressed if Democratic
Administration were in power to ratify the
measures of a Democratic Congress. 1t is
notorious that scores of millions OF
dollars are already claimed by South
ern people on various pretenses growing
out of the rebellion, but it is not so
generally known that an intention to
demand payment for every slave set free
by Lincoln's emancipation proclamation
exists at the South. That this is no vague
fancy Is proved by documentary evidence
of the strongest kind Years ago the ex-
slave owners took the precaution to file
with their County Clerks affidavits setting
forth the number and description Of the
human chattels which they possessed at
the time of the emancipation. The New
York Tribune has just printed one OF
these documents, taken from the official
records of Chatham county, Georgia. 1t
deposes that one Isaac NJ. Marsh, resi-
dent of Savannah, Georgia, was in posses
sion of sixteen slaves, whose names and
descriptions are appended, cat the time
they were kancipated and made
free by the United States Gov
eminent" The purpose OF such
records is obvious, and it is well
ascertained that they have been filed all
through the South. Nor is this ALL Mr..
Edward Mcpherson writes to the Tribune
saying that "even in Maryland the con-
"tingency of possible payment by the
"United States for the loss of slave proper
"ty has been carefully provided for. In
"the present constitution adopted IN 1867
"by convention unanimously 'Conser-
go vative and Democraticl two important
"sections forecast the future" He then
quotes the sections, which are as follows ::
"Sec. 81. The General Assembly shall
"pass no law providing for payment by
this State for slaves emancipated from
"servitude in this State; but they shall
"adopt such measures as they may deem
" expedient to obtain from the United
estates compensation for such slaves, and
{" to receive and distribute the same equita.
"bly to the persons entitled. Sec.
$40. The General Assembly shall have
':power to receive from the United States
"any grant or donation of land, money or
securities, for any purpose designated by
" the United States, and shall administer
anu ulSGIIuulo tue oduC dCSoiuiiB W eAO
conditions of the said grant" As this
provision was made after the adoption of
the Fourteenth Constitutional Amendment,
it is evident that the Maryland Constitu-
tional Convention did not regard that
amendment as an insuperable obstacle to
the securing of compensation for the
liberated slaves. And in fact evidence isnot
wanting of a matured scheme for breaking
down that barrier, which only needs a
Democratic administration to give it
operative force.