Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1880-09-03
Rebel War Claims.

Said Southern Democratic speaker i'll
Alabama, during the recent canvass OF that
State IF Hancock is elected you will be
paid for all the property you have lost
through radical rule, and you must stand by
the great Democratic party, for solid South
will now give us entire control of the Gen
eral Government, and we can redress all our
wrongs" Such undoubtedly is the senti-
ment, expressed or concealed, of the major
ity of the Southern Dcmocrats-the dominant
wing of the party-if Hancock is elected.
What are the claims of the South for prop
erty lost through radical rule 2 They are
rccapitulated in the Washington correspon-
dence of the New York Times as follows
Claims for the proceeds of captured and
abandoned property have been filed in the
Court of Claims and the Treasury Depart
ment amounting to more than $50. 1000, 900,
which are now barred by statute. If either
of the bills comforting jurisdiction on the cir
cult courts. or reopcning the court OF claims,
becomes n law, the claims of that class pre-
sented will probably exceed $50, 900, 900.
The internal revenue tax on cotton, which
il is proposed to refund by the House resolu-
ton No 1876, and other bills, amount TO
SIS, o., 900.
The amount appropriated by House reso-
luton No '446 for the Southern mail ton
tractors is S315, 900.
Tho amount required for payments TO dis
loyal claimants, now prohibited by section
3,4S0, revised statutes, will doubtless he very
near 81 900, 900.
The amount of direct tax collected in the
Southern States, which it is proposed TO re-
a 81.
bills, is 50, $4,000
The following classes of war claims would
be presented under House resolutions Nos.
3 ,,j:. and 3, l3l and other bills, giving juris-
dictOn of all claims against the United States
TO district and circuit courts in the Southern
States:
Stores and supplies taken for the use of,
or destroyed by, the armies of the United
States
Cotton and tobacco used or destroyed.
Use of, damage to, and loss of steamboats,
and other vessels.
Use of, damage to, and destruction of rail
roads, engines and cars.
Rent Of use of, and damage To real rs
tate
Property taken. occupied, damaged or de
stroyed by the United States as military
necessity.
Property seized and used or destroyed by
United States soldiers without authority.
Property destroyed by the enemy on ac-
count OF military occupation Icy the United
States.
Property captured by the enemy while
in possession Of or employed by the United
States.
The probable amount OF these CLAIMS has
been varously estimated from S6oO, 900, 600
to 81, 100, 900, 900 An examination of all
accessible information on the subject in
dictates that it would exceed rather than fall
short of the mean of these extremes 81 500,
OO0, 900 None Of these classes of claims are
excluded 10y the fourteenth amendment To
the Constitution. which covers only ANY
debt or obligation incurred in aid of insur-
rcctIou pr rebellion against the United States,
or any claim for the loss OF emancipation of
any slave
Such is the vista that would be opened up
by Democratic success in the coming Nation
al election the payment of these vast sums
in addition To the burdens already imposed
on the people of the North 10y the -lavchold-
crs rebellion.