Morning journal and courier., 1880-08-27
A DANGER SIGNAL.

Northern Democrats and their organs are anxious to have 1t understood that in case the Democratic party comes into power there will be no demand for the payment of the war losses of the South, and that even if there is such demand it will meet with no encouragement. On the other hand, the Southern Democrats, who suffered the losses and who rule their party, are generally quiet about the southern war claims, though occa- sionally an injudicious one '1ets the cat out of the bag," as did the speaker in Alabama who said to his audience 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 con- trol of the general Government, and we can redress all our wrongs.''
 This argument, though not suited to north ern localities, is undoubtedly extensively used to keep the South solid, and there is also plenty of reason to believe that if tho South should come into power an attack would be made upon the treasury of the United States In fact, as 8 correspondent of the New York Times shows, bills are even now pending which if passed with the Demo- crats in power would make it possible for the southerners to get back g portion of what they lost by treason. Consideration of these bills was prudently postponed until after the Presidential election.
 One of the bills provides for reorgani- zation of the Supreme Court with twenty one justices, instead of the nine of which it is now composed. Those to be added by 8 Democratic President and Senate would con- stitute majority. This Democratic tribu- nal would not only have to construe the amendments of the Constitution and the federal laws, but it would have to entertain appeals from the lower courts in which it is proposed to have claims against the govern ment adjudicated There is 8 cognate scheme, also embodied in q pending bill, to abolish the Court of Claims and transfer its business and jurisdiction to Q new Superior Court of five judges, who would, of courss, all be Democrats satisfactory to the dominant Southern element of the party. This would not only adjudicate claims against the gov ernment, but would decide on appeal cases coming from the lower federal courts in which the sum in controversy did not exceed $1O,OoO. The significance of this appellate jurisdiction is brought to light in sundry oth- CT measures, which propose that the District and Circuit Courts shall adjudicate claims against the government in the sections where they arise or where the claimants live. The courts of first instance being brought under local influences, and obliged to use local ju- ries, appeals from them will be taken to Q higher tribunal constituted for the special purpose of receiving them. Other bills and provisions are intended to remove other ob- stacles in the way of the claimants
 In addition to these bills providing for e:fxing'' the courts, bills have been intro duced and are ready to come up at the prop CT time, for refunding the tax collected on cotton sales in 1966-7-9, for the return of the proceeds of sales of land for payment of direct taxes, for refunding money collected as direct tax in the insurrectionary States under the law of 1861, and for the payment of variety of personal claims withoub the formality of any adjudication whatever.
 It is estimated that to carry out these schemes would cost the country at least $1,- 500, 100000 The Democrats will of course hasten to say that they never will be carried out, that they never can be. We hope and believe they never can, but SO long as they exist the party upon which they depend for even partial success is not fit to be trusted with power There is still difference be- tween treason and loyalty.