New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-09-16
THIRD INsTALMENT OF SOUTHERN CLAIMS.
BILLS INTRODUCED AT TIE LAST SESSION oF
CONGPEss-CLAIMs FILED TO DATE OVER
81 400 600 600

~
claimants standing. and the demands of tho
Solid South will be multiplied. Senator Ed
munds is not an alarmist. aud he says that the
Democrats in Congress will remove the dis
tinctions in respect of claims of loyal and
"disloyal persons by a solid or nearly solid
vote g the moment they get in possession OF
call the Departments of the Government"
He adds most emphatically that the fourth
section of the XiVth Amendment does not in
terpose any barrier to the payment OF claims
based upon the destruction of property by the
United States armies, nor even " TO peDsioDin2
"every Rebel soldier or soldiers widow and
"chlldrcn. or, indeed, every other Rebel
The question is: Can the North afford il p
REBEL CLAIMS OF THE LAST SESSION.
STARTLING BILLS AND APPALLING rGCREs-To BE
STUDIED N CONNECIION WITH SENATOR I'd
MUNDs's LETTER.
In the summer and fall of 1873 rHE TRIBUNE
published series of articles calling attention To the
fact that mass Of Southern claims were making
their appearance in Washington which promised
soon 10 make the National dent seem tr.illng mat
ter in comparison. careful estimate OF the agsre-
gate of claims which had been prepared and filed
either with Congress or with some oae of the tri-
$3.50 100000.
When another session of Congress had passed an
examination of Its record made, and the resu!t.
published IN The TRIBUNE in October, 1879 raised
the aggregate of Southern claims toSil2S7, ,52i73J.
Presented IN that light. the subject became alarm
ing and Democratic statesmen hast'ned TO
declare thar, Notwithstanding tie facts as
illustrated by the acts of individuals, their
party, as a party. not IN favor of
the payment of Southern claims. Moreover, Pres
ldental election was approaching and it was not
wise to give further occasion for public alarm, more
especially as the majority of the claims, If they
passed the Democratic Congress, could not profit tho
claimants so long as a Republican President welded
the veto power.
As result it might have been expected that the
last Congress would make no record NJ all on
the matter of Southern claims. As a matter Of fact,
the number as well as aggregate amount of claims
presented we've much less than that of the preceding
sessions They were sufficient in number, however.
10 prove that the manufacture Of Southern claims as
an industry has not ceased. while the long list of
Democratic Congressman who presented them
proves the universal willingness OF the dominant
| wing of that party to pay these claims whenever
| they find themselves in position to do so.
An examination of the bills introduced at the last
session of Congress has been made with view 10
bringing the history of the subject down to date.
large proportion of the measures introduced make
no mention OF the amount which the claimant
seeks to recover. and there means Of estimat-
ingt.
In the following list claims of certain character,
not individually large nor aggregating very con-
siderable sum- are classed as " War Claims" They
are perhaps the most significant of the several
classes presented and if a precedent be established
By the passage of a few of them, the end Will not be
reached until every man who suffered loss by rea-
son of the march of the Union armies has presented
| his bill for damages. Doubtless every claimant
stands ready 10 attempt to prove his loyalty during
| The entire war. How much credenCe can be placed
| upon the evidence lie Will present may be judged
| by the fact that for years the Treasury Depart
mcnt the Quart Generals Office, the Com
mssary- Generals Office. and tho Southern Claims
Commission have been open tribunals for the adjust
! ment of all such claims from loyal persons against
| the Government. With buadreds of energetic claim
| agents in the field hunting up claimants, 1t II not
| fair to suppose that single Southern man or
woman renamed ignorant Of his or her privileges IN
this regard TO illustrate more fully the character
of this class of claims space is taken to give in pa
renhess single sentence from the body o. the bills
| showing what il Is the Government is asked to pay
for.
| In connection with the subject of Southern claims
class of measures which do not properly. belong in
| the category named, but which have reference 10
| Southern claims demand notice.
| House Resolution 244, introduced ly Congress-
man Young of Tennessee. provides ' for the aD-
| pointment of committee TO examine and report
| upon claims against the Government" The capac-
ity of This measure for mischief woId, with Dem
| ocratic Congress and a Democratic Executive. DO
| iimitless.
| House Bill 3.sG5, introduced by Congressman
| Taylor of Tennessee. provides for the
"rchearng of certain cases before tho
| Southern Claims Commission" The text
of the bill reopens the Commission for the purpose
! Of trying anew any all the claims once rejected
| byit.
| House Bill 1858, by Congressman Knott Of Ken,
| tucky provides for the repeal of An act -
restrict the jurisdiction of the Court OF
Claims" and gives to that tribunal au-
| thority TO hear. adjudicate and determine all
CLAIMS Of loyal citizens in States not IN rebellion for
ouartermasteis stores, subsistence supplies. III iii.
| cnes and medical supplies taken by or furns. o |
for the use of the armies OF the United States aud
all claims for the occupation Of real estate,
the use appropriation loss of steamboats,, barge,
| or other vessels railroad engines railroad cars.
animals or other personal properly. while in the
vice Of the United States. The mischievous nature
of this measure can best be shown by quoting from
| Washington letter published in THE TRIBUNE on
| the Goth Of April, 1873:
A general amnesty proclamation was issuel by Pre,i.
dent johnson on 20 5th OF December 1863 restoring
every person who participated In the Rebcon 10 ar
Original rights, prvilcgea and imnuates under the
CDnstitUtOu It Is understood that among the motives
which inspired President Johnson 20 issue that prooa
u,aon the design Of relieving those who had be
in the Rebellion from the further operation of certain
cnnlscaiion acts whoh stl n force. and der
which sezures Of contraDand cotton from tine
| tine being made
tits at0gcther improbable that Mr.. Johnson hal any
intention OF raising the dsOya claim ants for DANA
resulting from their acts OF treason 10 "
before the with the WHO nad fought sui.
| ferad for adherence 10 the Unon cause. This
| however, BY tue ruling of the supreme Co lrt
IL the irreyocable effect OF that sweeping proc.