The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1880-05-06
A Piece Of Impertinence.

During the war the Rebel yell de-
noted peculiar formation of the South
ern throat; since the war the ex-Con-
federates have been chiefly distinguished
by a peculiar formation of "cheek. ="
What they failed to seize from the
Government at the point of the bayOnet
they have not hesitated to demand as a
reward for renewed allegiance. South
ern claims began to come in before re-
construction had been fairly inaugu-
rated. They have been growing in num-
ber and magnitude ever since. Every
Democratic victory at the polls and
every accession to the Democratic
strength in Congress has brought with
them new raids upon the public Treas
ury. The principle upon which these
demands seem to be based is that the
South should be indemnified for the
losses incident to a desperate but futile
effort to break down the Government.
A Pacific Railroad was built through
the center of the continent during the
time the South was in rebellion;
hence the South, having returned
to the Union (when its fighting
powers were exhausted), ought to
be provided with another Pacific
Railroad at Government expense.
Large amounts of public money were
expended at the North in various ways
during the progress of the war, and
Northern contractors grew rich; hence
Southern contractors should be given
golden opportunities now to fill their
pockets from the Government vaults.
The only contribution ever levied upon
the South for the payment of the ex-
penses of a war which the South forced
upon the Government was in the shape
of a tax on cotton for a brief period;
that has been denounced as simply in
famous, and there is standing demand
for the return of the money. 1t has
been necessary to support a separate
Court of Claims to consider the vast
number of demands made upon the
Government as q result of rebellion.
and among the possibilities have been
seriously contemplated the pensioning
of Rebel soldiers, the funding of the
Rebel debt, and indemnificatiOn for the
emancipated slaves. 1t has probably
never occurred to any one at the North,
however, that the Government would
be asked to grant special reward to
the manufacturers of improved fire.
arms that were used in killing off Union
soldiers. Yet Southern impudence has
actually been carried to this extreme
length.
One George A Morse is now before
Congress asking for six new patents on
inventions for breech-loadins guns and
ammunition, original patents for which
were granted shortly before the break
ing out of the Rebellion, and afterward
transferred by Mr.. Morse in person to
the Confederacy. Morse began with
claim for 1916, 900 against the United
States for the use of his devices, then
came down to $25, 900. for the payment
of which a bill was favorably reported
in the last Congress, and will now mod
estly content himself with new patents
running for eight years, under which he
can blackmail the fire-arm manufact-
urers throughout the country. We
presume this graduated concession on
Morse's part has been prompted by
much the same motive as governed
Sheridan, who used to begin with
hundred guineas when he wanted to
borrow five shillings. Morse probably
thinks he is entitled to the special con-
sideration of the American people in
offering to compromise upon a renewal
of outlawed patents when he really
ought to charge million dollars for
uHe ScTVlCcS uc Icuuercu tH6 OOuIeueT-
ate army in the slaughter of the boys
in blue. He would probably cite his
present position as a conspicuous exam
pie of the proverbial generosity of the
Southern character.
1t seems that Mr.. Morse had a special
friend in John b. Floyd. who improved
his position .as Secretary of War under
Buchanan to play into the hands of the
Rebels. Morse was a resident of Lou
isiana when he brought his breech-