New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-09-18

nstiqation coming then fr,m the shelterinp refuge
of the Canadian shore, tine same ns igatlon when
prompted like expeiient now. put up q Union ten
eral. Tina; General did not issue ORDER y ; 40 III
the midst of lawlpssness aud butcherN. whch cNIi
authority could not arrest No. ne issued orders ar
resting the Legislature OF Maryland, state which
had not seeded aud he issued orders proclaiWlhe
martial law and suspending tue haDels corpus q,
election time and placed soldiers as SUPERVISORS OF
the polls BIT even with such Union General the
disguise was too thin.
SOUTHERN WAR CLAIMS.
War claims upon the Treasury have been and will
be subject fruitful of much agitation. am moved
TO refer to it by the wholly grOundess assertion IN
regard to it now going the rounds of party journals
Tn, fashion this assertion to have been set
by Mr. Randall. the Speaker of the House OF Keep,
resen aiives. Mr.. Randall Is one of the abest ana
most INTEL gent he is OF the most courageous
men of his parry and | speak of him with much
respect In several speeches he has taken mp the
matter of ~ uhern claims. always to say tnat tney
are barred by the Fourteenth Amendment OF the
Constitution Ii puzzles me 10 see now go discern
ing n can have fallen int0 such an error. Inc
proceedings over which he Dresides constantly re-
tute The assertion
IL the Fourteenth Amendment stand these words: :
Neither the United states nor any stt, snail as
sumo pay any debt or Oh Igation incurred IN ara
OF insurrectIon or rebellion against the United
States, claim FOR the loss or emancipation ot
auv slave: but all such debts. obligations ana
ella ms shall bc held Illegal and VOID" The claims
winch stand IN staggering totals IN bills already
before Congress and in DINER bills SAID 10 b. Walt-
ing not touched by TINS section OF ths nstl-
tuition.
For example. ii is insisted that the dircc. tax i'm
posed by the Nation on all states IN 1851 should
~ to the seeded States be refunded. The amount
claimed ~ -. 1872. 10. Again. 1t Is SAID the war
tax laid on cOtton should he refunded. Ihe areu-
meut i that cotton. like wne1t and corn, i a pro-
duct of the earth, aud that wheat and corn We're
not taxed. and therefore cotton should nor nave
been taxed There IS FEASIBILITY IN TINS; Dut
petroleum ~ a product of tire earh also. ana ihat
was heavily taxed not only during the war but
affe ri md
rhat the money should BE- reiunded. ~; amount
OF cotton tax claimed Is Tl7elS022O.
Again. buildings were occupied. crops were
trampled fences ani wood were burned, PROVISIONS
were consumed eGIdc's were demolished ani -
gi1ns were laid waste by the armies ot the Union.
The TO al If such claims diZEes arithmetic. nrae
are not " debts or Obligations cnrfed IN ard 81 NJ
surgrctIon or rebellion '-hecid div not IN ad of
rebellion Iaev are La ms because OF ACES done to
crush rebellion. The Constitutional Amendment
dos not come within gunsnOi OF tuein.
The error OF the distinguished SPEAKER - the
more puzzhug because a reported he saii ID an
other part oi hs address recently ial we hCpao w
Lean majority IN Congress had PAID rlOOuJU.UvO
of such claims. Tins presume ~ irne ~ NE means
tIat Republicans have N0ed 70 paw Ciioh Hi'u
whose ptoD .rfV was taken for public use tIe vau'
OF the properly 50 taken Bat whether correct IN
theamount or lot he is certainly correct IN saving
Does not tnis fac5 clearly show th1t
snca claims are not eXlmgulShed BY Tn"
| Constitution IL they were so ezunsnlI''d,
| surely the law-mdkiag power wO1d not nave 'erh
80 stupid or wicked ~ 10 pay then year after year
and this without any member ot either House ever
suggesting that the Constitution stood IN the way.
! these AUTHORIZATIONS for Southern Claims also
| throw light on the question whether il 'puDhclh
action II, on rres has been hostile and cruel 20 the
south. The statutes the subject enacted ny Re-
publlcans make the loyalty of the claimant SINE
| Gaa non, and the Democrats have repeatedly vOted
10 repeal IN loyalty test, and bills ior hs purpose
! are now pending. Ihrrr can he no doLDt thal tle
way Is wide open tp all the Southern claims winch
"A majority can be found to vote Tor and President
| to sign
INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS.
There is as little question: that large and ever-in-
creasing sums are pucked from the Treasury IN the
River and Harbor bills to dredga small Southern
s;reamsand runs entirely local and of possible use
| as channels of National commerce. The creeks and
bayous and ponds thus improved at the general ex-
pense. some of them cannot be found named on the
map and all of them are put into appropriation
bills for the pecunary political advantage OF lndl-
Yiduals and corporations.
Offices and the like at the National cost, Is an
other serious and increasing drain on the treasury
From small places where no such eXpendlt ire Is
needed come applications for public buildings ;
| MANY Of them have recently passed the Senate.
One place in North Carolina where puDnc build-
ing was voted, has not more than 2,0OO lnnaOl-
tants No one at all familiar with the facts can
doubt that with full Democratic swing the doors of
the Treasury Will open. and copious streams VIII
run South and empty into the pockets OF no end OF
Whichever way we turn, reasons rise mp before
us for keeping the stan III the hands OF those VINO
| have vastly most at stake in the wholesome pre-
servation of the Government, its revenues, and It's
| laws Those with the least at stake fought for
One-hali the Government, and now the question IL
| whether we had better vote them both halves.
| The Democratic party has had possession of one
| hous- OF Congress for four years, and of both
| houses for two years What useful thing has been
| done or proposed They have stricken some mil
| lions of tax FROM whlskey and tobacco. They
have attempted by revolutionary means To put the
Executive under duress, and 10 cripple the Govern
| mpnt i'm order 10 overthrow Just and tme-hOnOred
| laws. What else do rot know.
| PRETENDED DEMOCRATIC EC Monty.
1t is said that the Democracy have reduced APP
| propriations do not so I'm lerstand it, The claim
| of economy is No better than iuggle. Here are
the exact figures year by year. Republican and
| Democratic, of sums annually appropriated fol-
current expenses stated in currency and gold.
- Err d,-aI VeaT Currency I Gold.