Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1880-10-15

III tN1G1AAlOJEN EKl
"REBEL CLAIMS"
WHAT THEY ARE.
| INVENTED AND PAID BY REPUBLICAN
CONGRESSES.
| What High business Authorities Have to
| Say About Them.
From the Financial Column of the Philadel-
phia Ledger.
In reply to the inquiries, "What is the
aggregate amount of Southern war claims
paid since the war? Also proportionate
| amounts of same for which appropriations
| were made by Congress when the Republi-
| cans and Democrats respectively were in
the majority? Also what amount of such
claims are pending unsettled ?" the Jour
nal Of Commerce, based on information
obtained directly from the books of the
department of Washington, first premis-
ing that "SOuthern war claims is very
indefinite term, but supposing the inquiry
refers to the sO-called claims of loyal citi-
zens for property used or destroyed by the
United States government during the acdr
IN states recognized in rebellion, answers
that
By the act OF March Sd, 1871, the Forty
first Congress (the Republicans in large
majority in both branches) created what
has been known as the Southern Claims
Commission. consisting of three commits
sioners. This tribunal had jurisdiction ovr
all citizens of the United States who during
the rebellion were "loyal adherents to
the cause and the government of the
United States" and who had claims for
stores or supplies taken or furnished for
use Of the army or navy of the United
States in states proclaimed rs in insurrec-
tion and claims for the use or loss Of vessels
OF boats while employed in the service of
the government in such states. The tri-
bunal was organized by the appointment
of three pronounced Republican commits
siOncrs. The two most important rulings
Of the commission were Q) that every
claimant should prove his loyalty affirma-
lively, and (2) that the term "stores and
supplies should embrace not only quarter
master and commissary supplies, but also
engineer, ordnance and medical supplies,
including cotton used in hospitals, and the
down and used for fuel. The Southern
claims commission expired OH the 10th of
March, 1880. During the nine years of its
existence Congress appropriated in round
numbers s., ,5OO,O 900 for the payment of
claims allowed by the commission.
Special private relief acts, making ap-
preparations for the payment of claims for
the use or loss of property of loyal citizens
in states in rebellion were passed by the
Thirty-ninth QSG5-'67), Fortieth 1857
'Gy, Forty first QS69-'71), Forty. second
1s71'73), and Forty third QS73-'75) Con
crosses (all largely Republican,, the ap-
preparations aggregating over $500, 900.
One of these special acts appropriated
So, 800 for the destruction of certain build
ings; another $50, 600 for cotton; several
paid specified amounts for the rent of
buildings; and one bill made an appropri-
alton for retitting the hall of Masonic
lodge which had been damaged by the
military-all in the insurrcctiOnary states.
Bills Of this sort are now denounced as
"rebel claims" Theyare thus "hoist by
their own retard."
1t is ns'ie~Orthy fact that, since the
Democrats obtained the control of the
House of Representatives in 1875, not a |
singh dollar has been voted by Congress
for the payment of claims for the use or
destruction of property during the war in |
the states in rebellion, except the appro-
priations made to pay the awards of the |
Republican Southern claims commission |
created by Republican Congress in 1871. |
The awards of that commission, for which |
Congress has provided since 1875, amount
ed to s1,9OO,OOO
The act of July 4, providing that "all
claims of loyal citizens in states not in re-
belliOn for Iuartermaster stores actually
furnished to the army of the United States
and receipted for by the proper officers re-
ceiving the same, or which may have been
taken by such officers without giving such
receipt" may be presented to the quarter
master general, and that similar claims for
sustenance may be submitted to the CON-
mssary general for settlement, was in
1856 extended to the loyal citizens of Ten-
nessec. Previous to tho fiscal year 1876
the awards made by the accounting officers
under the act Of 1864 were paid by the
treasury without being submitted to Con-
gress. But beginning with the year 1876
Congress directed that the claims passed
upon by the accounting officers should be
paid only by special and specific appropri- |
atoms. Since that time appropriations ,
amounting to about $4,000 have
Ceen made to pay the claims of loyal citi-
zens of Tennessee passed upon by the ac- ,
officers Of the treasury.
1t thus appears that the total amount of
claims for the use or loss Of property in
the states in rebellion, paid by appropria
lions made by Congress, has been about
50, SOC, 600. All these appropriations were :
made by or in pursuance Of laws passed !
Republican Congresses. :
There are other classes of claims which :
nave been created and recognized by gen
,ral Legislation passed by Republican
Congresses in 1868, 1864 and 1872. The
'ct of March 13, 1868, as amended by the
'ct Of July 2, 1864, authorized the appoint
ncnt of agents by the secretary of the .
reasury, to collect and forward to the I
oyal states all personal property Except q
hips, boats, arms and munitions of war)
aptured by the United States forces in
states, and also to collect +
nd transfer as such property found aban-
I!oned, either in fact or in law, by l
he absence Of the owner engaged
Il aiding the rebellion; the prop f
rty to be sold, and the proceeds, il
ess all expenses, to be paid into the y
reasury. 1t was further provided that 4
he owners of such property might by Pc
ltion in the court of claims, to be filed
'ithin two years Of the end of the rebel Q
on, receive the proceeds of such property i
n the treasury upon satisfactory proof of !,
their right to the proceeds =
hereof, and that they never had given aid a.
+ comfort to the rebellion. The supreme
ourt decided that August 20, 1866, was
ne date marking the end of the rebellion