South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1880-10-01
Letter from washington.
WAsnINaroN. Scot. d. Isar

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WASHINGTON. Sept. %. 1880.
Mk. HARPER Tile frank expression
OF mans opinion is always acceptable.
General Hancock. Democratic candidate
Tor the Presidency, is man who, when
ever he speaks. speaks frankly. lie
has Just written 4 letter. concerning
what the Republican papers call ''rcbel
claims" lie says he will, as President.
veto anysbill to give payment, reward
or pension to any person FOR any SER
vices against the Union. He also save.
and reasonably, that all claims growing
out of losses, damages TO property in
the civil war, by reason of the long time
since tie war close, should be carefully
scrutinlzcd, il entertained a. all. This
letter oil tho General. whether or not be
shall be elected, will do much to so..lo
all questions as 10 the, numberless
Claims which are now before Con-
gross, or The Departments in one shape
or another for damages and losses du-
ring the war. The subject is serious
one, aud vas made so wholly by the
shifting, Irregular, irnprovident and par.
ttsaa course OF the Republican party
That party had given authority to De-
partments 10 pass on such claims and
had created Commissions 10 act on them
Departments and Commissions being
partisan always-and it was only whc Il
the Legislative branch of the govern
ment came fully under Democratic rule
that the guerrilla method OF allowance
ceased. The Democratic party, lhink.
believes in the payment Of every dollar
the government owes, but it believes in
payment after judicial or other thorough
inquiry whenever lapse Of time or any
other circum stance may have raised
doubts rs to the validity of The claim.
The wild and reckless throwing away
OF one or two hundred millions during
the dozen years from 1865 to 1877 10y
the Radicals is not mentioned by Gen
eral Hancock in his letter. He very
properly refers TO the.future oniy.2
Tie Treasury is again at work prepar.
ing and sending out deceptive figures
for partisan purposes. In almost every
Instance in which Secretary Sherman
has lent himself to this fraudulent work.
The figures given out are calculated 10
impress the unthinking with an idea
that tie South is region In which there
is no progress, the intention being 10
have voters believe that labor is there
abused and in this secure o solid North.
Ihe figures used by Mr.. Conkliug in
lis speech the other night, were prepar.
ed at the Treasury. One point ilua-
tra.cs theiT Cntrustworthiness. Exports
from tic different sections are given III
such way rs TO deceive. The amount
OF cotton exported is compared with the
amount Of other articles The immense
quantity o! cotton soli by the South to
the North is lert cut of all the figures OF
tie tables, and in this way half the IN
eQualcd benefits Of its production to
both sections do not appear.
1t is fodn@ that..a large safe in the
Second Auditors Oficc, Treasury De
pnr'mtnt, in which were kept such arti-
cics rs were found 20 belong to deceas-
Ell volunteer soldiers Or Tie late war,
has been robbed. There is no record
70 show the value OF the safes contents,
and no conclusive evidence as TO who
was the rcbbcr. MEMO.