The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1880-10-21
SIS WELLINGTON, O.. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 2l, $780,

Wn1ch ne BUSINESSES 1t as q !" Dug-Oear.
But the question cannot be met by ridi-
cule or answered by toss of the head.
The proof of the design of rebel claim
ants is too easy of access. Said Senator
Vance the other day in Warren Coun-
ty, North Carolina:. ~ tt-E
No, fellow-countrymen, the South asks no
bold and no unfair thing when she demands
her rightful compensation for homes de-
strOyed, farms laid waste and pillaged, prop
plunderers who lived upon ns and then refused
US bounty And 1t Is time that the whole
North should understand this. II Is time that
atone as far as it can, for all the South has
suffered in body, pocket or soul. Our time is
have gone through will only make our para
disc the brighter when we get there.
The pigeon-holes at Washington TEEN
with bills having for their object the
opening of this question of Southern
war CLAIMS, and many of them are of q
nature not covered by General Han
cocks letter and promise. He says
"the Government can never pay pen
sion or reward of any sort for waging
war upon its own existence" and also
that he would veto all legislation pro-
viding for the payment Of claims of
any kind for losses or damages by per-
sons who were in rebellion.
We venture to say there are more
than $500, 900, 900 of claims in Wash
ington filed by those "not in rebell-
ion," but who were disloyal and whose
claims are barred by the law as it now
stands. .rrt-
In the first place, General Hancock s
assurance does not cover the claim for
a refunding of the cotton tax, which
amounts to $6S, ,O0O, 900, and which was
Il <~e ~
''nOt in rebellion" The same is true OF
the claim preferred by States; of many
of those presented by alleged owners OF
cotton found in Confederate storehouses
at the close of the war; of those fOr
supplies taken by our armies while in
the enemy's country, and SO on through
the list.
1t is the experience of every person
who has had any thing whatever to dc
with these claims, that there exists nc
difficulty in always establishing the
loyalty of a claimant. Evidence il
cheap, rs the witnesses from Louisiana
and various Southern States abundantly
demonstrated q few months ago.
Loyalty having been established by the
oath of some person, and there being
no one individually interested in de.
feating claim, there is little to hinder
its allowance if once the bars are lei
down. The years that have elapsed
since the termination of the war have
scattered witnesses, events have been
forgotten, and it being nobOdy's bust
ness the claim goes through.
Already efforts have been made to dc
away with the present statutory prOhi
bitiOns. Last winter Mr.. Wilson, o.
| Mast V;rcr;pso sptroAuDoI hill doo1or p
ing that the loyalty of each citizen shall
be presumed until his or her dislOyalty
shall be afiirmatively proven, very
animus can be plainly seen in connec
ton with these claims. Mr.. Reagan
also introduced a bill doing away will
the loyalty test entirely. Mr.. Culber
son, of Texas; Mr.. OCOnnor, of Soutf
Carolina; Mr.. Thompson, of Kentucky
and others have bills pending in com
mittees, all referring to this one ques
tion, and providing for the abolition O
the present safeguards against the pay
ment of Southern claims.
Instead of being a "bugbear," thi'
claim business is living reality, and
in connection with the question O
maintaining the purity of the ballot, i!
the most important issue before thu
people. General Hancock canno
laugh it down, or dismiss all fear by in
adequate pledges and promises. Tn,
way to stop this threatened flood is t.
place a granite bar across its course il
the shape of a Constitutional amend
ment, whose legality no one will dar'
to dispute or question. That Constitu
tional provision will never be placed
there except through the efforts Of tn,
Republican party. Chicago Inter
| Ocean