Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1885-02-12
fCoMmuNIcATEp

Messrs. Editors I'll am glad to see
that the Port Tobacco Times has ably
catered the list for the purpose of as
serting and promoting the claims of
the former slave-holding citizens of
our State for payment Of their slave
property by the General Government.
| hope other journals OF the State will
support the object with zeal and with
full confidence Of success in SO Just a
cause. The st. Mary's BEACON long
since took the initiative in this i'm
portant matter and hope will con-
tinus to persevsre in impressisg upon
the public mind the Justice of their
claim.
Some time in Last April the Balti-
more American sent circular with
certain queries to various gentlemen
Of the State, among them myself, re-
questing a reply. Immediately sent
my reply, which was published in
that paper. Tn that letter, among
other matters, / briefly gave my views
on the subject Of the General Govern.
msnts responsibility for the payment
for slaves in Maryland ard other Bor-
der States. / will here ask that you
will insert the following extract from
my letter to tho american
There are two debts of large
amounts which | think the govern
ment should not hesitate to pay or
settle satisfactorily, now that it has
the ability. One is the claim for the
French spoliations, which our ablest
men have thought was justly due, and
sNhiehshas hsap .fayorably acted upon
by several Congresses, but vetoed by
the Presideata with the exeusei Of q
want Of funds. The funds ard now
in hand-pay IL. The other claim is
for the negro slaves in Maryland, and
other border States, which the federal
took from their owners,
avowedly for public use, and which
the Constitution which Congress swore
to support declares cannot be done
without fair compensation. The
amount due citizens of Maryland for
their slaves thus taken, at $500 each,
is S26, 1853, TOO, and the whole amount
due the four border States 10 about
$l29, 600, 900. President Lincoln and
the Congi essss during his administra-
tion, by their course on the subject,
clearly indicated their estimation of
the business Of the claim. From my
own experience and knowledge, can
say that many of our citizens whose
slave property was thus taken from
them are really impoverished and suf-
fering for the necessaries of life. The
government is nov capable of paying
them, and let it make arrangements
for doing so at once. ] trust the bor-
der States will take some early action
for urging their claims before Con-
grsss. Congress will surely give ear
to the complaints of $4,000 Of the CIT.
liens of our country who were slave
holders, and are directly interested in
having this oppressive grievance re-
dressed.
"Some pretend that the United States
are prohibited from paying this claim
by the fourth section of the Four
teenth amendment, which declares,
Neither the United States, nor any
State, shall assume or pay any claim
for the loss or emancipation Of any
slave. This cannot be construed to
refer 10 the border States, for in no
sense we're their slaves lost, but were
taken and held openly by the govern
ment fer It's own use. They became
the property Of the United States, of
course, for a fair consideration due to
their owners, and this took place q
considerable time before the Constitu.
ton Of Maryland or the Thirteenth
amendment, emancipating them, were
adopted, 40 that these proceedings
could only affect them as the proper.
ty Of the United States. Congress
should carefully avoid the reputation
Of such claim, represented by so
many Of our citizens. 1t might be a
bad example acme time in the future.
This cannot be considered a party
question. for even the negroes are
favorable to its payment, inasmuch as
their rights and standing are in no
respect injuriousiy affected by it."
The just and long deferred debts
for French spoliations is | hope aud be-
lieve in fair way for settlement and
thus the doubt cast upon the integri-
ty Of the United States will be so far
removed. / think the above men
toned claims of former slave owners
in this State stand upoa even more
unquestionable grounds than those for
French spoliAtion as thinks shownin
the above extract. Allow me to supple
msnt few more remarks with some
pertinent quotations.
The right of property in slaves UNI
der our Constitution and lava before
slavery was abolished will Aot, think,
be questioned. No one. either DEM
ocrat or Republican, during Lineeln's
administration expressed the least