Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-02-01
CONFEDERATE ASSETS.

From, tie Nel0 YORK Telegram.


From, the New York Telegram.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 35.-The movement
which has been inaugurated by the hold
ers of Confederate bonds to secure their
payment has aroused something more
than credulous interest in official circles.
There always has been a great deal of
mystery as TO the whereabouts Of large
amount Of assets OF the late Confederate
government. Those who are In position
| to know have endeavored to keep the mat
ter profound secret, but it now looks as
though the proposed movement will
solve at least a part of this mys-
terry. During Grants first admInistra-
ton very thorough investigation was
mad into the reports that vast amount
ofproperty belonging to the Confederate
/ government was in the hands of foreign
/ holders. The amount has been variously
estimated, but according to the most re-
/ liable ngures. in 1870, il was placed at
about $400O0,0OO. There is, or at least
there should be, on file In the Treasury
Department, a list OF the holders and the
amount Of property which each saved,
but this list has never been given TO the
public. 1t was ascertained that the most
of 1t was held in England, France, Belgi-
UNI and Holland and also that there are
several citizens Of the United States who
!
THE GREAT COMMANDERS PROJECT.
At one time President Grant thought
very seriously OF taking steps for the
transferal of forty millions into the Treas
ury Of the United States, but he was in
formed that such course would give the
holders OF the Confederate bonds ample
grounds for suits against the government.
1t was maintained by some of the highest
legal authorities both IN this country and
abroad that in case the United States
claimed any of the assets of the late Con-
federacy, we would be clearly liable for lite
Indebtedness. Upon the receipt of
matter. The total amount of the
Confederate bonds upon which pro-
ceedings will be brought for the re-
coVery OF the assets isabout three hundred
| millions. The sum is considered worth
| fighting for, especially by the lawyers,
who Will, of course, get the lions share if
they are successful and all of the heavy
assessments for expenses in case they are
not. At the close of the war our govern
ment was greatly interested in the ascer-
tainment of the names of the Englishmeu
who had subscribed to the Confederate
loan. For years the list was kept a pro-
found secret, but one day one of our most
efficient Consular agents got hold OF it
and sent copy to the authorities here.
Not only did 1t contain the names Of a
large number of wealthy Britlshers,
but some of the most distinguished ins
"Burke's Peerage" were there also. 1t so
happened thatsome of these very parties
had claims which were being tried in the
Alabama court, and, tbs perhaps needless.
| to add, they were thrown cut unceremo.
I nlously. The idea that men who did all
they could to secure the success Of the
Confederate arms should presume TO ask
the Federal Government to reimburse
| them for losses brought about by the ac-
| tions of their own side was a trif1e too
! prepOsterous, and the consequence was
/ that the honest claimants were saved a
great many thousand dollars by the dis
covery of the list.
THE PRESENT SENSATIONAL REPORTS.
The sensational reports which are flying
about to the effect that an organized at
tack will be made upon the Golfers of the
Treasury for the liquidation of the lndebt-
edness of the late ConfedeFacy have no
foundation in fact. Such a course would
meet with instant defeatin Congress. In
deed, the proposition would not be seri-
ously considered for moment. Opposi-
ton would come as strongly from the
South as from the North and West. There
is to-day but an insignificant amount of
Confederate bonds held in the United
States, and most Of these are either heir
looms or curi0sities. While the South
erneTs are ardent in their ODposi-
ton to anything which tends to force
the Confederate debt upon the gov.
eminent, yet there is a very general SEN
/ timent favorable to a thorough lnVestjga-
tion as to the whereabouts Of the forty
/ millions Of assets which were wrung
| from an impoverished people by heavy
taxation and sent abroad for the purchase
OF materials to carry on the war. Some
/ OF this money reached its destination.
/ Much of it, however, is stIll reposing in
/ the form of private fortunes of some of
our respected citizens. 1t is to secure
some authentic information as to the
wherea bouts OF this money which is agi-
tating the Southern mind just now. Ever
since the close OF the war there have been
many significant glances exchanged
when the names of certain men
were mentioned and the fact brought for
ward that they raised themselves from
comparative poverty to positive afiuence
in the twinkling oianeye, and by methods
I which, in some minds, bear but one con-
struction. The effort to trace the where
abeuts of large proportion of this money
will be stupend0us undertaking, but it
is said that the movement is fortified
with facts and figures which will render
the greater part OF 1t comparatively an
easy matter. In the effort to chase the
furtive and eVasive dollar the English
bondholder will develop all the nimble-
ness Of the traditional Yankee, and there.
/ fore our people will watch the hunt with
particular and especial interest.
LUCK OF THE BARK CARLETON