The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1886-07-08
SOUTHERN WARDBBT.
UNCOMFORTABLE POSTMASTER
GENERAL REAGAN ON ITS
PAYMENT.
From the New York World.

From the New York World.
WASHINGTON, June 27.-Congressm mar
Reagan, of Texas, the former postmaster.
general of the confederacy, says the recent
argument of Judge Fullerton in favor OF
paying the confederate war debt, is being
made the constant subject of misrepresen
tation upon the part of the enemies of
the south. He says there is hardly a mail
i'll which he does not receive papers with
marked articles in which the democracy
is pictured as advocating the payment
of the confederate war debt. This even
ing, in speaking of the possible use of
this argument In the coming campaign
Judge Reagan said:
The argument of Judge Vim. Fullerton,
of New York City, made before the com.
mittee on war claims of the house of rep
resentatives recently, and printed, and
now being circulated, which has for its
object 10 show that the government of
the United States, by the adoption Of the
fourth section of article Is of the consti-
tuition of the United States, providing
that neither the United States nor any
state snail assume to pay any debt or
obligation incurred in aid of the insur-
rection or rebellion against the United
States, or any claim for the oss or eman-
cipation of any slaves; but all such debts,
obligations and claims shall be illegal and
void had thereby made itself liable to
pay the debts of the confederacy, is at
tracing good deal of attention in some
parts of the country, and without the pos
sibility of doing any good to anyone is
calculated to produce, and is producing,
hurtful effect on the public mind. 1t is
mischievOus, and mischievous only, III its
effect. Judge Fullerton's assumption that
because the United States forbade the
states paying this debt they made them
selves liable for the damages resulting
from this constitutional provision, is SO
clearly without the support of any recog-
nized legal principle that it is a matter
of surprise that any lawyer should have
suggested it,"
When the confederate government
ceased to exist,all its rights, powers, duties
and obligations ceased with it. and there
was no legal obligation on the part of any
. the states which composed the confed-
eracy to pay its debts. The only basis for
the view taken by Judge Fullerton is that
it was possible for these states to have
assumed a moral responsibility for the
confederate debts. But they had not |
done so when the United States took &C
ton on this subject, and that fact answers
and negatives Judge Fullerton's theory.
His proposition is not only absurd but
positively harmful. 1t may stimulate
hopes in the holders of the evidences of the
confederate debt which can never be real
lied. 1t may stimulate vicious speculation
in these securities. 1t is causing certain
partisan republican papers to claim that
the citizens of the southern states are
putting forward this scheme, which is
wholly untrue. 1t is manifest that this
claim is not put forward in their interest,
while it is equally manifest that the agita-
ton of the question is calculated to slim
ulate and promote prejudice against them.
As far as | know and believe holders have
generally, in various ways, destroyed this
class of security. after the abandonment
of all hope that they would ever be paid |
"There are some confederate bonds held |
in Europe, and it is supposed this propo-
sition has been brought forward in their
interest. 1t has certainly not been
brought forward in the interest of the |
southern people, and as certainly will not |
receive their support. They consented to |
restored union and accepted the coDstitu- |
ton of the United States in all its parts |
ia good faith, and they will support both |
the union and the constitution with the
same constancy and fidelity which charac-
terized their support of the confederate
government during its existence. Ger
tain newspapers assume that this scheme
is chargeable to the democratic party,
when they know, or ought to know, that it
is brought forward by northern man
and republican in politics, doubtless
simply as a lawyer in the interest of
clients"