The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1888-04-18
INDIANA'S WAR CLAIM.
What She Asks From Uncle Sam-ATr. HiC
eDer VIII Receive No Fee.

What She Asks From Uncle Sam-1Tr. SIieh-
eDer VIII Receive No Fee.
The spirited fight that has Just been made in
congress on the part of a small minority of the
house against the passage of the direct tax bin
has been OF considerable local interest, and
the question has been frequently asked: What
benefit Indiana would derive from the passage
OF the BILL and what the attorney general
would be entitled 10 as commission? The
claim of Indiana, as it was presented
by the state to the treasury department,
calls for large sum. At the
outbreak of the war the treasury Of the state
of Indiana was depleted. and To enable the state
10 properly respond to the calls of the president
of the United States for troops for the common
defense, and To properly raise, organize, equip,
support, pay and transport them, II became
necessary 10 raise money by loan. The general
assembly. by an act approved May Is, 1861, au-
thorized the governor to issue two million dollars
OF bonds OF the state, the proceeds OF the sales
OF which were TO be used in the manner stated.
The bonds were issued as directed and after
due notice they were sold at discount OF
S143 100 81, because the war then existing had
impaired the credit of the state 10 that extent
The state, however, had to pay the full amount
of the bonds. The expense of negotiating
the bonds was Sl,6S5.39. The bonds
called for the payment OF 8 per
cent. Interest, Ddldbit StIlFdnUudlll. III inter
est. the state has paid 500, 1860 The sum-
mary OF the losses and payments shows the fol
lowing:
The United States 10 the state Of Indisna DR..
For amount Of discount on s2O00,O0O of
Indiana war bonds S243107 u
For amount expended for printing said
bonds and putting them on the market,
including brokerage aud salaries and cX-
penses Of loan eon!lmissioners ....---- 1,6s5 90
For am0unnt OF interest paid on said
bonds 10 NAV. 1865 lsi 81
5000, so 81
On the 26th Of May, 1865, the state officers
prepared and filed IN the treasury department
OF the United States, an itemized claim against
the Uniled States for the losses and expendi-
lures, together with a concise statement OF the
facts. The claim was based on the following
act OF congress:
9TH Y. s statutes u.s.
ACT TO INDEN;sIFY THE STATES FoR EXPENSES
INCURRED BY THEM IN DEFENSE oF THE UNITED
STATES.
BE Il enacted on the senate AMI house Of representatives
g - ts1e states II AHseric1 IN congress assembled
That the secretary OF the treasury be- and he is
by directed ont Of any money IN the treasury not
otherwise appropriated, 20 pay TO the governor Of
any state, or his duly authorized agents, the costs
state for enrolling, subsisting clothing supplying
arminS cquipping paying and transporting its
troops employed in aiding to suppress the present
insurrectOn against the United states 60 be settled
upon proper vouchers, TO be fled and passed upon
by the proper accounting officers of the treasury.
Approved July -, 1851.
The question arose on the filing of the claim
as TO what construction should be nut on the
act Of congress. And mp TO the present time
this claim and the claims of other states have
been banded about, objections being raised on
one ground and another against their payment
the strongest objection being that the United
States does not pay interest, which is contrary
TO the fundamental statutes of the government.
The states have stood their ground val
iently. and have been firm in their demands for
both the principal and interest on oil sums due
them by the United States The bin has been
fought over in nearly every session of congress
in the last decade, and defeated on one pretext
another.
The total claim of the state of Indiana against
the government, including interest up 10 the
present time, amounts TO 500, S75.33.
The salary OF the attorney general is mostly
made up OF commissions and fees and il has
been remarked that the allowance of this war
claim would be q great windfall for him. This
would, indeed be true, If such were possible,
but under an act of the general assembly dated
April H. 1885, he is excluded from all right to
a commission on any sum paid TO the state by
the United States. After defining his fees
upon several things il concludes with the fol-
lowing:
Provided that tho provisions of this section in re-
latiOn TO the fees and commissions OF the attorney
general shall not apply to any Of money re-
the state OF Indiana, by virtue OF any act of congress
otherwise.
"No,' said Mr.. Kitchener. al don't get any
thing out of this. ! have tried to get this thing
through as duty j owe to my position, but it
is all for glOryn