The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1893-10-18
WILL PAY NO REBEL CLAIMS.
PLAIN, oUTsPokEN POSITION OF
MIR. SAVERS,
Chairman of the Committee on APP
propriations-The Efforts of some
of the Southern Members 10 Secure
Favorable Consideration.
BUREAU OF THE SENTINEL.
WAsHINGTON. 10. 81, Oct. l.

BUREAU OF THE SENTINEL,
WASHINGTON. d. c., oct. u.
Whatever the F'ifty-third congress may
do or fail to do on the financial ques-
ton there will be one score upon which
the record will be right. There will be
no rebel war claims paid. This will be
a severe disappointment to the partisan
organs that have been printing columns
regarding bills that have been introduced
by Southern members asking appropria-
lions for cotton seized or destroyed dur
ing the war, forgetting at the same
time to say anything about measures
equally as ridiculous and ill-founded
brought in by members from the North.
1t was left for several Of the strongest
OF the Southern members to put an end
to this talk. and they did so the other
day I'm most effectual manner.
1t was during the morning hour and
Congressman Bum Of North Carolina
was the man who precipitated the dis
cussion by asking unanimous consent
for the passage of a bill providing for
the payment of a balance due the keeper
of North Carolina lighthouse, on April
80. 1861, when he relinquished the office.
his SCCiitSa W give the Ol TIE
committee on appropriations, Mr.. Sayers
of Texas, an opportunity to nail the sto-
ries regarding the rebel war claims, and
he was not slow in availing himself of
it. He objected on the ground that no
investigation had been made to ascer-
tain whether or not the claim had been
paid by the confederate government.
This nettled several Southern members,
who set up the claim that this made no
difference. Finally Mr.. Sayers made the
following significant statement:
Il wish to notify my colleague here
and now that so far as I am concerned,
claiming neither for myself nor for the
committee to which 1 belong any supe-
riorfty in intelligence or honesty or
economy, that 1 intend to stand in my
place and use the privileges accorded me
as member of the house in demanding
Of every gentleman who presents claim
for payment by this house that it shall
be proved beyond dispute that it is a
just claim, and that it has never been
paid. 1 give gentlemen fair warning"
This plain statement coming from
distinguished Southerner, a member Of
the committee on appropriations, and a
man who will be in position to defeat
almost any claim that may be brought
forward, stirred up some of the Southern
members who attacked the position Of
Mr.. Sayers fiercely. This, however
brought Congressman Cockrell Of Texas
TO his feet with the following:
Mr.. Chairman, 1 am from the same
section of the country that my friend
halls from who has grown so enthusi-
astic in support Of this claim. / want
to say that the federal government
owed me about $4,000 for the destruc-
ton of property during the war, and
when I entered into the rebellion against
the government 1 concluded that 1 had
sacrificed all the rights and privileges
L had to any claim against the federal
government for the destruction of that
property. / have been unalterably OPP
posed from that day to this to any
man coming from within the limits of
the confederacy, so called, putting in a
claim against the federal government
for any amount of money based on such
claims as these which were originated
during the rebellion"
This was straight from the shoulder
and would have ended the discussion
for any ordinarily sensible mar but
Bum of North Carolina, and Eutche-
son of Texas persisted in continuing it
with the result that old man Cockrell,
who Is a brother of Senator Cockrell
of Missouri, and quite as determined
and plain spoken, was again stirred up,
when he came back with a cutting
criticism of those members who are
really acting as claim agents.
ILL., -
present such a claim. The truth of the
business Is that l started out in my
shirt-taiI after the war, not wishing to
ask any favors of the government or
anybody else. The spirit of the major
ity of the men living in what was the
confederacy and their hard work has
established it on a firm basis since the
war.
''They have built up prosperity such as
never has been exhibited before in that
country; but they have never been sup
plants to the federal government for
anything they may have lost during the
war. And l wish to give notice to the
house now that / have received not less
than ten or fifteen letters since 1 have
been elected to congress notifying me that
the writer's had claims against the
federal government; that they proposed
to present them to this congress in order
that they may be paid for cotton de-
ing the war. 1 have universally written
to them that was not in that business,
and l do not propose now to go into it,
and give notice that no bill shall pass
this house growing out of these trans
actions with my consent while / am on
this floor"
Such statements as these, coming from
men like Savers and Cockrell, one of
whom at least is in a position to enforce
his views. are especially significant and
show the absurdity of the attempt to
persuade the people into the belief that
this congress is going to pass a large
number of southern claims AS a matter
of fact there are preposterous and i'm
pudent claims brought In from all parts
OF the country and the southern states
have no more than their due proportion
But with Mr.. Sayers at the helm, claims
of this character from any section will
receive scant courtesy.
FAMILY pnIG0NEne