The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-12-06
MAJOR OTEY ENCOURAGED.
Els Bill to Pay The South for Captured
Property Much Discussed.
NOT ASKING CONFEDERATE PENSIONS
Mr.. Reeds New Committees-He VIII Ap-
point Two Committees on Elections and
Two on Commerce-will Allow
New Chairmanship.


WASHINGTON. d. c., Dec. o.-Spe-
cial.-Representative Otey has been mucn
encouraged by the editorial comment IN
some northern papers and the letters he
has received from ex-Federal soldiers re-
earding his bill to pay to the Southern
states per cent. upon the S26,OOOOo0 de-
rived from the sale of captured and
abandoned property in the South during
the war.
To the correspondent of The Times
Mr.. Otey said to-day:
Il am receiving no end of editorial no
tices. The impression that / am asking
for pensions for ex-Confederates Is er-
roneous. The preamble to my bill shows
that no such demand ia made, and no
obligation rests upon the Government
TO grant the bounty. General Grant.
however. returned captured and abandon
ed property, not as right, but as a
gratuity.
1T is generally admitted that the
| Government would do the same II II knew
who the rightful owners of the property
were. General Sherman. in an open let
| ter advocated (this was about the time
| OF Harrison's Inauguration admitting ex-
Confederates TO tna Soldiers home.
| The adverse criticism TO which my
proposition has been subjected is due TO
the fact that / am represented as asking
for pensions for ex-COnfederates. Ihis
| is not the case: / merely propose TO pay
10 the Southern States the interest on
| the money derived from the sale OF prop
| erty belonging TO southern men.
A UNION SOLDIERS LETTER.
The following letter. sent me by j.
W. II. Reisnger, Pennsylvania editor.
| shows how my bill is regarded by some
ex-Union soldiers. His letter is as FOL
lows:
AFTER receiving your letter and think
| ing it over. | decided to endorse il and
add a few suggestions which are in ac-
cordance with ideas | have entertained
| for several years. / served in the Union
army three and a haIf years travelled
| over your State no little as captain OF a
! company OF "Bucktails," ana later in
| Florida, as lieutenant-colonel Of colored
| troops / am as rank Republican
as there Is in the North, and l feel for
myself that / have no such thing as
| hatred towards the South. nor do | be-
ueve such a thing exists in one out OF
a thousand OF our Northern people. We
are for the whole country now. and T.,
for one. want to forget as nearly as /
can that any one ever had any other
feeling Hoping that you may get for
your people the pittance you ask for.
Yours respectfully.
J. w. II. REISiNGEK.
A REPUBLICAN VIEW.
The following extract from the Meade
| vile CPa) Tribune, a Republican paper,
| Is exhibited by Mr. Otey as specimen
OF the comment his bill is exciting:
"yye are- compelled to say that If the
| facts are as represented by MIR. Otey,
| there is a reasonableness about the case,
and we feel sure that 1t will receive due
consideration. Very soon after tie
war the Government ceased TO punish
| the rebels, and began making apologies
| for such punishment as had been al
I ready inflicted. The whole policy or
the Government since that time has been
that OF peace and reconciliation. whether
such policy was the best IS not an open
practical question. II was and is the
| policy Of the Government, and IT IS
our business to consider what Is, and
not what should have been. We are
| now at peace with each other, and appa-
rently all jealous in our attachment 10
/ the Union as it is. When war breaks
| out. as IL certainly will at some future
| time, the soldiers Of every section VIII
| wear the national uniform, and fight
under the national flag. We are here
after TO live in peace under the same
/ shelter. and be friends to each other, as
against the whole outside world. IT
will promote peace If we can manage
TO forget the misunderstandings of the
| past. Congressman Otey says there was
covered into the United States Treasury
SZ7.O00, 900, the proceeds of property taken
| will offer a bill TO distribute that amount
from the South by the Union army. he
to the States which were in rebellion, for
| the benefit of needy sufferers among the
| surviving rebel soldiers. Only per cent.
| is TO be paid each year. The details
! are too long for publication, but the OBJ
| ject seems TO be a proper one and the
amount asked is but a small matter We
| cannot doubt that the sum asked would
| be a very profitable expenditure. 1nere
IS strong probability that there VIII
! be a powerful combination OF European
governments against the United States
at no distant day. IL would be well "a
| 90 all IN our power 10 complete that
| perfect union of our own people which
all patriotic Americans desire 10 see"
| DOUBLE COMMITTEES.
1t seems to be pretty well understood
that Mr. Reed will appoint two COM
| mittees on Elections and two Committees
OH Commerce. Regarding the latter,
Mr.. Reed will follow the plan OF the
Senate committee organization, and APP
point a Committe on Commerce and a
| Committee on Interstate Commerce.
1t viii be virtually new committee,
| and viii allow a new chairmanship. wnsC
| viii probably be made permanent. Ine
| appointment OF two election committees,
| il is understood, will be due TO the
| great number OF contested election cases
j 49,.