The record-union., 1896-09-07
CALIFORNIA; WAR CLAIMS.
What EX-SurYeyor-General Shanklin Says
Of Them.
Grove L. johnson is the Man to
Recover That Money From
the Government.
(Placerville Nugget.)

NidScINlie NuSSeC)
The following letter from j. w. Shank
lin is something which should be read
by every voter in the Second Congress
sional District.
Mr.. Shanklin is too well known to
the timers of Ell Dorado County to
require any Introduction on the part
Of the Nugget" He was at one time
in the lumber business in Georgetown
and was always an active, consistent
Republican who worked hard for party
success. He is a man whose opinion is
highly valued by every old timer in
this county, for he was as popular as he
was active. He served as Surveyor
General of the State under Governor
Perkins
The letter will be read with interest.
Here it is:
SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 81, 1896.
Friend Alden: l notice by the Mount
ain Democrat" which is sent regularly
to Mrs. Gelwicks, that there is some
trouble in your county in relation to
the candidacy of Hon. Grove l.. John
son. 1 do not know the cause Of it, but
| do know that during the short time he
has been at Washington he has done
more for California on one matter than
all the Representatives we have had in
Congress put together since 1882. In
saying this l am not speaking at random
nor from any guess work. Dur
ing the rebellion, at the request of
President Lincoln, Secretary Seward
and General Halleck called on Califor-
MIA to furnish troops, not alone to pro-
tect this State for home defense, after
calling home to the East nearly all the
regular troops, but to protect the over
land route, keep Utah straight and save
Arizona for us.
In doing this work California eXpend-
ed S39o1 ,415 42 on the troops that were
mustered into the United States service,
including interest on the money that she
borrowed to meet the CALL not one dol
lar of which has been paid back, not
Wtthstanding the agreement made by
Congress July q, 1861, to pay all sums
that the States should expend for the
benefit of the Union. / know this
amount to be correct, and that it was
ali paid out, for | gathered together all
original vouchers for the money paid
out from the archives in the State Con-
troller and Treasurer's offices; and not
one of our Representatives has ever
taken an active part to place this mat
ter before Congress and press the mat
ter in a tangible shape till Mr.. John
son went there.
1t is now before Congress in good
shape for consideration, but I know it
cannot be completed before his present
term expires. Why, then, should old
Ell Dorado, which stood so nobly for
the Union during the rebellion, now
ignorantly turn against or turn down,
from little petty spleen, a man who, If
sent back, will be the means of bringing
back to our State nearly 81, 100000 that
have been due us for over thirty years
and which has remained unpaid for
want of a man with sufficient energy
and interest in State affairs to push
matter of so great Importance.
Three-fourths of the States have re-
ceived their pay years ago because their
Representatives attended to the matter.
Rebellious Missouri received 81 ,4o6,-
All so and is clamoring for nearly
S2,500,00O more. Until Johnson went
to Congress the only help California got
in Congress on this matter has come
from Senator Stewart of Nevada
Our people have known little about
this and seem to care less If they oppose
the only man that has tried to help US.
Now we want the money collected, and
We gave it to help preserve the Union
and now want the Union to return it so
that we may place 1t where it will be
permanent investment to improve the
children of our State and continue to
preserve the Union in that way.
I want you to talk to some of my old
FL Dorado friends and call their atten-
tion to this matter, because think they
dc not know what they are doing
against our State, in attempting to with
draw in any manner their united sup
port from Mr.. Johnson in the coming
election as his own successor.
California politicians are always try
ing to pull each other down, never to
strengthen a man when they have elect
ed him, and that is one reason why our
State has for many years had so little
influence in Congress.
We have made our State a laughing
stock on account of the manner that
we have berated our Representatives
and it is high time that we should take
a lesson from the older States and keep
an active man there when we find one.
Yours, J. w. SHANKLIN