The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1899-12-01
ELEVEN MILLION
DOLLARS INVOLVED,
THE SOUTHERN GOVERNORS URGED
TO UNITED ACTION.
Hottoh claims to be Pressed Property That
WAS seized by the Federal Government
Sti1l Belougs to People In tho South.
CTho State, 2Sth.)

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duo to citizons of this State, yesterday
laid before the governor q United
States senate bill, which came yerv
near passing congress at tho last sos.
sion, accompanied by very full re-
port from the senate committee on
claims, recommending it's passage
containing full information in regard
TO these claims, amounting to SILL.
100000, which now remains in the
treasury Of the United States, and
can only be collected through con
gressional action.
The Governor decided to add ear
nestness to the matter in hand by
addressing q communication to each
of the Governors of the several south
ern States requesting to join him in
general request to the Southern rep
resentatives in congress to take some
united action at the next session with
view to insuring the passage Of this
bill, and affording to these claimants
the necessary relief.
The following is copy of the gov
ernor's letter to the several governors:
Dear Sir: Your attention is invited
to the fact that there now remains in
the treasury Of the United States
large amount of money, amounting
perhaps in the noighborhood of SILL
00o,OOO, arising from the sale of
cotton seized by the forces of the
United States and it's treasury agents
during the period of the war, COM
mencing 1801.1SG5, and during a few
years thereafter, comprising the
period of re- construction.
This money belongs to citizens of
the Southern States whose property
was seized, shipped to New York city
to the collector of customs and by
him sold and sent to the treasury of
the United States. Some few persons
Interested succeeded in bringing be-
fore the courts and recovered their
money, but special Legislation in each
case seems to have been necessary to
enable them to do SO, inso1nuch as
the right to bring action against the
government as sovereign does not
exist, unless it shall give consent, and
such consent can only be given by
congressional enactment, and such
has not only been withheld, but up
to this time has been refused.
Meanwhile, by decision of the
United States Supreme Court, it has
been declared that the United States
had not and could not acquire any
title to this fund, bnt held it for the
ultimate return to the persons who
were entitled thereto.
The retention, therefore, of this
money from the persons to whom it
belongs, or their heirs at law, many
of the original owners having died,
would seem to be wrong, and it would
seem that the time is now opportune
to make proper effort to obtain
such legislation, as is necessary to
enable the real owners of this fund
to establish their rights before the
treasury department., the court of
claims, or some other tribunal, and
have the funds paid to them as they
may be respectively entitled.
1t will be observed that this is not
requesting from the government of
the United States any appropriation
of its funds for tho purpose of paying
these demands, but ls simply request.
ing it to do justice to certain of its
citizens by returning to them money
belonging to them now in its treasury
long withhold from them wrongfully,
and to whi,h the government of the
ULited Sthtes has not and cannot
acquire Any title.
take the liberty Of suggesting to
yon that you join with mo in request
to your congressional delegation that
they unite with delegations from
other Southern States in an effort to
secure for our people this measure of
relief, which, IN this era of good
feeling and reunion, it would seem
the Congress Of tho United States
would make haste to accord.
"A similar communication has been
addressed to the Governor Of each
Southern State.
Very respectfully,