The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1900-02-02
Frederick's Just Claim.

The Baltimore San makes the FL
owing strong appeal to Congress in
ehalf of Frederick's war claim:
The memorial submitted t. Congress
Y the authori les and citizens OF Fred
rick, Md, asking reimb vi sement of
he sum If $780, 600 paid to Gsn. Early,
lie Confederate commander, in 1864. to
I'VE the town fir III DIES ructou, sets
nth one OF the strongest cl inns ever
rought agairsl the Federal Govern
lent. General Early, during h 5 in
rs on OF M 'ryl md, in the year mea-
oned, demanded the paynI MT of $780,
10 by the city of trede lex in reprisal
III ietaliation for the destruction of
.rtain p operty by tn UnioI army in
re Val ey of Virginia. FIR derrick Was
'ltcted is sacrifice because Of its
ell-kuown and unrompronising 10y
ty TO the Union 1t had 10 way of
-feuding itself at the time, as larg-
lumber of its ci liens were abse in
he Union armies, and the State could
ot protect it, as the force specially or
lnized by Mar, land for home der nse
ad which ould otherwise have been
valuable in the emerr ency, had ben
1T by the National Governi eat be-
D. the b orders of the conlmbnN ealth
take part in military operations el>e-
here. Thus exposed and defe 1sele-s,
r. de' lex, after urgently appealing for
ederal protection, aud failing to re-
live it, was forced tn pay Gen. Early's
mand. The collect on of the moaey
,cupied two days ami This delay ell
bled President Lincoln to ASSEMBLE
lrge army and save the capital. The
ayment of the ran, om "cons ituted a
i-vous and excessive impOsiT on
hiQh drainei the Te-ources OF the mu
icipality aud to which it submitted
The only means If saving the hones
nd property of its ci liens" For
lo,e than a gen, ration, tie memorial
oints out, the mu icipali y "has borne
he b rden of the BIN ed debt result
no from the Confederate levy The
.ayments on account of interest alone
ave far exceeded the orig ma exaction,
While the debt itself remains as a sub
i,ting obligation The existence of
bis burden is al oppression 10 the cit
Gems and an obslacle To municipal i'm
1t involves continuing
aerifice by tie people of rick on
ccount of heir lOya ty TO the Uuion
n the time of its gr a.tst trial. The
itizens of Fir, d-rick faithfully per-
ormed their duty of defendi & the
Juion, but the g vernment failed to
discharge its duty of protecting he
own. Justice requires that repara ion
should be made by tine government to
j. e mmniciI ality for the loss il has sus-
aimed"
The Senate and House Committees
IN Claims have been asked TO fix Gay
or hearing on the subject of this
and bills have been iutru-
lucsd in both Houees providing for the
payment If the Claim. There ought to
,e no question about the prompt pas
age OF measure which appeals so
trongly both to the patri tism aud tue
hstice Of The country. 1t il a refiec-
ion upon both that such n claim should |
lave been left 20 ong unpaid, aud that |
he nation should have left for so many |
ears upon small community bur-
len that by every principle of equity |
to itself Frederick is fairly |
ntilled not only TO the principle, but |
O the interest which her citizens have
,een forced to pay up N the original
UNI, and Congress would only lie dis
harging just debt if it repaid the
teadfasi little mountain town every
ent which it has expended on this ac
cunt 1t is willing, however, tomake
he General Government present. of
he interest. and only ask reimburse
nent FIR the principal. The facts form
case so absolutely conclusive that the
lain cannot lie ignored except by the
of the most shameful in
lstice. No special argument ought to
e necessary ia its behalf Neverlhe-
sss, as justice sometimes needs strong
dvocatiug, it is to be hoped that the
ntire Maryland delegation in Congress
I'LL give Frederick's claim their earnest
lpp0rt and make special effort to
,cnre its final settlement at the pres
at session.