The Savannah morning news., 1901-06-09
COTTON ATSI ABOUND
SAVANNAHIANs LOST OVER $1,000
BALES DURING THE WAR,
CHANCE YET FOR RECOVERY.
CONGRESS HOLDS KEY TO MIL
LIONS LOST BY THE SOUTH.

cover Their LOsseS-President Nc
ILinIey's Friendliness and Favor
able Reports of Committees En-
couraging Government Holds
over $40. 900. 900 to Be Distributed.
Generally Believed That the Next
Congress VIII Take Action for RE
lief.
Savannahians who have been holding on
DOR years to their claims for cotton seized
from them during the war and sold by
the government feel encouraged over the
outlook for the early enactment by Con-
eress Of laws which will enable them to
prosecute and possibly recover their
losses. The amount OF these claims is not
known, but the total in Chatham county
fSots up many thousands Of dollars.
The losers who were able to swear that
they had given neither aid nor comfort
TO the South in the Civil War. got their
money years ago under a special act that
excluded about all claimants except ths
non-participants in the South's cause.
Now that a better feeling prevails be-
tween the sections more liberal policy
seems probable that may result in the
recovery by Southerners of that part OF
the trust fund they claim.
President AIcKinley's warm hand
shakes with the older citizens on his re-
cent trip through the South and West,
and the talk about the closer relations of
the sections doubtless meant much to the
planters who lost a part Of the $31, 900, 900
worth OF cotton seized, the proceeds Of
which were deposited in the United States
Treasury, where much of 1t has been lock-
ed up ever since. The gradual healing Of
ruptured relations is beginning to tell by
more liberal policy by the government
in restoring to the Southerners property
rights of which the Civil War operations
deprived them one way or another.
What the President has done to create
the general impression among the old
planters that the money realized on cot
ton is to be returned is not known but
the widespread talk about it indicates
that 1t is predicated upon something. AS
the spokesman of the administration the
kind expressions of the President have
been construed by many to mean that his
sparty will show a liberal spirit in the
adjustment of these cotton claims which
have been held for over thirty years with
out hundreds of claimants having for the
nrst time been given by the government
an opportunity to present and esta blish
their claims. A string that kept a large
majority of them out has always been to
such legislation as the government has
enacted for the restoration OF the value
Of seized cotton to its former owners
Under the provisions of an act, approved
March u, 1868, entitled an act to provide
for the collection Of abandoned property
and for the prevention Of frauds in the
insuCrectionary districts of the United
States, cotton was seized throughout the
South through secret agents of the gov
eminent sent to various sections for this
purpose. From Savannah alone around
1880 bales were seized and sold. At
Montgomery, Mobile, New Orleans, Gal
weston, Houston, Memphis and other i'm
portant storing places for cotton the seiz-
ures were large and the losses in many
instances deprived the owners of their
last dollar. The proceeds were not Cor
government or individual gain however
but they were to form trust fund
which, according to later decisions by the
Supreme Court on this subject, was to be
distributed at the proper time to its lawful
owners.
The amount OF cotton seized and sold
during war times was enormous, the ag-
gresate of the sales running into the mil
lions of dollars. The amount of the
fund, the purposes to which it has been
appropriated, and the balance subject to
the control of Congress, are fully given
in a recent decision of the Supreme Court
The whole amount realized by the gov
eminent on these sales was $S1, 722 466 %.
To be deducted from this is Sc 551, 900, the
cost of converting the property into cash,
S24S,OO transferred to Freedman's Bureau,
81 ,46,OO0 deposited as internal revenue
taxes and commercial intercourse fees,
and 81, $50, 675.A released to claimants by
Secretaries Chase Fessenden and A1cCul-
Tough, making total of $40 $50, 675. "a and
leaving $9o,971, 1905 the actual amount
covered into the treasury under
resolution of March 30, 1868 From the
latter amount is to be taken 1926, 800 80
paid under special relief acts of Congress.
$64,577.s7 paid on judgments against
treasury agents under acts of July q.
1868, $SlSSS 42S .16 paid on judgments of the
Court Of Claims under the abandoned or
captured property act of March r. 1868,
Sl95,S06 IS paid to claimants by the Sec
rotary OF the Treasury under act of May
u, 1872, and $4,000 disbursed for expenses
under resolution of March go 1868, making
total OF $10,45s,7SS paid out. and leaving
balance now In the treasury subject to
distribution of $l0,512.0O7.96
The favorable stand the President has
taken and his apparent desire to see the
legitimate property rights of Southern
men restored to them, speaks well for
the prospects for an early equitable dis
tribuuon of this fund. As the matter
stands at present, however there is no
way for the real owners to present their
claims owing to the Limitation and re-
str1ctions put upon the only act of re-
lief ever enacted by Congress. Under this
act Of March y. 1868, II was provided that
any person having claims to captured or
abandoned property two years after the
suppression OF the rebellion. which the
Supreme Court decided was June 80. 1865,
the date Of President Lncoln's proclama-
ton Of the close of hosuliues, and re-
cover the property provided they could
establish satisfactory proof of former
ownership and that they had never given
any aid or comfort TO the rebellion. This
last was sweeping exclusion OF cotton
planters because OF the large number
who participated IN the war. The re-
suit was that practically all the beneficial
Ties under this act were those who came
South, and bought up the claims OF
planters at about half their value and
as they could then easily establish proof
OF ownership and also frendnness to
the government, there was no bar to col
lection.
AS stated nearly SlOO00.0OO OF the fund
went this way. Either believing that they
would be unable to ever recover their
losses or desiring TO realize
promptly in order to again
establish themselves IN business
hundreds OF planters sacrificed their