The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-02-16
THE CLAIM OF POSEY.
\ CONGRESSIONAL INCIDENT
 WITH A MORAL.
Troops of the United States Take an Old Negro's Property and Award to Him c Pitiful Sum
 in Payment.

l constant wall is that the negro does not l get fair treatment at the hands of the | white people of the South were given a. sudden and effective call in Congress | this week by a representative from the | South, William Richardson of Alabama. It wa sa clean cut blow the Southerner delivered and 1t should go long ways l in qrelling the storm of criticism that Is | eternally arising in the North and East against the South's treatment of the negro. Furthermore 1t put the question of fair treatment of the colored man right up to the northern brother-and the northern brother shunted it aside. The house was considering the hill to allow payment of claims for property appropriated by federal troops during the Civil War; In the list of claimants there appeared the name of Charles Posey of Lauderdale County. Alabama. Opposite his name his claim was set forth, or rather the amount of his claim as allowed by the court of claims and reported to the house. by the Committee on War Claims. The sum set forth was SIP. Posey it appears, was a slave at the time his property was appropriated for the use of the federal troops. And there Is pathos in the appropriation of that
 property. Here is what they took from the negro:
 Horses. four. meal. bacon. potatoes
 and poultry-mary the poultry! They took his poultry!
 The clerk has read the item relating to Charles Posey. It is about to pass. No one seems particularly interested in it. It has been favorably reported from the committee-let it go at that. But some one is interested. and now he Is on his feet. It is Richardson of Alabama. He raises his hand to attract the attention of the Speaker. As he does so an expression that is peculiar to Southerners rests on his countenance. 1t
 is that outward sign of heartfelt pity
 mingled with inexpressible sadness at the
 memory of the old time darky in dis tress. No Northern man can feel it. No Northern man can understand the feeling in Southerners. Those of Richard sons colleagues who sit near him observe the expression on his countenance, and one or two who know the story of the claim of Charles Posey, the old slave. assume with Richardson that look con- jured up by the mental vision of white
 haired old negro waiting down in Ala
 bama for news from Washington as to
 whether he would be paid for his prop | erty wrested from him forty years ago. Richardson is recognized Several | members turn in their seats to hear '"rHt [ he has to say, but the great majority | continue on with their idI- s.u5aip. ...~i4 everlasting scratch, scratch with pen | or pencil or their perusal of law books | or newspapers.
 T want to offer an amendment" says | Richardson.
 | Someone else is interested now. It is Mahon of Pennsylvania. He is chair | man of the Committee on War Claims | and has charge of the whole bill in
 which Posey's claim is an item. He
 sees, perhaps. an attempt to obstruct | the bill. There are items in that meas | ure which affect Pennsylvania. maybe. or Ohio. or Illinois. It must not be ob- structed.
 I'What is the gentleman's amendment? | Is 1t to change a name or something like | that?" demands Mahon of Pennsylvania. Tt is for the purpose of striking out | one hundred and seventy-two dollars
 and inserting three hundred dollars, '"
 Richardson replies.
 T object" shouts Mahon of Pennsyl-
 vania. You cannot go behind the find- ings of the Court of Claims"
 T ask the chairman of the committee for a few minutes In which to state my
 reasons for offering this amendment"
 calmly the Alabamian answers. Then
 the gentleman can object if he is not sat-
 isfied with the reasons"
 How long will 1t take?'
 "Only two or three minutes"
 "All right"
 That look on Richardson's face Is in
 tensifed He pauses for a moment to
 adjust some papers on his desk and then begins, in slow, measured, distinct tones. II know Charles Posey, the claimant" he says. "He is a very aged colored man, residing in Lauderdale County. Alabama, in the district 1 have the honor to repre-
 sent. know him quite well and know
 well what his neighbors have written to me about him."
 He pauses agin in his speech to pick up an extract from the verdict of the
 Court of Claims, setting forth the items taken from Posey by the federal troops, 'horses, flour, meal, bacon, potatoes and
 poultry"
 Now I put it to any member of the
 committee, or to any gentleman on this
 noor," he resumes" if it can be possible
 that SIP would be a reasonable amount for horses and the things therein enumerated The report says horses. That certainly must mean more than one. and certainly no man can say that $l72
 is fair compensation for horses, certainly
 two, If not more. and other articles taken from that old negro under these circum- stances. His loyalty was fully estab- lished and he was true to the govern
 ment slave as he was. am informed
 that in his old age he is respected by
 both the white and colored people among
 whom he resides. The great govern
 ment of these United States under these
 circumstances and conditions, ought not
 to take his property for the use of the
 army and then make this small and
 pitiful allowance to him.
 Now it is said frequently that we
 of the South do not do the negro justice;
 but I freely and gladly appear here as
 his representative. and ask gentlemen on
 this floor if they think this is right and
 fair for the government to take horses from this old negro. friend of the Union without just. fair and honorable compensation? 1 think if he is to be | treated fairly he should be given the amount of $300 as suggested by my | amendment, instead of S172.' q do not know anything about the | facts in this case.' exclaims Mahon or
 Pennsylvania, impatiently.
 "Well, I do and I am telling them. '' | Richardson responds
 "Is there objection to the amendment?' | the Speaker asks
 "I object" Mahon of Pennsylvania shouts again.
 And the clerk proceeds with the read | ing of the next item. Milt Saul
 IN THE PUBLIC EVE.
 Interesting Notes About Some of