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Franklin Repository: February 21, 1866 Go To Page : 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |

Speech of President Johnson
(Column 6)

Summary: A copy of President Johnson's speech before a delegation of white legislators from Virginia who had come to Washington to pledge their support for his Reconstruction plans. In his address, Johnson urged them to elect only those men who are "unmistakably and unquestionably loyal to fill places of power," if they hope to speed full representation in Congress.

The New Revenue Bill
(Column 1)

Summary: The editorial discusses key aspects of the proposed revenue bill, and suggests that the best solution to the state's financial quandary is a repeal of the tax on real estate. Even without the revenue generated by the tax, it argues, the state will be able to reduce its war-induced debt by $ 1 million a year.

The Relief Bill
(Column 2)

Summary: The Relief Bill passed the Senate last Wednesday and was immediately signed into law by Gov. Curtin. The bill appropriates $500,000 of the victims of the 1864 raid on Chambersburg. The appraisers, from Dauphin county, as stipulated by the measure, will arrive shortly and are required to complete their duties within sixty days. To make a claim, the piece notes, an individual must take an oath.

Full Text of Article:

The bill appropriating five hundred thousand dollars to the victims of rebel vandalism in Chambersburg, passed the Senate on Wednesday last by a vote of 18 to 12, as follows:

YEAS--Messrs. Bigham, Clymer, Connell, Donovan, Glatz, Graham, Haines, Hall, Hopkins, Householder, Landon, Latta, M'Conaughy, Nichols, Randall, Ridgway, Royer, and Fleming, Speaker--18.

NAYS--Messrs. Beardslee, Brown, Cowles, Dunlap, Hoge, James, Lowry, Montgomery, Shoemaker, Walls, White and Worthington--12.

NOT VOTING--Messrs. Champneys, Schall and Wallace--3.

The bill had passed the House the week previous by the decisive vote of 73 to 23, and it is now a law, as it was promptly approved by Gov. Curtin. The Appraisers are to be appointed by the court of Dauphin county, an adjourned meeting of which has been fixed by Judge Pearson on Monday next for the purpose. The Appraisers will probably commence their duties about week after next, and they are required to perform the duties assigned them within sixty days. The appropriation can be realized by our people some time in the latter part of April, or by the 1st of May at the latest.

It will be seen by reference to the provisions of the bill, which we give entire in another column, that it is very stringent in its penalty for presenting fraudulent claims. The second section provides that "if it shall be established that any person shall present a false statement, in part or in whole, for property either not destroyed, or in excess of just valuation with the intent to defraud, the petition of such person shall be dismissed without any allowance whatever." Each claim must be made out under oath, and in addition the claimant must make affidavit that he or she has not given aid, comfort, encouragement or information to traitors. The bill prescribes the oath, and of course all claims must conform strictly to it.

We have not seen the various valuations made out for the local committee in 1864, but it is well known that some of the bills were largely in excess of a just value of the property destroyed. Such claims, under the present law, will receive nothing unless they are revised and presented in a correct and just manner. Our citizens generally desire that justice should be done to all, and they will not allow fraud to be shielded before the Appraisers. In this, as in all other business transactions, people will find honesty to be the best policy. Many have doubtless honestly placed their valuations from different stand-points. Some have taken the original cost of the property destroyed; others have probably taken the cost of restoring it, and others have estimated according to the cash value at the time the property was destroyed. The last would seem to us to be the correct basis of valuation; but the Appraisers will doubtless give official notice to the people, when they assume their duties, how to state their claims, so as to secure a uniform basis of valuation.

The Spring Elections
(Column 2)

Summary: The piece admonishes local Union men to begin organizing for the upcoming election. Because the governor will be selected in the contest, it relates, there is every reason to believe that the Democrats will try to manipulate the returns through both mild forms of chicanery and outright fraud.

[No Title]
(Column 3)

Summary: Relates the little known fact that soldiers, who lost limbs in the war and were honorably discharged, are eligible to receive artificial limbs. "They are furnished free of charge, and do not affect any pension or bounty claim the soldier may have against the government."

Local Items--Draft Statistics
(Column 5)

Summary: Five tables offering information on the number of men called into service and the number who participated in the late war, grouped according to township in Franklin county.

Full Text of Article:

DRAFT STATISTICS.--The following tables showing the operations of the several drafts in this county under the different calls for troops by the general government, will be preserved by many of our readers as a matter of reference. They exhibit the quotas of each township under the various calls, the number drafted, the number held to service, the number who put in substitutes, the number who were exempted and the number who failed to report. One of the tables also presents the amount paid by the different townships for bounties, and the last table shows the aggregate results of the drafts in the congressional district. In addition to these drafts, the State draft took some 700 men from this county in 1862. We subjoin the tables which are official and reliable:

Draft of 1863 Township Accepted into Service Furnished Substitutes Paid Commutation Only Son, &c. Phys. and Men. Disability Alienage, Over Age, &c. Failed to Report Total Drafted Antrim and Greencastle* 9 11 29 8 34 39 16 146 Chamb'g, N. W. 2 4 10 4 37 27 4 88 Chamb'g, S. W. -- 3 4 10 26 16 6 65 Fannett 6 1 12 4 20 11 8 62 Green 3 1 13 9 27 15 8 76 Guilford 2 6 21 5 29 9 7 79 Hamilton 1 -- 6 6 14 4 5 36 Letterkenny 4 1 10 5 23 2 4 49 Lurgan 3 1 7 1 12 3 5 32 Metal 1 1 5 4 12 10 3 36 Montgomery and Mercersburg* 16 4 19 10 25 22 15 111 Peters 2 3 13 3 30 19 3 73 Quincy 7 4 18 8 25 8 3 73 St. Thomas 5 1 12 -- 17 4 3 42 Southampton 1 -- 15 3 19 6 1 45 Warren 1 -- 5 -- 9 1 3 19 Washington and Waynesboro* 9 5 22 7 28 21 7 99 TOTAL 72 46 221 87 387 217 101 1131 *Constituted one sub-district in this draft. Draft under Calls of February 1 and March 14, 1864, for 700,000 Men Township Number Required No. of Vols. Furnished Accepted into Service Furnished Substitutes Paid Commutation Phys. and Men. Disability Alienage, Over Age, &c. Failed to Report Total Drafted Antrim 93 67 4 1 21 15 2 16 59 Greencastle 45 48 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Chambersb'g, N. W. 90 90 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Chambersb'g, S. W. 80 81 Fannett 60 3 11 1 40 37 4 27 120 Green 79 71 -- 1 7 1 2 1 12 Guilford 57 57 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Hamilton 36 16 3 -- 15 16 3 11 48 Letterkenny 52 37 -- -- 16 4 3 7 30 Lurgan 27 20 -- -- 5 7 2 3 17 Metal 35 23 -- -- 13 6 1 2 22 Montgomery 78 54 2 1 21 8 8 6 46 Mercersburg 25 23 -- 2 -- -- -- -- 2 Peters 63 48 1 1 13 5 2 5 27 Quincy 64 47 5 2 11 1 2 13 34 St. Thomas 36 33 -- -- 3 1 2 1 7 Southampton 43 28 -- -- 11 10 3 9 33 Warren 17 3 -- -- 10 9 1 4 24 Washington 63 41 3 2 18 2 7 12 44 Waynesboro 34 19 1 -- 15 6 3 10 35 TOTAL 1077 809 30 11 219 128 45 127 560 Draft under Call of July, 18, 1864, for 500,000 Men. Township Number Required No. of Vol. Furnished Accepted into Service Furnished Substitutes Paid Commutation Phys. and Men. Disability Alienage, Over Age, &c. Failed to Report Total Drafted Antrim 62 66 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Greencastle 25 32 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Chambersburg, N. W. 51 7 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Chambersburg, S. W. 44 7 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Fannett 22 -- 15 2 -- 15 26 32 90 Green 51 55 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Guilford 49 59 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Hamilton 20 27 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Letterkenny 37 43 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Lurgan 15 13 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Metal 15 2 6 5 -- 12 8 5 36 Montgomery 59 62 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Mercersburg 13 15 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Peters 45 51 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Quincy 51 53 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- St. Thomas 33 35 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Southampton 32 39 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Warren 6 -- 6 -- -- 10 9 9 34 Washington 41 44 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Waynesboro 21 22 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- TOTAL 692 632 27 7 37 43 46 160 Draft under Call of Dec. 19, 1864, for 500,000 Men. Township No. Required No. of Vols. Furnished Accepted into Service Furnished Substitutes Paid com., non-combatant Phys. and Ment. Disability Alienage, Over Age, &c. Failed to Report Total Drafted Antrim 70 -- 37 31 5 33 21 31 158 Greencastle 24 24 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Chambersburg, N. W. 81 1 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Chambersburg, S. W. 74 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Fannett 19 -- 10 2 -- 13 5 10 40 Green 63 59 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Guilford 66 16 21 22 5 20 18 20 106 Hamilton 26 -- 16 10 2 20 2 6 56 Letterkenny 46 44 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Lurgan 15 1 6 5 2 7 5 9 34 Metal 10 -- 7 2 -- 12 2 1 24 Montgomery 66 -- 51 20 3 39 15 22 150 Mercersburg 17 18 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Peters 44 20 13 8 -- 17 6 6 50 Quincy 61 1 35 22 12 30 18 21 138 St. Thomas 41 11 17 9 1 15 7 11 60 Southampton 38 39 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Warren 9 -- 2 -- -- 1 2 3 8 Washington 41 -- 15 18 8 33 18 20 112 Waynesboro 21 -- 9 7 2 8 18 6 50 TOTAL 832 234 239 156 40 248 137 166 986 Recapitulation of the Several Drafts. Date No. Required Volunteers Furnished Held to Service Substitute Furnished Paid Commutation Exempted for Disability Alienage and all other causes Failed to Report Aug. 5, 1863 754 -- 72 46 221 387 304 101 February 1 & Mar. 14, '64 1077 809 30 11 219 128 45 127 July 18, 1864 692 632 27 7 -- 37 43 46 Dec. 19, 1864 832 234 239 156 40 48 137 166 Total 3355 1675 368 220 480 600 529 440 Amount of Local Bounties Paid. Antrim $38,800 Mercersburg 11,650 Greencastle 21,426 Peters 53,400 Chambersburg 12,500 Quincy 31,000 Green 80,000 St. Thomas 28,750 Guilford 64,650 Southampton 46,732 Hamilton 32,250 Washington 26,370 Letterkenny 47,560 Waynesboro 9,436 Lurgan 11,001 Metal 3,500 Montgomery 36,000 TOTAL $555,025 District Summary Date Held to Service Furnished Sustitutes Paid Commutation Exempt for Disability Exempt for all other causes Failed to Report Total Drafted August 5, 1863 201 110 872 1129 774 308 3394 Feb. 1 & Mar. 14, '64 205 26 1220 661 245 650 3007 July 18, 1864 565 309 76 637 856 1177 3620 December 19, 1864 768 400 143 722 687 758 3478 Total 1739 845 2311 3149 2562 2893 13,499

Local Items--About the Appraisers
(Column 7)

Summary: Provides the details about how the appraisers will be selected to investigate claims in Franklin county.

Full Text of Article:

ABOUT THE APPROPRIATION.--The committee of thirteen, appointed by a public meeting of the citizens in December last and charged with the general interests of the people in framing a bill and presenting the same to the legislature, met on Monday evening to devise measures to guard against fraud in the distribution of the appropriation generously made by the State. After mature deliberation, it was unanimously decided that two Attorneys should be employed to represent the people, examine witnesses and defend against claims which shall appear to be exorbitant in valuation. Messrs. Thomas B. Kennedy and Lyman S. Clark, Esqs., were selected as counsel to represent the citizens generally, and it will be the duty of every citizen who has knowledge of any fraudulent claims to communicate with those gentlemen and furnish them with the names of witnesses whose testimony can defeat fraud. It is the determination of the committee and of the counsel chosen to represent the people, to enforce strict justice in the valuation of property, and any citizen who shall make claim for property not possessed or not destroyed, or who shall make a fraudulent valuation, will find his petition dismissed without any award whatever.

The Appraisers will be appointed on Monday next, and will probably be here to enter upon their duties next week. Any person can present his own claim either in person or by attorney, and the proper form, with the oath prescribed by the law--which must be strictly followed--can be had at this office. We have carefully prepared the blank form in accordance with the act of assembly, so that any ordinary accountant can make out his own statement. All the claims must be adjudicated and returned to the Auditor General before the appropriation can be received, and claimants should be careful to have their statements properly presented so as to facilitate the labors of the Appraisers. It is most important to our people that the appropriation be received as early as possible.

Local Items--A Bad Habit
(Column 7)

Summary: The article warns "certain persons in this place" to desist the practice of "playing devil," which entails scaring women and children by jumping out of dark alleys and on street corners. Such "wicked waggery," it explains, "should be severely punished whenever detected."

Local Items--A Valuable Valentine
(Column 8)

Summary: Congratulates Dr. J. L. Suesserott for winning a patent for "his adaption of shafts to vehicles," which greatly enhances buggy travel.
(Names in announcement: Dr. J. L. Suesserott)

Local Items--Personal
(Column 8)

Summary: Hon. Conrad Baker, governor of Indiana and former resident of Franklin county, was in town last week to visit.

Local Items
(Column 8)

Summary: In his speech, Forney admitted that, though he initially did not support granting the vote to blacks, he now fully endorses universal suffrage and contends that to be a "coward" not to.

Editorial Comment: "Col. John W. Forney was recently waited on and serenaded by an assemblage of Colored Men. He responded in a speech from which we extract as follows:"

Full Text of Article:

COL. JOHN W. FORNEY was recently waited on and serenaded by an assemblage of Colored Men. He responded in a speech from which we extract as follows:

"The question is now whether, having been liberated here in the District of Columbia, and freed through all the Southern States--whether, having fought for your citizenship, you are to be permitted to remain in the lower grade which you occupied before the war began, save only that you are no longer to be kept, physically, in servitude; and that is the great question now before the American people. When the Rebellion closed I was not of those who believed that the Union party of this country would make the civil enfranchisement of manumitted millions part of their policy. In other words, I did not believe that we were strong enough to take ground in favor of what is popularly called universal suffrage. But I am now here to say that I am mistaken. I did not apprehend the full logic and duty of the case; and now, without turning back upon the past, I avow myself in favor of the trial of that great experiment which the statesmen would be a coward to postpone, and the philanthropist unworthy of his name if he did not meet it half way; and here, in the District of Columbia, we may safely meet the issue."

The Relief Bill
(Column 1)

Summary: A copy of the Chambersburg Relief Bill, which passed the House by a vote of 73 to 23 and the Senate by a vote of 18 to 12.

Full Text of Article:

The following is a copy of the Chambersburg Relief bill, as it passed both branches of the legislature. It passed the House by a vote of 73 to 23, and the Senate by a vote of 18 to 12:

WHEREAS, The rebels, under the command of Gen. M'Causland, entered Chambersburg on the 30th of July, A. D. 1864, and sacked and burned the most valuable portion of the town, inflicting a loss of over two millions of dollars upon but a few hundred heads of families, consigning many to hopeless bankruptcy and seriously crippling the whole business energies of the people;

And whereas, Such desolation by a barbarous foe in but one locality of a great Commonwealth, with millions of population and boundless wealth, claims the generous consideration of the State, since peace has been won by the heroism and fidelity of all sections; therefore

SECTION 1. Be it enacted, &c. That the sum of five hundred thousand dollars be and the same is hereby appropriated, out of any moneys in the treasury not otherwise appropriated, to the people of Chambersburg and vicinity, whose property was burned by the rebels on the 30th of July, A. D. 1864, to be paid to such sufferers pro rata, upon the valuation of their losses as hereinafter provided.

SECTION 2. That the court of common pleas of Dauphin county, at its first meeting after the passage of this bill, shall appoint three intelligent and disinterested appraisers, who shall not be residents of Franklin county, and such appraisers shall, within twenty days after their appointment, (having first been duly swore or affirmed to discharge their duties with fidelity,) proceed to Chambersburg and make just and true appraisement of the losses sustained by the people of Chambersburg and vicinity, by reason of the burning by the rebels on the 30th of July, A. D. 1864, and they shall continue to perform said duties until they have appraised the losses aforesaid of both real and personal estate, and upon each petition setting forth his, her or their losses, the said appraisers, or a majority of them, shall make award of the losses actually sustained. Each petition shall present a statement of losses under oath, and said appraisers shall require such additional proof of the correctness of the statement as they may deem necessary, by the examination of the claimant, or any other witnesses they may decide to call; Provided, however, That if any statement shall be presented for the benefit of an assignee, said assignee shall be required to prove to the satisfaction of the appraisers the actual cash value of the consideration paid to the assignor, and the amount so paid, if not in excess of the actual loss sustained, shall be the amount of the award; And provided farther, That if it shall be established that any person shall present a false statement, in part or in whole, for property either not possessed or not destroyed, or in excess of just valuations, with the intent to defraud, the petition of such person shall be dismissed without any allowance whatever; And provided further, That no petition shall be entertained from any corporation or from the county of Franklin for losses sustained; And Provided further, That each statement presented for adjudication shall be accompanied by an affidavit, made before some officer competent to administer oaths and affirmations under the laws of this State, stating that the claimant has never directly or indirectly, by word or act, given aid, comfort, countenance or encouragement to the traitors, whether in arms or otherwise, that he or she has never communicated, or attempted or taken means to communicate, to them, or any of them, any information which could in any way be of advantage to them.

SECTION 3. That said appraisers shall, as soon as they shall have finished their duties, make return to the Auditor General of all the petitions presented to them, with the awards thereon; and when such return has been filed, the said sum of five hundred thousand dollars shall be apportioned to said awards pro rata by the Auditor General, and his warrant shall be drawn upon the Treasurer in favor of the persons to whom the awards and appointment have been made, and the sums thus ascertained to be due respectively to sufferers shall be paid to them, or their heirs, executors, administrators or assigns, upon them receipting for the same, which receipts shall state the amount paid, and authorize the State to receive from the General Government said sums out of any money which may hereafter be appropriated by Congress to compensate them for losses sustained by the war.

SECTION 4. The said appraisers shall be paid the sum of five dollars each per day, when actually employed in the discharge of their duties, for a period not exceeding sixty days, and they shall be allowed one clerk who shall be paid the sum of three dollars per day, whose duty it shall be to keep a record of the testimony in each case, so that it may be transmitted to the Auditor General with the awards; and the salaries of said appraisers and clerk, together with necessary expenses for stationary and giving notice, and so forth, shall be paid out of the Treasury out of any money not otherwise appropriated, after approval by the proper accounting officers of the State.

Married
(Column 2)

Summary: On Feb. 13th, A. D. Caufman and Henrietta M., eldest daughter of the late Dr. Smith of Newburg, Cumberland county, were married by Rev. J. N. Hays.
(Names in announcement: A. D. Caufman, Henrietta M. Smith, Dr. Smith, Rev. J. N. Hays)

Married
(Column 2)

Summary: On Feb. 15th, David Shall and Annie K. Coover, of Middlespring, Cumberland county, were married by Rev. J. N. Hays.
(Names in announcement: David Shall, Annie K. Coover, Rev. J. N. Hays)

Married
(Column 2)

Summary: On Jan. 28th, Jacob Coover and Sallie A. Henninger were married by Rev. Dr. Conrad.
(Names in announcement: Jacob Coover, Sallie A. Henninger, Rev. Dr. Conrad)

Married
(Column 2)

Summary: On Feb. 1st, Benjamin Shank and Ellen Stouffer were married by Rev. J. F. Oller.
(Names in announcement: Benjamin Shank, Ellen Stouffer, Rev. J. F. Oller)

Married
(Column 2)

Summary: On Feb. 8th, Joseph Funk and Lizzie Hoover were married by Rev. J. W. Santee.
(Names in announcement: Joseph Funk, Lizzie Hoover, Rev. J. W. Santee)

Married
(Column 2)

Summary: On Feb. 15th, Jacob Sackman and Lucretia, daughter of John W. Coble, were married by Rev. J. Benson Akers.
(Names in announcement: Jacob Sackman, Lucretia Coble, John W. Coble, Rev. J. Benson Akers)

Married
(Column 2)

Summary: On Feb. 15th, David F. Daihl and Emma C. Sleighter were married by Rev. J. Dickson.
(Names in announcement: David F. Daihl, Emma C. Sleighter, Rev. J. Dickson)

Died
(Column 2)

Summary: On Feb. 5th, Mary S., daughter of Jacob and Mary J. Eberly, died suddenly. She was 8 years old.
(Names in announcement: Jacob Eberly, Mary J. Eberly, Mary S. Eberly)

Died
(Column 2)

Summary: On Feb. 5th, James Walker, formerly a resident of Chambersburg, died near Fountain Green, Hancock county, Ill.
(Names in announcement: James Walker)

Died
(Column 2)

Summary: On Feb. 8th, Isabella Johnson, 86, died in Greencastle.
(Names in announcement: Isabella Johnson)

Died
(Column 2)

Summary: On Feb. 10th, William, son of William Osbaugh, died in Greencastle. He was 10 months old.
(Names in announcement: William Osbaugh, William OsbaughJr.)

Died
(Column 2)

Summary: On Feb. 8th, Mary Vance, 64, died near Greencastle.
(Names in announcement: Mary Vance)

Died
(Column 2)

Summary: On Feb. 11th, William, son John Davison, died in Antrim township. He was 2 years old.
(Names in announcement: William Davison, John Davison)

Died
(Column 2)

Summary: On Jan. 26th, Rachel Wolf, 76, died near Mercersburg.
(Names in announcement: Rachel Wolf)

Died
(Column 2)

Summary: On Feb. 12th, Harriet Matilda, daughter of John and Helen Lininger, died. She was 8 years old.
(Names in announcement: Harriet Matilda Lininger, Helen Lininger, John Lininger)