Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1876-11-01
TIlden and the Southern Claims.

The letter of Mr. Tilden announcing to
the Democratic National Committee that,
if elected President, he will not approve
any legislation providing for the payment
of any war claims by persons in the
Southern States, whether loyal or dlsloyal,
is, on its face, candid enough, and seem
ingly covers the whole business. The let
ter is of the utmost importance to full
understanding OF the perils to which the
country is subjected. 1t has been
charged:
|. That there were citizens at the South
who had sustained, or claimed to have
sustained, loss and damage to their prop
erty from the Union army, and from rebel
forces because of the presence of Union
troops, and that these claimants had been
excluded from compensation because OF
the disloyalty of the claimants.
2. That during the last three years many
of these claims had been presented to
Congress; that numerous bills had been
introduced providing specifically for the
payment ofcertain cases, and various gen
eral bills providing for the allowance and
payment Of these claims by Courts, Com
missions, and various officers of the Gov
| eminent.
3. That several of the Southern States
| had officially taken cognlzance OF these
| claims; had provided for their registra-
ton, and had undertaken to demand the
| payment of the losses from the United
! States to these several States, acting as the
| political sovereigns for their injured citi-
| ZenS.
4. That these claims aggregate over two
| thousand million OF dollars--a debt capa-
| bic of being paid only 10y the issue and
| sale of National bonds, or an additional
| issue Of greenbacks, or both, to the great
| damage and destruction of the National
| debt
5. The payment of these bonds in some
| form is supported by the united vote of
| the l20 Representatives and the thirty two
| Senators of the sixteen States TO whose
solid" vote Mr. Tllden, ii elected at all
will owe his election.
The letter of Mr.. Tilden is public con-
| fession q frank acknowledgement, that
! these claims exist: that their pay ment will
| be demanded OF the Administration; that
! the claims are Tor the most part fraudu-
! lent and fictitious; that their allowance
and payment would bankrupt the Nation.
| Mr.. lilden has treated all representations
made against him and the Democratic
! party with contemptuous indifference, but
he could not ignore this matter OF these
| claims; that was subject that addressed
itself directly to every tax. payer in the
| North, and was not TO be evaded or
snubbed. He, then, as matter essential
| To his success, las written this letter with
| in the fortnight preceding the election.
| The emergency was so great that he was
forced even to offend his friends in the
/! sixteen Southern States in order 10 retain
his adherents at the North. He makes
this declaration;
| Should be elected President, the provis
| ions Of the 70. rteenth Amendment Will, SO
| far as depends on me, be maintained, exc
coted ana enforced, III perfect and absolute
! good faith. No rebel deDt will be 4ssumed
| or paid. No lain for any loss or damage
| incurred by disloyal persons, arising from
| the late war whether covered by the Four
| teenth Amendme | or not, will ne recog-
| nized or pad The cotton tax will not be
! re undet. / shall deem it my duty To veto
every il providing for assumption or
! payment OF any suCh deb. s, losses. damages,
Claims or for the reiunding of any such AK.
We will assume this to be intended as "A
fun and frank declaration of his purpose
To veto not only bills making apprOpria-
tions for these claims, but All bills chang
inr the law of evidence so a. 10 admit
claims. nov excluded by law, to be heard
and allowed by the Court Of Claims and
by certain officers of the Government.
The letter, therefore, if written in good