The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1876-11-02
A LETTER FROM GOV. .TlhDEN.
He Defines His Position in Regard to
= -; Southern Claims.
NEW York, October "a, 1876

= 81 Southern Claims. ''' ..'
NEW YORK, October "a, 1876.
To Hon. Abram S. Heacitt::
SIR have received your letter in
forming me that representatives high in
authority are publicly representing that
the South desires, not without hope, TO
obtain payment for losses by the late wal,
and to have provision made for the rebel
debt and for the losses of slaves. AS the
payment of such losses and claims was
not made important enough to deserve
the notice of either convention at:the
time it was held, you also, ask me to state
my views in regard to their cognition by
the government. Though disposed, my
self, to abide by the issue made up
already, have no hesitation to comply
with your request. la ti
The fourteenth amendment of the con
stitution expressly provides as follows:
"The validity of the public debt of the
United States authorized by law, includ-
ing debts incurred for payments of pen
sions and bounties for services in sup
pressing insurrection or rebellion, shall
not be questioned ;iy but neither the
United States, nor any State, shall
assume, or pay, any debt or obligation
incurred in aid of insurrection or rebel
lion against the United States, or any
claim for the loss or emancipation of any
slave but all such debts, obligations and
claims shall be held illegal and void"
This amendment has been repeatedly
approved and agreed to by Democratic
State Conventions of the South. 1t was
unanimously adopted as part of the
platform of the Democratic National
Convention atSt. Louis on June the 28th,
and was declared by that platform to be
universally accepted as final settlement
of the controversies that engendered the
civil war: My own position on this SUBJ
ject had been previously declared on
many occasions, and particularly in my
first annual message of January 5, 1875.
In that document I stated that "the
Southern people were bound by the
thirteenth, fourteenth and fifteenth con-
stitutional amendments; that they had
| Joined at the National Convention in the
nomination of candidates, in the declara-
ton of principles and purposes, which
form an authentic acceptance of the re-
suits of the war embodied in the last
three amendments to the organic law of
the Federal Union, and that they had,
by the suffrages of all their voters at the
last National election, completed the
proof that now they only seek to share
with us, and to maintain, the common
rights of American local: l:self-government
in fraternal union under the old flag,
with one constitution and one destiny :"
declared at the same time that the
questions settled by the war are never to
be re-opened. The adoption Of the 18th,
18th and 18th amendments to the Federal
Constitution closed one era in our poll
tics. It marked the end forever of the
system of human slavery and of the
struggles that grew out of that system.
These amendments have been conclusive
ly adopted, and they have been accepted
in good faith by all political organiza-
tions and the people of all sections.
They close the chapter. They are and
must be final. All parties hereafter must
accept and stand upon them, and hence
forth our politics are to turn upon ques-
tions of the present and the future, and
not upon those of the settled and final
past. , -
Should be elected President the pro-
visions of the fourteenth amendment
will, so far as depends on me, be main.
tained, executed and enforced in perfect
and absolute good faith. No, rebel debt
will he assumed or paid. No claim for
the loss or emancipation of any slavewill
be allowed. Noclaim for any; loss or
damage incurred by disloyal persons,
arising from the late war, whether COW
cred by the fourteenth amendment or
not, will be recognized or paid. The cot.
/ ton tax willtfnot be refunded. shall
deem it my duty to veto every bill pro
viding for the assumption or payment OF
any such debts, losses, damages, claims,
or for the refunding of any such tax,
The danger to the national treasury is
not from claims Of persons who aided the
rebellion, but from claims Of persons re-
siding in Southern States, or having
property in those States, who were, or
pretended to be, or who, for the sake OF
aiding claims, now pretend to have been
loyal to the Government of the Union.
Such claims, even, Of loyal persons, where
they are from acts caused by the opera
tions of war; have been disowned by the
public law of civilized nations, con-
demned by the Supreme Court of the
United States, and only find any status
by force ofspecifc legislation Of Congress.
These claims have become stale, and are
often tainted with fraud. They are
nearly always owned in whole or part by
claim agents, by spectators or lobbyists,
who have no equity against the tax
payers or the public. They should in
all cases be scrutinized with Jealous care.
1 The calamities to individuals, which were
inflicted by the late war. are for themost
part irreparable. The Government can.
not recall to life the million of our youth
who went to untimely graves, nor com
pensate the suherings or sorrows of their
relatives or friends. 1t cannot readjust
between individuals the burdens of taxa
ton hitherto borne or of debts incurred
to sustain the Government, which are
vet to be paid. 1t. cannot apportion
anew among our citizens the damages or
losses incident to military operations or
resulting in;every variety of form from
its measures for maintaining its. own
existence. 1t has no safe general rule
but to let bygones be bygones, TO- turn turn
from the dead past to a new and better
future, and on that basis to assure peace,
reconciliation and fraternity! between! all
sections, classes and races .of1 our, people,
to the end that all the springs Of our pro:
new prosperity created, in which THE
evils ofstheipast shallibe forgottenF III ~
| TSigned] SAMUELJ. TIDDEN.t =
The OHIO OHIO DEMOCRACY Moo 1.5.s,- Ohio
Democratic State Committee has issued
nm address to the Demo ocracy and friends
| of reform in that State! The address re-
| CO.., IN +bo Dorooorotio trii, nnhS in In