The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1876-11-01

from ne iSnlU tQSt 10 q PROSPER
Gus Future.
New York, October Ex-Governor Til
den has addressed to the Hon Abram 5.
Hewitt a letter dated to-day, declaring his
position in regard to Southern claims.
He quotes the fourteenth amendment Of
the constitution and points to the fact that
it has been repeatedly approved by tho
Democratic State committees of the South,
and was adopted as part of the platform
of tho Democratic National Convention,
which declared it to be universally re-
spected as a final settlement. Governor
Tilden, after citing his own public decla-
rations on the subject previously made,
says:
Should I be elected President, the pro-
visions of the fourteenth amendment will,
so far as depends on me, be maintained,
executed and enforced in perfect and abso-
lutte good faith. No rebel debt will be as
sumed or paid no claim for loss or email
cipation Of any slave will be allowed ; no
claim for any loss or damage incurred by
disloyaI persons, arising from the late war,
whether covered by the fourteenth amend
ment or not, will by recognized or paid.
The cotton tax will not be refunded. I
shall deem my duty to veto every bilfpro-
viding for the assumption or payment OF
any such debts, losses, damages, claims, or
for refunding any such tax. The danger
to the National treasury is not from claim
ants who aided the rebellion, but from
claims of persons residing in the South
ern States, or having property in these
States, who were or pretended to he, or
who, for tho sake Of aiding their claims,
now pretend to have boon loyal to the
Government Of the Union. Such claim,
even of loyal persons, when they arise
from acts caused by tho operations Of war,
have been disallowed by the 'public law of
| civilized nations, condemned by the adiu-
dications of the Supreme Court Of the
United States, and only find any status by
force of specific legislation of Congress.
These claims have become stale, and often
tainted with fraud they are nearly al
ways owned in whole or in part by claim
agents, by spectators or lobbyists, who
have no equity against taxpayers or the
public. They Should in oil cases be scru-
tinizod with Jealous care. The calami-
ties to individuals which were inflicted by
the late war are, for the most part, ire
parable. The government canot recall to
life the million Of your youth who went
to an untimcly grave, nor compensate the
suffering and sorrow Of their. relatives or
friends. It cannot readjust between:indi-
yiduals the burdens Of taxation hitherto
borne or of debts incurred by, sustaining
the government, which aresyet 10 be paid.
1t cannot apportion anew among our citi-
IONS the changes OF losses incident to mil
itary operations, or resulting in every va
| rictv of form its measures for maintain
ing it's own existence. 1t has no safe gen.
eral rule butte let bygohes be bygones to
turn from the dead pastto a new and q
better future, and on that basis, to assure
peace, reconciliation and fraternity be-
tween all sections, classes and races ofour
people, 10 the end that all the springs OF
our productive industries may BIO quick
oned and a new prosperity created, in
which the evils of tho past shall be forgot
ten.
SAMUEL. J. TILDEN.