The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1876-10-27

snail not be questioned. Dut nelther the
United States nor any State shall assume
or pay any debt or obligation incurred
in aid Of insurrection or rebellion against
the United States, or any'claim for 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. It was
unanimously adopted as part OF the
platform OF the Democratic National
Convention at st. Louis on the 2Sth OF
June aud was declared by that platform
to be universally accepted as a final set.
tlement Of the controversies that engen-
dered civil war. .
Ny own position on this subject had
been previously declared on many occa.
sions, and particularly in my first annual
message OF January s, 1875. In that
document l stated that the Southern
people were "bound by the Thirteenth,
Fourteenth and Fifteenth Constitutional
amendments; that they had Joined the
National Conventions in the nomination
OF candidates and in declaration OF
principles and purposes, which form an
authentic acceptance OF the results OF the
war, embodied in the last three amend
ments to the organic law Of the Federal
Union, and that they had, by the suf.
irages OF all their voters at the last Ma
tional election, completed the proof that
now thew only seek TO share with US and
to maintain the common rights OF Amer.
ican local self-governmeut, in fraternal
union under the old flag, with one Con:
stitution and one destiny" l declared
at the same time that the questions set.
tied by the war are never to be reopened.
The adoption OF the 18th, l4th and 18th
Amendments to the Federal Constitution
closed one great era in our politics. Il
marked the end forever OF the system OF
human slavery and the struggles that
grew out OF that system. These Amend
ments have been conclusiyely adopted,
and they have been accepted inf good faith
by all political organizations and people
ot all sections. They close the chapter.
They are and must be final. All parties
hereafter must accept and stand upon
them, and henceforth our politics are to
turn upon questions Of the present and
future, and not upon those Of the settled
and final past.
Should / be elected President the pro-
visions Of the 14th Amendment will, so
far as depends on me, be maintained, exc
cuted and enforced in perfect and abso-
lutte good faith. No rebel debt will be
assumed or paid. No claim for loss or
emancipation Of any slave will be allow:
ed. No claim for any loss or damage in
CURED by disloyal persons arising from
the late war, whether covered by the l4th
Amendment or not, will be recognized or
paid. The cotton tax will not be refund
cd. shall deem Tiny duty to veto every
bill providing for the assumption or pay
ment OF any such debts, losses, damages,
claims, or for refunding Of any tax.
The danger to the National Treasury is
not from'claims Of persons who aided the
rebellion, but from the claims Of persons
residing in the Southern States, or hav-
ing property in those State, who were, or
pretended 10 be, or who, for the sake Of
aiding the claims, now pretend to be
loyal to the Government OF the Union.
Such claims. even OF loyal persons, where
they are from acts caused by the opera
tions OF the war, have been disowned by
the public law OF civilized nations, con-
demned BY adjudication OF the Supreme
Court of the United States, and only find
any status by the force of specific legisla-
tion OF Congress. These claims have be-
come stale, and are often tainted with
fraud. They are nearly always owned in
whole or part by claim agents, by specu-
lators or lobbyists, who have no equity
against taxpayers or the public.
They should in all cases be scrutiniz-
ed with Jealous. care. The calamities
to individuals which were inflicted by the
late war are for the most part irreparable.
The government cannot call to life the
million OF our youth who went 10 un-
timely graves, nor compensate for the
suffering or sorrow OF their relatives or
friends. It cannot re.adiust between in
diyiduals the burden OF taxation hitherto
borne, or Of debts incurred to sustain the
government which are yet to be paid.
It cannot apportion anew among our citi-
Eens. the damages or losses incident TO
military operations, or resulting in every
variety OF form from its measures formain-
tanning its own existence. II has no safe
general rule but to let by.gones be by
cones, to turn from the dead past to the
new and better future, and. on this basis,
assure peace, reconciliation and frater!
nifty between all sections, classes and
races Of our people, to the end that all
the springs OF our productive industries
may be quickened and new prosperity
created in which the evils OF the past
shall be forgotten. q. -.
Very respectfully yours,
SAMUEL J. TIEDES."