Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1876-10-31
GOV. TILDBN ON THE SOUTHERN
CLAIMS,

New YORK, Oct Ex-Governor Tilden
has addressed to Hon. Abram s. Hewitt
letter tO>day declaring his position in regard
to the Southern claims. He quotes the four>
teenth amendment OF the constitution, points
to the fact that it has been repeatedly APP
proved by the Democratic State Convention
of the South, and was adopted as a part of
the platform of the last National Democratic
convention, which declared it to be univer-
sally accepted as a final settlement. Gov.
Tilden, after citing his own public declara
tons on the subject, previously made, says
''Should be elected President the pro-
visions of the fourteenth amendment will, so
far as depends on me, he maintained, czecu>
ted and enforced in perfect and absolute good
faith No rebel debt will be assumed or
paid no claim for the loss or emancipation
of any slave will be allowed no claim for auv
loss or damage incurred by dsloyal persons
arising from the late war, whether covered
by the fourteenth amendment or not, will be
recognized or paid. The cotton tax will not
be refunded.
81 shall deem it my duty to veto every
bill providing for the assumption or payment
of any such debts, losses, damages, claims or
Tor any refundiDg 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 residing in the
| 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 loval persons
| where they are from acts caused BY the CD.
erations of war, have been disowned by the
| public law of civilized nations condemned bv
the adjudications 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 are often
tainted with fraud They are nearly always
owned in whole or in part by claim agents,
| by Spectators or lobbyists. who have o equity
against the taxpayers or the public They
should in all cases be scrutinized with ieal-
| Gus care.
1.-The calamities to individuals which were
| inflicted by the late war are for the most
part irreparable. The Government cannot
recall to life the million of Cur youth who
went to uutimely graves, nor compensate the
suferings sorrow Of their relatives or
friends. 1t cannot readjust between indi>
viduals the burdens of taxation hitherto
borne, or of debts Incurred to sustain the
Government, which are yet to be paid 1t
canno: app9rtion 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. It has no safe general rule
but to let bTgoncs be byconcs to turn from
the dead past to new better future, and on
that basis to assure peace reconciliation and
! fraternity between all sections, classes and
races of our people, to the end that all the
springs of our productive industries may be
| quickcncd, and a new prosperity created in
which the evils of the past shall be forgotten.
SAMUEL J. TILDEN."