The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1876-10-27
He Declares Himself Utterly
Opposed to the Payment
of Rebel Claims.
A Clear, Concise and Unmis-
taxable Avowal of
Principles.
The Constitution and Its
Amendments Must be
Respected.
NEW YORK, October 24.-The follow

NEW YoRK, October 24.-The follow
ing dispatch explains itself:
New YORK, October "a, 1876.
To Hon. ABRAHAM l.. HEWITT
Dear Sir: have received your letter
informing me that Republicans high in
authority are publicly representing that
&" the South desires, not without hope"
to obtain payment for losses by the late
war, and to have provision made tor the
rebel debt, and for the losses OF slaves.
AS the payment of such losses and claims
was not deemed important enough to
deserve the notice of either Convention
"a, the time it was held, you also ask me
to state my views in regard to their re-
cognition by Government. Though
disposed myself to abide by the issue as
made up already, I have no hesitation
to comply with your request.
The Fourteenth Amendment of the
Constitution expressly provlJ"S as FOL
lows: The validity of the public debt
of the United States authorized By law,
including debts incurred for payment of
pensions and bounties for services IN
suppressing instruction or rebellion,
snail not be questioned, but neither the
United States nor any State shall assume
or pay any debt or obligation in aid Of
instruction 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 declared 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 at st. Louis on the 18th of
June, and was declared by that platform
to be universally accepted as a final set
Element of the controversies that engen-
dered civil war.
Ny own position on this subject had
been previously declared on many &C.
casions, and particularly in my first an
nusl message of January 3, 1875. In
that document | 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 decls-
ration of principles and purposes which
form an authentic acceptance of the re-
suits Of the war, embodied in the last
three amendments of the organic law OF
the Federal Union, and that they had,
by the suffrage 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 self-govern-
ment, in fraternal union under the old
flag, with one Constitution and one deS-
tiny. declared at the same time that the
questions settled BY the War are never 10
be reopened.
The adoption of the thirteenth, Four
teestb and Fifteenth Amendments to tue
Federal Constitution closed one great
era in our politics. 1t marked the end
forever of the system of human slavery
and the struggles that grew out of that
system. These amendments have been
conclusively adopted, and they have
been accepted in good faith by all polit
zeal organizations and people of all Sec
tions. They close the chapter. They
are and must be final. All parties here
after 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 l be elected President. the pro-
visions of the Fourteenth Amendment
will so far as depends on me, be MAIN
tanned, executed and enforced In perfect
and absolute good faith. No rebel debt
will be assumed or paid. No claim for
loss or emancipation ofany slave will be