The Portland daily press., 1876-11-07
Another IndOrser.

The Democratic journals inform US that
R M. T. Hunter of Virginia has written
letter indorsing Tilden's proclamation on the
Southern war claims. That letter is a fair
specimen of the honesty of these professions
of the Southern leaders. Mr.. Hunter does
not hesitate in order to achieve a political
advantage TO give the lie to all his former
professions. His sincerity now can be be-
lieved in by no one.
An authenticated letter from this same R.
M. 7. Hunter, bearing the date Oct. 21, is
before the people, letter the authorship of
which Mr.. Hunter does not attempt to deny.
1t is in reply to one asking his opinion in re-
gard to the collection of these Southern
claims. In this letter he says:
When the private property in slaves was
taken by the United States for public uses,
claim accrued to the individual owner for Just
compensation under the fifth amendment to
the Constitution This claim thus accrued to
the individual slave owner, not only upon the
consideration of justice, but upon the express
provisions OF the Constitution before the adop-
ton of the fourteenth amendment. 1t was
claim upon tho United States-not of the
States, but of Northumberland the obligations
could only be discharged by ''just compensa-
tion'' to the despoiled owner or by release of
the claimant
Mr.. Hunter then proceeds to discuss the
constitutional objections to the payment
of these claims, and suggests the following
ingenious method of avoiding them:
When the United States Government wished
to transfer the surplus revenue to the states
finding that it had no authority to give money
to the states, it saved the constitutional point
ana eluded the difficulty by giving the transfer
thestorm of loan or deposit without interest,
to be resumed by tn. United States in certain
events in prescribed mode. L propose that
$400,000,000, the SUM named by Mr.. Lincoln as
that which he was willing to give the despoiled
Shareholders, should be deposited with the
states without interest, and in the same manner
to be loaned to the STAKEHOLDER in proportion to
his losses. If the loar of the surplus revenue in
the manner in which it was made was not as
sumption of the power to give money to the
states not granted in the Constitution, then the
deposit of $400,000,000 with the slave-holding
states in the same manner and upon the same
terms would be no violation of the fourteenth
amendment, which forbade the Government to
pay for slaves lost by emancipation.
The United States Government might thus
be relieved without any violation of the four
teenth or fifteenth amendments to the Constitu-
tion, and greatly to the advantage of all con-
cerned. If the general Government, in the
passage of the act for deposting money with
states, did not assume the power to give money
to the states not granted in the Constitution,
neither would the amendment forbidding her to
pay the Shareholder for the loss of bis slaves
be violated by deposit of $400, 100000 withsthe
former slave-holdiDg states. 1t might thus,
perhaps, satisfy the just claimant under the
| fifth amendment without violating the four
| teenth, result which would be much priced by
all who value the reputation of the Government
| for good faith and fair dealing. But while /
maintain the justice and good policy of such a
| measure, by no means propose to make an is.
sue of it at this time. If the measure should ev.
| er be adopted, that day may be distant, and
only after there is great revolution in the public
| sentiment of the states which were non-slave.
| holding at the time of the emancipation. To
| press such claim prematurely would only
| iDjure the chances and delay the time of its
ultimate acknowledgment, should that evel
| take place. Should the measure be attempted
| now, an adverse decision might be provoked
in the present temper of the public mind, and
| the chances of its final adoption might be
| prejudiced or destroyed.
But, while by no meals recommend any
practical issue to be made upon this question
| at present, see no harm in keeping the claim
| alive or in demonstrating its justice as far
it may be possible to do so. 1t was in thi
belief that upon late occasion endeavored Il
| present the claim of my wrOnged and de
spoiled countrymeD, and suggested that some
thing should be done which, although very fa
short of payment, might yet be considered
possibly as satisfaction for their wrongs
As will be seen Mr.. Hunter recommend
that no practical issue be made on thi
question at present." that is until after elec
tion. Let the Democrats succeed and th
people will find that practical issue'' wi
be made the moment they get firmly estat
lished in power.