The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1876-10-05
Rebel Claims.
Extract from Speech Delivered by Charles Re
lin at Marion, 0hio,l

Extract from Speech Delivered by Charles Reeme-
lin at Marion, Ohio,l
Let us now turn to another subject,
upon which the Republican party press
and stump speakers are foundering in a
sea of wickedness and falsehood, in
which, to use Shakspeare's words, they
are plying
g "Inductions dangerous
By drunken prophecies, Ibels, and dreams"
In his message, December 8, 1861, Lin.
coin said:
eft is important that some more con-
yenient means should be provided, if
possible, for the adjustment of claims
against the government, especially in
view of their increased number by reason
of war. The investigation and ad-
judication of claims, in their nature be-
long to the Judicial Department. y
1t was intended by the organization of
the Court of Claims mainly to remove
this branch of business from the halls of
Congress"
And he recommended that the power
of making its judgment final should be
given to it."
Two sound ideas occur in this passage
first, warning that claims would in
crease in consequence of the war, and
second that Congress was not safe body
to investigate and to pass on claims.
And why was it not proper body? Be
cause it would decide such questions
from political and other unclean mo-
tives, while courts of justice will follow
law. The thing to be done was to put
claims beyond Congressional arbitrari-
ness.
Vattel, Book iv, Chapter ii, Section
IS, says on this point:
Given he, who had justice on his side,
may have transgressed the limits of a
Just defense, or may exceed in hostilities,
though the end of them was lawful,
wrongs for which strict Justice would
demand a reparation." And, speaking
of the point at issue, upon such ques-
tions he says:
Not so much the cause of the war is
decided in them, nor the controversies
to which the several acts of hostilities
give rise, and neither one or the other
party is condemned as unjust. The
negotiations turn only on what each is to
have as total extinction of all preten-
sions" And Vattel recommends the in
shutting of e the most equitable conven-
tion which the juncture will admit O." ;"
The advice of Lincoln, as well as that
CT Vattel, was disregarded, Congress
held on to its arbitrariness, it persisted
in mixing, as to claims, political con-
sideration with questions of justice.
Why? Can there be, knowing as we do
our Congresses, any other motive than
that of using claims as means of personal
profit and for sharing in the proceeds
Thus the government blundered and
plundered through the war and into what
they called peace. An exceptional
amnesty was issued, and the effect of thi:
measure is the fundamental point as tc
the validity of the so-called Rebe
Claims.
Vattel says, Section 20, same bool
and chapter:
can amnesty is a perfect oblivion o
what is past, and, the end of peace be
ing to extinguish all subjects Of discord
this should be the leading article of tn
treaty." And section 81 he adds:
"All the damages caused during tn
war are likewise buried in oblivion, ant
no plea is allowable for those the repara
tion of which is not mentioned in tn
treaty. They are looked on as if the,
had never happened"
Section % he adds: "Injuries relatin
to the war, its causes and effects ar
abolished"
According to Vattel, then, the &c
called rebel claims died with the wal
on conclusion of peace, and after amnest
was proclaimed. See, also, on this sam
subject, Section 232, Book iii, Chapte
XIV. But they are not dead and it be
comes us to inquire who received them
J Whoever did it is the guilty party. I
decide this question we must find wha
, was the object of peace. Vattel say
Section 8, Book iv, Chapter i: 18th
general and necessary effects of peace ar
reconciliation of enemies and the cess
tion of hostilities on both sides. 1t II
stores the two nations to their naturs
state" And again, Book iii, Chapte
xvii, Section 291: "No one is to b
called to account for what has been don
relative to the disturbances"
Now what was the natural state
which all that were amnestied were r.
stored2 Certainly to that entire equalit
of rights, which is the fundamental rul
of our Union! And accordingly ever
excuse for treating one set of citizer
arbitrary one way and another set di
ferentiy, was, as Vattel says in anothe
part of his book, "perfdious." To allo
claims to one because loyal, and to refus
those of another because a rebel, is sue
perfdy, after the latter is amnestied. I