The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1876-11-02
The Constitution aud ils Amend
Inents uSt be RespecMted.
Now Howl We Lying, YcIping
Radicals,
Nrw YoRK. Octobdr 24, lS76.

representing that "the South desires,
not without hopo,9 to obtain pay
ment for losses by the late war and
to have provision'made for the rebel
debt, and Tor the losses of slaves, AS
the payment of such losses and claims
was not doemed.impSrtant enough 81
deserve the notice of either Conven-
ton at the time it was held, youalso
ask me to state my views in regard
to their recognition by Government
Though disposed myself to abide by
the issue as made up already, ! have
no hesitation to comply with your re-
quest,
The Fourteenth Amendment ofthc
Constitution expressly provides as
follows: THE validity of the public
debt of the United States authorized
by law, including debts incurred for
payment of pension and bountics for
services in supprcssing instruction
or rebellion, shall not be questioned,
but neither the UnitcdStateS nor any
State shall assume or pay any debt
or obligation in aid ofinsur,cction or
rcbclliOnagainst the United States, or
any claim for loss or emancipation Of
any Slave, but all such debts, obliga-
tions and claims shall be declared il
legal and void"
This amendment has been repeat
edly approved and agreed to by Dem,
ocratic state conventions Of the South,
1t was UNANIMOUSLY adopted a part
of the platform of the Democratic
National Convention at st. Louis on
the 2Sth of June, and was declared 10y
that platform to be universally ac-
ccptcd as final settlement Of the
controversies that engcndered civil
war.
My own position on this subject
had been previously declared on
many occasions, and particularly in
my first annual message of January
D. 1873. In that document ! stated
thatthc Southern pcoplowerc "bound
by the Thirteenth, Fourteenth Fiji
tenth Constitutional Amendments;
that they had joined the National
Conventions in the nomination Of
candidates and in Il declaration Of
principles and purposes which form
an authentic acceptance of the re-
suit 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, compile :
ed the proof that now they only seek
to share with us and tomaintain the
common rights Of American sclf.gov-
eminent, in fratcrnal union under
the old flag, with one Constitution
and one destiny. ] declared at the
same time that the questions settled
by the war are never to be rcapcncd.
The adoption Of the Thirteenth,
Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amend
mcnts, to the Federal Constitution
closed one great era in oar politics
u marked the end forever Of the sys.
TEN Of human slavery and the strng-
giles that grew out Of that systcm.--
These amcndents have been conclu-
siyely adopted, and they have been
accepted in good faithbv all political
or CARNATIONS and people of all Get
ions. They close the chapter. They
are and must be final All parties
hereafter must acccptand standupon
them, and hcnccforth or politics arc
to turn upon questions Of the present
and future and not upon those Of the
settled and final past.
Should be elected President, the
provisions of the Fourteenth Amend
ment will, so far as depends on me,
bcmaintained, executed and enforced
in absolute good faith. No claim for
loss or emancipation of any slave will
be allowed. No claim for any loss or
damage incurred by disloyal persons
arising from the late war, whether
covered by the Fourteenth Amend
ment or not, will be recognized or
paid The cotton tax will not be re-
funded. / shall deem it my duty to
veto. every bill providing for the as
umption or payment of any such
debts, losses, damages, claims, or for
refunding of any tax.
The danger to the National Treas
ury is not from claims of persons who
aided the rebellion, but from the
claims of persons residing in the
Southern States, or having property
in those States, who were, or pretend.
ed to be, or who, for the sake of aid
ing the claims, now pretend to be,
loyal TO the Government of the I'm
ion. Such claims, even of loyal per-
sons, where they are from acts caused
by the operations of war, have been
disowncd by the public law of civil.
lied nations, condemned by adiudi-
cations of the Supreme Court OF the
United States, and only find any stat
us by the force of specific legislation
of Congress. These claims have be-
come stale, and are often tainted with
fraud, They are always claimed in
whole or in part hy claim agents.