The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1876-11-06
TiIden Speak
EHc Declares EiiIs,sciT Eiiicp-
~ opposed 10 the PAY
rllrnt Of Rebel
Claims.
A Clear, Concise and UnmlstakabIc
AVOwal or Principles.
The Constitution ant Is .lmcAdmcatS
Mast L. Respected.
The following dispatch explains it,
NEw YORK, October -.

NEw YORK, October -.
To lIoS. ABRAHAM j.. llLwITT-
Dear Sir: | have received ynur let
ter informing me t!lut the Republicans
high in authority arc publicly repre-
sen,iug that the South desires, no:
without hope 10 obtain payment Tor
losses by the late war, mud to have
provision male for the rebel debt, mud
Tor tLr lO>sis Of slaves. As the pay.
mcnt Of such losses aud claims was
not deemed important enough to de-
serve the notice Of either Convention
ut The time it was held, you also usk
me to state my views i'll regard to their
recognition by the Government,
Though disposed myself to abide by
tho issue as made up already, | have
no hesitation 10 comply with your re-
quest.
The Fourteenth Amendment Of the
Constitution expressly provides MS fol-.
lows: "Thc validity Of the public
debt Of the United States authorized
By law, including debts incurred for
puymeut Of pensions and touulies for
services il supprcssiag iusurrec,iou or
rebellion, shall not be questioned, but
neither the United States, nor any
State shall assume or pay any deb, or
obligation in mid Of instruction or re.
bclIiou against the United States, or
any claim for loss or emancipation O..
any slave, but oil such debts, obIiga-
tons and claims shall be declared lie.
gal and void"
This amendment h.: been repeatedly
approved and agreed to by Democratic
state conventions Of tie South. /. was
unanimously adopted rs u part Of the
platform OF tue Democratic National
Convention at St. Louis on the 18th
Of June. aud was declared by that
platform to he universally accepted as
q final settlement Of the controversies
that cugendercd civil war.
Ny own position on this subject had
been previously declared on many &C i.
GASEOUS, and particularly in my FIRST
annual message Of January 5. 1875.
In that document stated that the
Southern people were bound by the
Thirteenth, Fourteenth aud Fifteenth
Constitutional amendments; that they
had joincd the National Conventions il
the nomination oil candidates and in a
declaration o.! principles and purposes
which 'o'm 40 authentic aCceplaucc OF
the results Of the war, embodied III tue
last three amendments OF tho organic
law Of the Federal Union, oRd that
they had, by the suffrage of all their
voters ut tho last national election, com.
plctcd the proof that now they only
seek 10 share with US aud to maintain
the cOInmCa rig hts Of American local
scl(-governmcnt, IN fratcrnal union
under the old lag, with one Consti,u.
lion and Que destiny. | declared ut
the time TIA, The questions settled By
tho var ale never 10 DC rcopeucd.
The adoption Of the Thirteenth,
Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendment, IS
10 the Federal Constitution closed one
great era III our politics. l.. marked
The end tJrrvIr Of the system ofhYmau
slavery aud the struggles that grew
cut o. that system. Thesc uuIeul.
mcutS have been conclusiveIy adopted,
aud they have been accepted in good
faith by all political orgarix .tlons and
people Of all sections. They close the
chapter. They are ard must be final
All parties hereafter must accept md
stand upon Ihe,~, aud hcncelvr,h our
politics are to turn upon questions Of
the present aud future and not upon
those Of the settled and tiual past.
Should be elected President, the
provisions Of the Fourteenth Amend.
mcnt will, so far rs depends on me, be
maintained, executed, mud enforced in
perfect and absolute good faith. No
rebel debt will 10 assumed or paiL.
No claim for loss or emancipation Of
my slave will DO allowed. NJ claim
Tor any loss or damage incurred By
disloynl persons arising from tue late
war. whether covered by the Four.
teenth Amendment or MOI, will &c rec.
oguizcd or puid. The cotton tax will
not be refunded, ! shull deem it my
duty to veto every bill providing for
the assumption or payment Of auy such
debts, losses, da.nngeS. Claims, or for
retunding Of my tax
The danger 10 the National Treas.
ury is not irom claims Of persons who
aided the rebellion, but from the c!uiluS
Of persons residing 10 tho Southern
States, or having property in those
States, who were. or pretended to BE-,
Or who. for The sake Of aiding the
claims, now pretend 10 be, loyal TO the
Government Of the Union. Such
clalHs. even Of loyal persons. where
they are from acts caused by the oper.
at!Ops Of war. have been disowucd by
the public law Of civilized nations,
condemned by adjudicatiOns of the Su.
preme Court Of tho United States, and
only dul auy status by tho forco oil
specific Legislation Of Congress. These
claims have become SIule. aud are often
tainted with fraud. They arc learly
always owned in whole or in pnrt by
elaim agents, by spectators or lobby
ISIS, who have no equity againss tax.