The weekly clarion., 1876-11-01
TiLDEX On THE SOUTHERN
WAR CLAIMS.
zAc viii Veto ssiI bills 40 pay them,
Shonid amy be Passed.
Let Ry-Eones be By-ssnss, Turn
from .he Dead pE.S 20
"a ksesTcr Em1mre.''

/ New YoRK, Oct. H. Gov. Tildeu
has addressed to the Hon. Abranl Hewitt,
letter dated to-day, declaring his posi-
ton in regard to the Southern claims.
He quotes the 18th amendment OF the
Constitution, points to the fact that II
has been repeatedly approved by the
South, and was adopted as part of the
platform of the last National Democratic
Convention, which declared it IL DE uni
versally accepted as "a final settlement.
Gov. Tilden, after citing his own public
declarations on the subject previously
ma le, says:
Shoul1 | 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 the
loss or emancipation of any slave VIII be
allowed ; no claim for any loss or damage
incurred by disloyal persons, arising from
the late war, whether covered by the
Fourteenth Amendment OF not, viii be
recognized or paid the cotton tax will
net be refunded; | shall deem it my
duty TO veto every bill providing Tor the
assumption or payment of any such
debts losses, damages or claims, or for
the refunding of any such tax. The
danger to the National Treasury is not
from claims OF persons who aided the
rebellion, but from claims of persons re-
siding in the Southern States, or hav-
ing property in those States, who were,
or pretended to be, or who, for the
sake of aiding claims, now pretend to
have been loyal to the Government of the
Union. Such claims, even of loyal per
sons, where they, from acts caused by
the operations Of war, have been dis
owned by the public law Of civilized ma
tions, have been condemned by the ad
indications of the Supreme Court, and
cnly fnd any status by the force OF spe
cific legislation of Congress. These
claims have become stale, and are often
tainted with fraud. They are nearly
always owned in whole or in part by
claim agents, by spectators or Lobbyists
who have no equity against the tax
payers or the public. They should in all
eases be scrutinized with Jealous care.
The calamities to individuals which were
inflicted by the late war are for the most
part lrreparaDle. l. ne OOVeFnIneHL CtIl-
not recall to life the million OF our youth
who went to untimely graves, nor com
pensate for the sufferings or sorrow Of
their relatives. 1t cannot re e-adjust
between individuals the burdens of
taxation hitherto borne, of debts in
CURED to sustain the Government,
which are yet to be paid. 1t cannot
apportion anew among our citizens the
damages or losses incident to military
orerations, or resulting in every variety
of form from its measures for maintain
ing It's own existence. 1t has no safe
general rule but to let by-gones be by
cones to turn from the dead past to a
new and better future, and on that
basis TO assure peace, reconciliation, and
fraternity between all sections, to the
end that all the springs of our produc-
tive industries may be quickened, and
new prosperity created in which the
evils OF the past shall be forgotten.
SAMUEL J. TILDEN.