The daily gazette. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1874-1883, 1876-10-25
THIRD EDITION.
The War-Claims Bugbear.
THE PLAIN FACTS TRULY STATED
BY THE REFORM CANDIDATE.

THE PLAIN FACTS TRULY STATED
By THE REFORM CANDIDATE.
Who the Persons are that Hold the
Ctdims-Repudidted by the Law of
Nations and by the United States ST.
preme COut-JVhat President 1elden
pW Surely do.
New YORK, Oct. "a. 1876
To the Hon. Abrdnl S. Hewitt:
SIR: have received your letter inform
ing me that Republicans high in authori-
ty are publicly representing that ssthe
South desire, not without hope" to OBJ
tain payment for losses by the late war
and to have provision made for the loss
es of slaves"
As the payment of such losses and
claims was not deemed important enough
to deserve the notice of either Conven-
ton at the time it was held, you also ask
me to state my views in regard to their
recognition by the Government.
Though disposed myself to abide by
the issue as made up already, I have no
hesitation to comply with your request.
The Fourteenth Amendment of the
Constitution expressly provides as follows:
The validity of the public debt Of the
United States authorized by law, inclu-
ding debts incurred, payment of pensions
and bounties for services in suppressing
instruction or rebellion, shall not be
questioned. But neither the United
States, nor any State, shall assume or pay
ANY debt Or obligation, incurred an aid
of Insurrection or rebellion against the
United States, or any CLAIM, for the loss or
emancipation of any Stare, but ALL such
debts, Obligations and claims shall be held
illegal and Uoid.
This amendment has been repeatedly
approved and agreed to by Democratic
State Conventions of the South. 1t was
unanimously adopted as part of the
platform of the Democratic National Con
vention at st. Louis, on the 2Sth of June
and was declared by that platform to be
''unirerSaily accepted as q final settle
rnent of the controversies that engendered
civil war;"
My own position on this subject had
been previously declared on many occa-
sions, and particularly in my first annual
message Of Jan. 5, 1875.
In that document, IL stated that the
Southern people were ''bound by the
Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and Fifteenth
Constitutional Amendments; that they
had Joined at National Convention in the
nomination of candidates and in the
declaration of principles and purposes,
which form an authentic acceptance of
the results of the war, embodied in the
last three amendments to the organic law
of the federal Uuion, and that they had,
by the suffrages of all their voters, at the
last national election, completed the proof
that now they only seek to share with
us, and to maintain the common rights Of
American local self-government, in fra
ternal union, under the old fiagwith Gone
Constitution and one destiny"
l declared at the same time:
The questions settled by the war are
never to be re-opened. The adoption of
the Thirteenth, Fourteenth and Fiji
teenth Amendments to the Federal Con-
stitution closed one great era in our po-
litics. 1t marked the end forever of the
system of human slavery, and of the
Istruggles that grew out of that system.
These amendments have been conclu-
Isiyely adopted, and they have been ac-
cepted in good faith by all political or
CARNATIONS and the people of all sec
| tons. They close the chapter; they are
and must be final; all parties hereafter
must accept and stand upon them, and
henceforth our politics are to turn upon
questions of the present and the future,
| and not upon those of the settled and IL
nal past.
Should / be elected President, the
provisions of the Fourteenth Amendment
will, so far as depends on me, be main
ltained, executed, and enforced in perfect
and absolute good faith. No rebel debt
will be assumed or paid. No claim for
ION, ofa Q
be allowed. No claim for any loss or
damage incurred by disloyal persons aris-
ing from the late war, whether covered by
the Fourteenth Amendment or not, will
be recognized Or paid. The cotton tax
will not be refunded. shall deem it
my duty to veto every bill providing for
the assumption or payment of any such
debts, losses, damages, claims, or for the
refunding of any such tax.
The danger to the national Treasury is
mot from claims of persons who aided the
rebellion, but from claims of persons re-
siding in TIM Southern States or having
property in those States, who were, or pre-
TENDED to be, or who for the sake of aid
ing claims now pretend to have been,
loyal to the Government of the Union.
lSuch claims, even of loyal persons, where
they are from acts caused by the operations
of war, have been disowned by the pub.
lie law of civilized nations, condemned by
the adjudications of the Supreme Court OF
the United States, and only find any sta
tus by force of specific legislation of Con
gress. These claims have become stale,
and are often tinted with fraud. They
, are nearly always owned in whole or i'll
part by claim agents, by spectators o..
lobbyists, who have no equity aga INST
the taxpayers or thepublic. They should
in all'cases be scrutinized with jealous
!. care.
The calamities to individuals which
: were inflicted by the late war are, fol
| the most part irreparable. The Govern
Imemt cannot recall to life the million O
q our youth who went to untimely graves
} nor compensate the sufferings of theil
J relatives or friends. 1t cannot readjust
between individuals, the burdens of tax
< alton hieherto borne, OF of debts INQUIRE,
: to sustain the Government, which are yet
to be paid. 1t cannot apportion anew
among our citizens, the damages or losse