The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1876-11-10
HE WILL STAND BY THE CONSITU.
TION.
EsPu"Iican TWaddIe About Rebel
Claims Put TO Rcst-AH Important
EetIer From Samuel :.



The following letter from Gov. Tilde1
to Hon. Abram Hewitt explains itsel
and sets at rest the radical howl about
rebel claims:
New York Oct. "a, 1S76.-TO Hon
Abram S. Hewitt-Sir: / have received
your letter informing me that republicans
high in authority are publicly represent.
ing that the south desires, not without
hope, to obtain payment for losses by the
late war, and to have provision made for
| the rebel debt and for the losses OF slaves.
! As the payment of such losses and claims
was not deemed important enough to de
serve the notice of either convention at
| 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, l have no hesitation to comply
with your request.
The fourteenth amendment of the
constitution expressly provides as fol-
lows:
The validity of the public debt of the
United States authorized by law including
debts incurred for the payment of pensions
and bountIes Tor services in suppressing in
surrectiOn or rebellion, shall not be ques-
toned. But neither the United States nor
any state shall assume or pay any debt or OBJ
legation incurred in aid of instruction or
rebellion against the United States. or any
I claim LfOr-the loss or emancipation of any
slave; hut such debts, obligations and
claims shall be held illegal and void.
This amendment has been repeatedly
aPn-aEcd sad agreed to bv tie demo-
cratic state conventions ofthe Sjuth 1t
was unanimously adopted as a part of
the platform OF the democratic national
convention of St. Louis, on the 18th of
June, and was declared by that platform
to be universally accepted as final set
tlement of the controversies that enCen-
dered the civil war. My own position
on this subject had been previously de
clared on many occasions, and particu-
larry in my first annual message, Jan. 5,
1875. In that document | stated that
the southern people were bound by tue
thirteenth, fourteenth and fifteenth con-
stitutional amendments; that they had
joined the national conventions in the
nomination of candidates, and in the de-
claratiOn 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 union; and that they
had, by suf1rages 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 COM
mon rights of American local self
government in fraternal 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 reopened. Tie
l., e 4, L j
fifteenth amendments to the federal con-
stitution closed one great era in our pol
tics. It marked the end forever of the
system of human slavery, and the strug-
giles that grew out of that system. The
three amendments have been conclusively
adopted, and they have been accepted in
good faith by all political organizations
and the people of all sections. They
close the chapter. They are and must
be final. All parties hereafter must &C
cept and stand upon them, and hence
forth our politics are to turn upon ques-
tions of the present and future, and not
upon those of the settled and final past.
Should l be elected president the pro-
visions of the fourteenth amendment will,
so far as depends on me, be maintained,
executed and enforced in perfect and alb
solute good faith. No rebel debt will be
assumed or paid. No claim for loss or
emancipation of any slave viii be allow
ed. No claim for any loss or damage in
CURED by disloyal persons, arising from
the late war, whether covered by the
fourteenth amendment or not, will be
recognized or paid. The cotton tax will
not be refunded
l shall deem it my duty TO veto every
bill providing for the assumption or pay
ment of anv such debts, losses, damages,
claims, or for the refunding of any tax.
The danger to the national treasury is
not from the claims of persons who aided
rebellion, but from the claims of persons
residing 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
persons, where they are from acts caused
by the operations of the war, have been
disowned by the public law of civilized
nations, condemned by the adjudication
of the supreme court of the United
States. and only find any status by force
of the specific 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 lob
byists, who have no equity against the
taxpayers or the public. They should
in all cases be scrutinized with the
nations care. The calamities to indi-
viduals which were inflicted by the late
war are for the most part irreparable.
The government can not call to life the
million of our youth who went to un-
timely graves, nor compensate the suffer
ings or sorrow of their relatives or
friends. 1t can not readjust between
individuals the burdens of taxation
hitherto borne, or OF the debts incurred
to sustain the government which are yet
to be paid. 1t can not apportion anew
among our citizens the damages or loses,
incident to the military operations, or
resulting in every variety of form from
its measures for maintaining it's own ex-
istence. 1t has no safe general rule but
to let by-gones be bygones, to turn from
the dead past TO the TlSw and better
future, and on this basis assure peace,
reconciliation and fraternity between all