The daily gazette., 1876-10-26
From the N. Y. World.
Governor Tilden's Letter.

1t is very clear that Governor Tlden
does not intend to permit any one to re-
main under the impression that taxation
by the Federal Government is to be either
unlawfully or needlessly increased, if he
has power to prevent it.
And in assuring his countrymen of this
he has called their attention to danger
from so-called loyal quarter which has
not been generally suspected.
The Supreme Court of the United States
has repeatedly decided in conformity
with the accepted rules of international
law, that, as against rebels in insurrection
the parent government has both sovereign
and belhgerent rights, that all the people
in an insurrecti0nary district, in time of
civil war, are to be regarded as enemies,
except so far as the Government modifies
that relation as an act of clemency; and
that no nation, unless as a special favor,
ever pays for property, even of its own
citizens and in its own country, destroy
ed in attacking or defending against a
common enemy.
Private property of pacific persons is
not to be taken in civil war for more pur-
poses of gain, but only for common
public end Cotton was regarded by the
rebels rs one of their main sinews of war;
and therefore, the United States captured
it and did not allow it to remain as an
VI W tut ItDtluOH.
To make these general propositions of
public law and right forever binding, the
fourteenth amendment of the Constitu-
| ton said, among other things, that nei-
ther the National nor any State Govern
| ment ''shall assume or pay any debt of
ObiigdtiOn incurred in aid of iRsu1TectiOn
g or rebellion against the United States
1t was generally thought that this amend
ment was broad enough to cover the
E.ll
of rebel debts and claims, but cunning
claim-agents have raised doubts.
A Republican Congress has assisted
these doubts and elevated the hopes OF
those who have in charge claims for the
| injury or destructiOninflicted by the army
of the United States during the civil
war upon private property owned by
rebels.
In 1873 such a Congress declared that
loyal citizens could, under certain defined
| restrictions, receive the proceeds of cap.
| turned cotton sold and placed in the
Treasury. In 1871 Republican Con
gress took q more advanced step, and
| constituted commission of three persons
| with power to award damages against the
United States, to the amount of the value
of "stores or supplies taken or furnished
-" during the rebellion for The use of the
army of the United States," in the in
| SurrecnOnary ulStrlctS, provided the
commission be satisfied of The loyalty of tht
claimant. Here was another act of grace
and mercy at the expense of tax-pay
| erS
The Republican party having done al
this, suddenly in the last days of a heated
election, and without any mention of the
topic in its party platform of resolutions
at Cincinnati, charges, through its reck
less leaders, that the Democratic party, i
successful ipNovember, will go on ant
extend such grace and mercy to disloyo
claimants! In other words, that the loya
element will be obliterated from the Re
publican legislation of 1868 and 1871, an,
that Governor Tilden, if President, will
promote such legislation, and will no
veto it if it passes the ordeal of n demo
cratic House and Republican Sen
| ate.
That calumny has relation to intlictinl
more taxation ON his already overburden
ed countrymen, and if one wishes to SEE
every ramification of it stamped out at ;
blow, we commend him to read Governo
Tilden's letter i'll another column. Claim
agents, of high or low degree, are evi
dently to have ga hard time" under tn,
rule of the next who will be Democra
tic, President!