Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1876-10-31
Open LETTER FROM GOV
TIEDEN.
NV NoR1s, Ocl. p. Isl

Sir: | have received your letter in
forming me that Republicans high in .
authority are publicly representing /.
lhat "the south d,sirc not without !
hope TO obtain payment for losses by !
the late war and to have "provisiOu |
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 deserve the notice OF either |
Convention at The time it was held, .
you also ask me TO state my views in .
regard to their recognition by the gov
eminent.
Though disposed myself to abide by
the issue as made up already, | have
10 hesitation to comply with your re-
quest.
Tie Fourteenth Amendment of the
Constitution expressly provides Is fol-
lows.
The validity of the public debt Of
the United States authorized 10y law,
including debts incurred for payment
of pensions and O0Untigs for services
in supprcssiug instruction on rebel
lion, shall not be questioned. But
neither the United States, nor any
state, shall assume or poY ANY osLt
or O8iigutiOH, incurred IL aid Of in
surrect,ou or rebellion against the
United States, or any c'aiHI for the
toss or emancipation Of any S'uyg, but
ALI such deJta, Oj'ig,ttiOagaud claims,
shall he held WCqui GItR UOj0n
TnisameudmeuJhas been repeatedly
approved and agreed to by Democratic
State Conventions Of the South. 1t
was unanimously adopted as a part of
] . !. l,f gF tho iAaTtnPrt fi.4 a
tioual Convention at st. Louis, on
| the 18th of June, and was declared by
| that platform to be "uujuclScsiy uc.
/ ccDiCd as Tnut settlement OF tho con-
! troversies that eugendered civil war;
| Ny own position on this subject had
| been previously declared on many oC-
! casions, ana particularly in my first
annual message of January 9Th, 1873.
! In that document, | stated that the
! Southern people were bound by the
| Thirteenth, Fourteenth and Fifteenth
Constitutional Amendments; thar tney
| had Joined in National Conventions
| in the nomination of candidates and
| in the declaration of principles and
! purposes, which form an authentic aC-
| reptance Of the results Of the war,
! embodied in the last three amend
meuts TO the organic law of the Fed
craI Union, aud that they had, by the
suitrages 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-govern-
meut, in a fraternal union, under the
! old flag with zone Constitution and
one Destiny
! | declared at the same time:
"The questions settled by the war
| are never to be reopened. The adup-
! ton of the Thirteenth, Fourteenth
and Fifteenth Amendments to the
| Federal Constitution closed one great
era in our politics. 1t marked the
end forever of the system of human
slavery, and of the struggles that grew
out Of that system. These amend
ments 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 ac-
cept and stand upon them, and hence
forth orr politics are to turn upon
questions Of the present and the flu
ture, and not upon those of the settled
and final Past.o
Should | be elected President, the
provisions of the Fourteenth Almond.
meut will 80 far as depends on me,
be maintained, 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 will be allowed. Nc
claim for any loss or damage incurred
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 | shall deem il
my duty to veto every bill providing
for the assumption or payment Of any
such debts. losses, damages, claims, OF
for the reiuudlug of any such tax.
The danger to the National Treasury
is not from claims of persons who
aided the rebellion, but from claims Ot
persons residing in the Southern States
: or having property in those States
who We're, or pretended to be, or who
for the sake Of aiding claims now pre-
tend to have been loyal TO the Gov
ernment of the Union, Such claims
, even Of loyal persons, where they are
from acts caused 10y the operations OF
war, have been disOWuGd by the public
law of civilized nations, condemned
by the adiudIcal.ons of the Supreme
Court of the United States, aud only
find any status by force Of specific
legislation of Congress. These claims
have become stale and are often faint,
ed with fraud, They are nearly al
ways owned in whole or ina part 10y
claim agents, by spectators or lob,
byists, who have no equity against the
t4N-payels or the public. They should
} in all cases, be scrutinised with jealous
care,
The calamitics to individuals which
were inflicted 10y the late war are, fol
the most part, irrepnrable, The Gov.
p eminent cannot recall to life tie mil
f lion Of our youth who went to un'
timely graves, nor compensate the
sudtrngs or sorrow of their relatives
or friends. 1t cannot readjust, be-
tween individuals, the burdens
taxation hitherto borne, or Of debts
incurred 10 sustain the Government
which are yet to be paid. 1t cannot
apportiun anew, among our citizens
, the damages or losses incident TO mill,
, tary operations, or resulting in every