Mexico weekly ledger., 1876-11-02
"REBEL CLAIMS. -
A Letter from Samuel j. Tilden.

He Declares Himself UnequivocaIly OPP
posed to the Payment of Any claim
to Amy Disloyal Person, Arising from
the Late War, Under Any Circum-
stances.
New YORK, Oct. 24.-The following
communication was received to-day by
MI. Hewitt, Chairman of the National
Democratic Committee, and explains
itself:
To HON. ADRIAN S. HEWITT:
SIR:-I have received your letter inform
ing me that Republicans high in authority
are publicly representing that the E'South
desire, not without hope,' to obtain pay
ment for losses by the late War, and to have
provisions made for the rebel debt and for
losses of siaves.' AS the payment of such
losses and claims was not deemed important
enough to deserve the notice OF either Con-
vention at the time it was held, you also
ask me to state my views in regard to tneir
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 FOURTEETH AMENDMENT
of the Constitution expressly provides as
follows: 1.-THE validity of the public debt
of the United States authorized by law, in
Guiding debts incurred for the payment of
pensions and counties for services in sup
pressing the instruction or rebellion, shall
not be questioned, but neither the United
States nor any State shall assume or pay any
debt or obligation incurred in aid Of the in
surrection or rebellion against the United
States, or any claim for loss or emancipation
of any slaves, but all such debts, obliga-
tions and claims shall be held illegal and
VOid.'
UNIVERSALLY AGREED TO.
This amendment has been repeatedly ap-
proved and agreed to by the Democratic
State Conventions of the South. It was
unanimously adopted as part Of the plat
form of the Democratic National COnVen-
ton at St. Louis on the 2Sth of June, and
was declared by that platform to be ''uni-
verSally accepted as a final settlement of
controversies that e~ngendered the civil
war;
MR. TILDEN'S POSITION.
My WI position on this subject had been
previously declared on many occasions and
particularly in my t~irstannual message, Jan.
5, 1875. In that document / stated hat the
Southern people are ''bound by the Thir-
teenth, Fourteenth and Fifteenth Consti-
tutional Amendments; that they had Joined
with National Conventions in the nOmina-
ton Of candidates and in the declaration OF
the principles and purposes which form an
authentic acceptance of the results of the
war, as embodied in the last three amend
ments to the organic law of the Fedora
OHlOn, duu tuaG Iucy udu ny tuG Stt1TdS6s
Of all their voters atthe 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 fraternal union
under the old flag, with one
Constitution and one destiny L declared
at the same time: 1.-The questions settled
by the war are never to be reopened; the
adoption Of the Thirteenth, Fourteenth and
Fifteenth Amendments to the Federal Con.
stituti0n closed one great era in our politics
1t marked the struggles that grew out OF
that system. These 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. AL
parties hereafter must accept and stand
upon hen and henceforth our politics are
to turn upon questions OF the present and
future, and not upon those OF the settled
and final past Should l be elected Pres
ident, the provisions Of the FOurteent
Amendment will, so far as depends on me, b
MAINTAINED, EXECUTED n ENFORCED
in perfect and absolute good faith. No rebe.
debt will be assumed or paid. No claim fol-
the loss or emancipation of any slave will be
allowed. No claim for any loss or damage
incurred by disloyal persons arising from
the late war, whether covered by the Four.
teenth Amendment or not, will be recog.
niZed or paid. The cotton tax will not bt
refunded. / shall deem it my duty to veto
every bill providing for the assumption oil
payment of any such debts, losses, dam
ages, claims. or for the %refunding of any
such tax. The danger to the National
Treasury is not from the claims OF person:
who aided the rebellion, but from
| claims of persons residing in the South
ern States, or having property in those
States, who were, or pretended to be, OF
| who for the sake of aiding their claims, nov
pretend to have been, loyal to the Govern.
! yoapf ~ tho TTninn S11nh alairnS AVIAN n
loyal persons, where they are from act:
caused by the operation of the war. have
been disOwned by the public law Of civilized
nations, condemned by the adjudication o
the Supreme Court Of the United States, an(
only find any status by the force OF the spe'
citic legislation of Congress. These claim:
have become stale and one often tainted
with fraud. They are nearly always owne(
in whole or in part by claim agents, by spec
ulators or lobbyists, WHO have no equity
against the taxpayers or the public. They
should, in all cases. be scrutinized with ieai'
GUS care.
IL CALAMITIES TO INDIVIDUALS
which were inflicted by the late war are fol
the most part irreparable. The Govern
ment can not recall to life the thousands o.
our youths who went to untimely graves,
| nor compensate the sutferingS or sorrow Of
their relatives or friends. 1t can not read
lust between individuals the burdens OF
taxation hitherto borne or of debts incurred
to sustain the Government which are yet Il
be paid. 1t can not appOrtiOn among oul
citizens damages or losses incident to mil
itary operation or resulting in every variety
of form from its measures for maintaining
it's own existence. 1t has no safe genera
rule but to let
BYGONES BE BYGONES,
to turn from the dead past to a new and bet
ter future, and on that basis assure peace,
reconciliation and fraternity between al
| sections, classes and races of our people, tt
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.
Very respectfully yours,
SAMUEL j. TILDEN.