The Portland daily press., 1880-09-06
Rebel Claims.

Apprehensions that enormous rebel war
claims may be pressed for settlement if we
should have Democratic Congress and Demo-
cratic president, elected by the solid South are
pronounced wholly unfounded and ridiculous
by the Democratic and Independent press
But they did not seem ridiculous to Mr.. Tilden
four years ago when he wrote his letter on that
subject to quiet such fears, and they have not
become more SO since that time. Mr.. Rea-
gan, formerly Postmaster General of the rebel
Confederacy, now member of Congress from
Texas, and the author of bill not yet passed
but actually pending at the present time, to
repeal the section of the revised statutes
witch forbids the payment of claims of any
person not proved to have been loyal during the
war, has given statement of the grounds on
which the claim for the payment of the rebel
war debt is based. This statement was made
in letter to jeff Davis which is among the
captured rebel archives now in the possession
of the war department at Washington The
argument, such as it is, is as good now as ever.
The claim is analogous to that sometimes
made by defeated litigants that the costs of
both parties should be paid out of the estate in
dispute. Mr.. Reagan says:
In the final adjustment we should endeavor
to secure provisions for auditing the debt of
the Cnnfederacy, and for its payment in COM
mon with the war debt of the United States.
We may ask this on the ground that we did
not seek this war, but only sought peaceful
separation to secure our people and States from
the effects of unconstitutional encI Ioachment
of the other States, and because, in the princi-
pie of equity, allowing that both parties had
acted in good faith and gone to war on mis-
N W od mi tod af, o<t~o
solution and now agree to a reconciliation and
burial of the past, It woud be unjust to COM
pei our people to assist in payment of the war
debt of the United States, and for them to re-
fuse to allow such of the revenues as we might
contribute to be applied to the payment of our
creditors.
If it should be said that this is liberality
never extended by the eonqueror to the con-
quered, it may be answered that the object of
the pacifcation is to restore the Union in good
faith, and to reunite the people to each other,
to restore confidence and faith and prosperity
and homogenity, then it is of the first impor-
tance that the terms of reconciliation should
be based on terms of entire equity land that no
just ground OF grief or complaint should be
left to either party; and to both parties, look
ing not only to the present. but to the interest
OF future generations, the mount of money
which would be involved, though large would
be as nothing when compared with reconcil-
iation entirely equitable, which should leave
no sting to hover and no sense of wrong to
rankle in the memories of the people and lay
the foundation for new difficulties and for fu-
ture wars. 1t is to this feature it seems to me,
the greatest attention should be given by both
sides.
1t will be of the highest importance to all,
for the present as we'll as for the future, that
the frankness, sincerity and justice of both
parties shall be as conspicuous in the adjust
ment of past difficulties as their courage and
endurance have been during the war, if we
would make peace on a basis which would be
satisfactory and might be rendered perpetual
In any event, provisions should be made which
will authorize the Confederate authorities to
sell the public property remaining on hand
and TO apply the proceeds, as far as they will
90, to the payment of our present public liabil-
tiles, or for such other disposition as may be
found advisable.
But if the terms of this agreement should be
SO rejected or modified by the Government of
the United States as to refuse a recognition of
the right of local self government, and our DO
itical rights, and rights of persons and prop
erty, or as to refuse amnesty for past particle
patton in this war, then it will be our duty to
continue the struggle as best we can, however
unequal it may be, as it would be better and
more honorable to waste our lives and SUBJ
stance in such a contest than to yield both to
the mercy of a remorseless conqueror. II am,
with great respect, your Excellency's humble
servant.
JOHN REAGAN. Postmaster-G General.