The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1880-10-07
THOSE REBEL CLAIMS.
WHAT HANCOCK SAYS on TIE SUBJECT.

NEW YORK, Sept. 24-The following
correspondence has just been made pub
lie here:
CINCINNATI, o., Sept 20.
To Gen. ". S. Hancock, Governors Is
land, New York:
Dear Sir:-I enclose slips cut from the
Gazette and Commercial, OF this city,
both of them newspapers of large eircu-
lation and influence in Ohio and Indiana,
referring, as you will see, to the much
harped upon subject in our politics, of
rebel claims. These newspapers and re-
publican stump speakers are constantly
asserting that, if you are elected presi-
dent, the claims OF the disloyai people of
the south for losses sustained in war will
be allowed and paid by the United States
They further direct special attention to
the fact that this charge has been made
against the democratic party. and that
you-the candidate for president-have
not denied it. This waretare is made IN
all seriousness, and maintained with
great earnestness and repeated day after
day in the press and speeches. You are
known to the country as frank, honest
soldier, now the representative OF the
democratic party, and having a right to
speak for it. Whatever you may say, the
people will hear and believe. submit
the matter to your Judgment as to what
you should say, or whether you should
make any public utterauce at all. Very
respectfully yours,
THEODORE Cook.
Reply of Gen. Hancock:
GOVERNORS ISLAND, n. Z, Sept. %,
1880.
To Theo. Cook, Esq, Cincinnati. Ohio
! Dear Sir:-Your letter of the Doth inst
has been received. regret that you are
disturbed about that "bugbear," south
ern war claims. The people cannot bt
misled by it. To suppose that ''rebo
claims" or claims in the interest of per
sons who were in the rebellion can, il
and way, or in any degree, be counte
nanced, is al imputation of disloyalty
such as used to be made against demo
Gratis, even when they were in arms de
Tending the country. So far as it touch
es me, / denounce it. The government
can never pay debt or grant pension
or reward of airy sort for waging war up
on its own existence; nor could / be in
duced to approve or encourage the pay
ment of such debt, pension or reward
Nobody expects or wants such unnatura
action. To propose it would be an in
suit to the intelligence and honor of on
people. When the rebellion was crush
ed, the heresy of secession in every form
and in every incident. went down for
ever. 1t is thing of the dead past. W
move forward, not backward. Ii l wer
president, [ would veto all Legislation
which might come before me, providin,
for the consideration or payment O
claims of any kind for losses or damage
by persons who were in rebellion, wheth
er pardoned or not. In relation to Gun
ion war Claims" the governments obi
cations to its defenders come first. The,
are lasting and sacred. The public law
of civilized nations do not, in general
recognize claims for injuries to property
resulting from the operations of war
Nevertheless, our government has treat
ed, with great indulgence, the claims 10
losses and damages suffered by Uniol
men from the military operations of tn
war for the Union. But, as hostilitie
were closed more than Is years ago
claims of that nature, now mostly in tn
hands of brokers or persons other thai
the original sufferers, are becoming stale
and in my judgment, might fairly b.
considered as barred by the lapse O
time; and. if, hereafter entertained at all
should be subjected to the strictest scru
tiny. Yours very truly,
| [Signed, W. S. HANCOCK