National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1880-09-25
SOUTHERN WAR CLAIMS.
A Letter From General Hancock in OppO-
sltlOn TO Their Payment.
What lie would DO We're Tie President
Loyal and Disloyal Claimants
should not be Paid.

General Hancock on sUnthcrn War Claims
NEW YoRK Sept, 2i.-Gcmcrol Hancock has
written q letter on the subject Of war claims,
in reply to letter from Theodore Cook Of
Cincinnati. The correspondence is as follows:
CtNcINNATI. Sept. %, 1850.
Gcpcr7i w. s. Hancock. GOropors Isidnd, NJ u:
DEAR SIN: | incosG slips cut from the Go.die
and Commercial Of this city, both Of them EoWS-
papers Of large circulation and influence in Ohio
and Indiana referring ns youwill see, to tho much
hafpod-upon subject in our politics oflCbcl claims.
These newspapers and republican stump speak
crs arc constantly asserting that If you are elected
president The claims Of disOynl people OF the south
FOR losses sustained In the war viii be allowed aud
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 its candidate for president have not denied
It, THIS warfare Is madc III all seriousness ana
maintained with great carucstness aud repeated
day after day in the press and In speeches. You
are known TO the country as irnnk, honest sol
dicT, now the representative of the democratic
party and having II right to speak for II. What
ever you may say the people Will hear and be.
lieve. | submit the matter to your good Judgment
as to what you should say or whether you should
make any public uttcrance all Very respect
fully yours THEODORE Cook.
General Hancock replied as follows;
GOVERNORS ISLAND, ". V. |
September % 1850.
TO Theodore Coot, csq., Chcinndn, Ohio:
DEAR SIR: Your letter of the 2O,l instant has
been received. | regret that you are disturbed
people cannot be mslead by IL. To suppose that
rcbcl claims" claims In the interest of persons
who were IN the rebellion, can in any way or in
any degree be cOuntcnanced Is an imputation of
disloyalty such as used to be made against demo-
crHts even when they were in arms defending the
country. SO far MS 1t touches Inc dcnounce 1t.
The government can never pay debt or grant a
pension or reward of any sort for wuging war upon
It's own existence, nor could be induced TO np-
prove or encourage payment of such debt, pension
or reward. Nobody expects or wants such unu0t-
nru action. 10 propose II would be an insult TO
the Intelligence and honor of our people. When
rebellion was crushed the herCsy Of sCCCs-
sion in every form and In every incident
went down forever. II Is II thing Of the
dead past. We move forward, not backward
If were president would veto all legislation
which might come before me providing for the
consideration or payment of claims OF any Kind
for losses or damages 10y persons who were In re
hclilon, whether pardoucd or not In relation 70
union war claims the governments obligations
to its defenders come ilIst. They ore lasting and
sacred. The public laws Of civilized nations do not
in general recognize clOims for Injuries to property
resulting rom The operations OF war NCvcrhc
less our government has treated with great indul
gCncc the claims for losses and damages suffered
by union men from the military operations OF the
war of thc union. But as hostilitCs wcte closed
more than fifteen yeats ago claims OF that nature
--now mostly in the hands of brokers or person,
other than the original sufcrcys-Urc becoming
stale, and in my judgment, might fairly be con
sldercd as barred by the apsc of time. and if here
after entertained ut all should be subjected to tn,
GLricCst scrutiny. Yours very truly,
WISFIELD s. HANCOCK,