The Portland daily press., 1880-09-25
REBEL CLAIMS.

Gen. Hancock Forced to Express Him
Veto Them.
NEW YORK, Sept. 24-Gen. Hancock has
written letter on the subject of war claims
in reply to letter from Theodore Cook o.
Cincinnati. The correspondence is as follows
CINCINNATI.
TO Gen. Hancock:
/ enclose slips cut from the Gazette and
Commercial of this city, both OF them news
papers of large circulation and influence, re-
ferring as you will see to the much harped-
upon subject in our politics Of rebel claims.
These newspapers and Republican stump
speakers are constantly asserting that If you
are elected President the claims Of disloyal
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 perty and that you, its candi-
date for President have not denied it. This
warfare is made in all seriousness and main.
tanned with great earnestness and repeated
day after day in the press and In speeches..
You are known to the country as frank, hon
est soldier, now the representative OF the Dem
ocratic party and having right to speak for
it. Whatever you may say people will hear
and believe. | submit the matter to your good
Judgment as to what you should say, or
whether you should make any public utter
ance at all. Very respectfully,
THEODORE Cook.
Gen. Hancock replied as follows:
To Theodore Cook, Esq, Cincinnati, Ohio:
Dear Sir,-Yonr letter Of the Goth inst. has
been received. l regret that you are disturbed
about that bugbear Southern claims" Peo-
Pile cannot be misled by it suppose that "reb-
ell claims" or claims in the interest of persons
who were in rebellion can in any
way or in any degree be countenanced
10 iunnn fofin
as used to be made against Democrats when
they were in arms defending the country. So
far as it touches me l denounce it. The Gov
eminent can never pay debt or grant PEN
sion or reward of any sort for waging war upon
it's own existence, nor could l be induced to
improve or encourage the payment of such
debt, pension or reward. Nobody expects or
wants such unnatural action. To propose it
would be an insult to the intelligence and
honor of our people. When the rebellion was
crushed the heresy of secession in every form
and in every incident went down forever. 1t is
| thing of the dead past. We move forward
| not backward. III I were President would
| veto all legislation which might Come before
me providing for the consideration or pay ment
| of claims of any kind for losses or damages by
| persons who were in rebellion, whether par
| doned or not. In relation to "Union war
| claims" the Governments Obligations to the
| defenders come first. They are lasting and
| sacred The public laws of civilized nations
do not in general recognize claims for injuries to
property resulting from operations of war.
| Nevertheless our government has treated with
| great indulgence claims for losses and DANA
| ges suffered by union men from military oper-
atiors of the war Of the Onion. But as the
hostilities of war were closed more than fifteen
| years ago, claims of that nature are now
| mostly in the hands of brokers or persons
| other than the original sufferers.
are becoming stale, and in my Judgment
| might be fairly considered as barred by the
| lapse of time, and if hereafter entertained at
| all, should be subjected to the strictest scru-
| tiny. Yours very truly,
WINFIELD S. HANCOCK.