The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1880-10-01
ANOTHER LETTER FROM HANCOCK.
THE REBEL WAR CLAIMS.

One Of the heavy arguments ofthe repub-
licans against the election of General Han
cock is that if successful, he will permit the
payment of the rebel war claims, amounting
to an immense sum. The following cores
pondence shows Hancock's position on this
subject. OF course his letter will make no
d iIlrencc with the organs aud speakers, who
will go right on in the same way AS though
his letter had never been written. Bat the
masses of the people know that he means
what he says, and the wailings OF the OPP
position over this last nail in their coffin
will not change the inevitable result
Mr.. Theodore Cook, Chairman Of the
Democratic Executive Comm ttee of Halnli.
ton county, in Ohio, wrote to Gen. Winfield
$. Hancock on Sept. 20 the following
letter:
CINCTNNATI Ohio, Sept. 90 80
Gen. w. s Hunc9ck Gorernor's Island ~ Y
DEAR SIR II enclose slips cut from the
Gazette and Commercial of this city, both Of
them newspapers OF large circulation and in
tluence in Ohio and Indiana, referring, as
you will see, to the much-harped- upon sub
JeCt III our IbllllCs VI ftucl
These newspapers aud republican stumr-
speakers are constantly asserting that if you
are elected President the claims of dsloval
people of the South for losses sustained in
he 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 thit you, its candidate for President,
have not denied it. This warefire is made
| in all seriousness and maintained with great
earnestuess, and repeated dav after day in
| the press and in speeches. You are known
| to the country as frank, honest soldier, now
| the representative of the Democratic party,
and having right to speak for it. What
| ever you may say the people will hear and
| believe. l submit the matter to your good
judgment, as to what you should say, or
whether you should make any public ut
terance at all. Very respectfully yours.
THEODORE Cook
Gen. Hancock sent to Mr.. Cook the iol-
lowing reply.
GOVERNORS ISLAND.
New YORK, Sept, % 1880
DEAR SIR:-Your letter of the 20 inst. has
| been received.
| regret that you are disturbed about the
|
Claims" The people cannot be misled by
it. To suppose that "Rebel Claims" or
claims in the interest of persons who were in
the rebellion, can in any way or in any de
gree be countenanced, is an imrutatiou of
disloyalty such as used to be made against
Democrats even when they were in arms de-
Tending the country. So far as it touches
me, denounce it. The Government can
never pay debt or grant pension or re.
ward ofany sort Tor wigiug war against its
own existence nor could be induced to
approve or encourage payment of such debt,
pension, or reward. Nobody expects or
wants such unnatural action. To propose it
would be an insalt 10 the intelligence and
honor Of our people. Wher rebellion WIS
crushed the heresy of secession in every form
and in every incidence went down forever.
1t is thing of the dead past. We move
forward not backward. If | were Presiden;
| would veto all legislation which might
come before me providing for the ronsdera'
ton or payment of claims of any kind for
losses or damages by persons who were in
rebellion, whether parloned or not
In relation to "Union War Claims" the
Governments obligations TO its defenders
come first. They are lasting and sacred.
The public laws do not in general recognize
claims for injuries to property resulting
from the operate ms of war. Nevertheless,
our Government has treated with great in
dulgence the claims for losses and damages
suffered by Union men from the military
operations of the war for the Union. But
as hostilities were closed more than fifteen
years ago, claims of that nature-now most
ly in the hands of brokers or persons other
than the original sutfsrers-are becoming
stale, and in my judgment might fairly be
considered as barred by the lapse of time,
and if hereafter entertained at all, should be
subjected to the strictest scrutiny.
| Yours, very truly.
| L