The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1880-10-06
SOUTHERN WAR C AIMS. !
A StraightfoF ward letter Giving
Gen. HancOck's Position.
s. The Government Can Never Pay
a Reward for Waging War on
It's Own Existence"
The following correspondence has
lust been made public:

- 2 - - . .st
just been made public:
CENcREAFT, Sept. 90.
To Gen. w. S. Hancock, Governors
Island, N. Y.-Dear Sir: Lenclose slips
cut from the Gazette and Commercial Of
:his city, beth of them newspapers Of
large circulation and influence in Ohio
and Indiana, referring, as you will see,
to the much harped upon subject in our
politics of rebel claims. These news
papers and Republican stump speakers
are constantly asserting that if you are
elected President the claims of disloyal
people of the South for losses sustained
in the 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 Dem
oeratic party, and that you, its candidate
for President, have not denied it. This
warfare 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 csun-
try as frank, honest soldier, now the
representative Of the Democratic party,
and having the 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 utterance
| at all. Respectfully yours,
THEODORE Cook.
REPLY OF GEN. HANCOCK.
GovERNoR's ISLAND, N. Y, Sept. %.
To Theodore Cook, Esq, Cincinnati
Dear Sir: Your letter of the Goth inst.
has been received. l regret that you
are disturbed about that bugbear,
Southern war CLAIMS" The people
cannot be misled by it. To suppose that
"rebel claims" or claims in the interest
of persons who W ere in the rebellion can
in any way, or in any degree be coun-
tenanced, is an 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 any sort for waging war
upon its own existence, nor could be
induced to approve or encourage the
payment of such debt, pension or re.
ward. Nobody expects or wants such
unnatural action. To propose it would
be an insult to the intelligence and hon
or of our people. When the rebellion
was crushed, the heresy of secession in
every form and in every incident went
down forever 1t is a thing Of the deaG
past. We move forward, not backward
If were President, 1 would veto al
legislation which might come before mt
providing for the consideration or pay
nent of claims of any kind for losses o.
damages by persons who were in the re
bellion, whether pardoned or not. II
ernment's obligation to its defender
come first. They are lasting and sacred
The public laws of civilized nations d.
not, in general, recognize claims for in
juries to property resulting from thu
, operations of war. Nevertheless, GU
Government has treated with great in
diligence the claims for losses and dam
ages suffered by Union men from th,
military operations of the war of tht
Union, but as hostilities were CLOSED
mere than fifteen years ago, claims o
that nature are now mostly in the hand!
of brokers or persons other than the ori
ginal sufferers, are becoming stale anC
in my judgment might fairly be consid
cred as barred by the lapse of time, anC
if hereafter entertained at all, should b.
subjected to the strictest scrutiny.
Yours, very truly,
w. s. HANCOCK.