A Spiked Gun

The following correspotulence lias just been made public, and effectually disposes of a charge upon wliicli the Republicana have tried to mako considerable capital during the pending campaign: Cincinn ATT, Ohio, September 20, 1880. To General W. S. Hancock, Governor'a Island, New York: Deah Sik: I ineloso slips irom the Gnzette and ttao Commercial of this city, both of them newspupoi-s nf largo circulntion and lafluenoe in ühio and Indianu, roferring, is youwill seo, to the mueh-harpod-upon subject in our politica of rebel claims. TÏiese newspapcrs and Ropublioan stump-speakers are oonstantty asserting that, if you ure elected l'residenti olaims of disloyal people of the South for losses snstained in the war will be allowed and paid by the United Stiltes. They furthcr direct speoial nttention to the fact that this charge has been made against the Democratie party, and that you, its oandidate for President, huve not denied lt. This warfare is made In all seriousness, andmaintained with grreat earnestness, and repeated day after day in the press, and In speeches. You are known to the country as a frank, honest soldier, now the representativo of the Democratie party, and having the rijiht to speak for it. Whatever you may sny the pooplo will hear and believo. I Kiibnüt tho matter toyourjódtrment as to what you shimld sh.v, or whethor j-oii should make any public utterancc at all. Very respectfully jours, Theodoue Cook. THE HKPIiY. GOVEBNOR'S ISLAND, N. Y., Sopt. 28, 1880. To Theodore Cook, Esq., Clnötanatl, Ohio: DbXB Sik: Your letter of the 20th inst. has buen received. I regret that you are disturbed nbout that bugboar, " Southern war claims." The people can not bc misled by it. To suppose that "rebel claims," or claims in the interest oí persons who were in refoellion, can ID miy way, or in any degree, bc countenaneed, 18 a n imputation of disloyalty such as used to be madeagainst Demócrata, even when they wero in nnns defending their country. Bo lar iis it touches me, I denounce it. The Governnu-nt can never pay a debt or grant a pension or reward of any sort lor waging war upon lts own existence, nor eould I be indueed to approve or encouraire the pay ment of such debt, pension or roward. Nobody exnects or wants suchunnatural nction. To propose it would be an insult to the intelligence and honor of our people. When the rebellion was orusbed, the heresy of secession in every form and in every incident went down forever. It is a of the rtead pust. We move forwarrt, not buckward. lf I were President, I would vi ti all leKisliition which mljfht como boforo me providing for the consideration or payment of claims of any kind for lojsee or damages by persons who were in rebellion, whether pardoned or not. In relation to ünion war -laims, tho Government's olilijrations to its defenders come lirst They are lasting and sacred. The public laws of eivilized nations do not in general recoifnize claims for injuries to property resultingfrom the operations of war. Nevertheless, our Government has treated with great indulgenoe the claims for losses and damage sullored by Union men from military operations of the war of the TJnion. Hut, as hostilities were closed more than flfteen ye.irs ago, claims of that nature, now mostly in the hands of brokers or persona other than the original sutlerers, are beeoming stale, and in my judgment might fairly be considerod as barred by the lapse of time, and, if hereafter entertained at all, should be subjected to the strictest serutiny. Yours, very truly,