No. 11.-Statement of the Public Debt of the United States.

CHAPTER XXVI.

ADDENDA.

The U. S. Supreme Court Threatened-Senator Edmunds' Letter on Rebel Claims.

PART I.

Hancock's election. The Democrat article cited the
fourth section of XIVth Amendment to the Consti-
tution as interposing an insuperable barrier to the
payment of Rebel claims, and claimed that Senator
Edmunds delivered the speech in question, well
knowing the fact. We cut out the article, and inclosed
it with a short letter to Mr. Edmunds, and promptly

ttempt of the Brigadiers to
Capture the U. S. Supreme
Court by augmenting and re-received the following in reply:
organizing it.

In the House of Representatives, on Janu-
726, 1880, Mr. Manning, by unanimous
sent, introduced the following bill (H. R.
, to reorganize the Supreme Court of the
ited States:

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
of the United States of America in Congress assem-
That the number of justices of the Supreme
rt of the United States shall be, and it is hereby
reased to twenty-one, and that twelve associate
tices additional to those now constituting that
t, be appointed by the President of the United
es by and with the advice and consent of the

late.'

PART II.

ebel Claims-Senator Edmunds' Letter-They are not barred by the Constitution.

"BURLINGTON, Vt., Aug. 30, 1880. "DEAR SIR: Yours of the 18th came just as I was

going out of town. I fear the Editor of the Grand Rapids Democrat is not very hungry to find out exactly what the 4th section of XIVth Amendment covers in point of law.

"The Rebel claims referred to are not claims of rebels for aiding the rebellion, but for property, thousands of millions, taken or destroyed by armies amounting altogether to hundreds and probably of the United States, and therefore the moment the test of loyalty of any claimant is repealed the claim of the Rebel stands exactly like the claim of any other citizen against the Government on account of its action, and not on account of the action of the rebel

authorities.

"The Democrats in Congress have tried time after time to repeal the distinction in respect of claims of loyal and disloyal persons, and they have bills now pending in the Senate to effect that object, and they will effect it by a solid or nearly solid Democratic vote the moment they get possession of all the departments of the Government.

"As to rebel pensions, the Editor of the Democrat, if he will reflect a little, will, I am sure, agree that a pension does not in any case fall within the descrip tion of any debt or obligation.' and if so, it is not within the prohibition of XIVth Amendment. pension is and always has been granted upon the

Α

The Mason (Mich.) News of September 9, ground or bounty of gratitude and not of legal obli

=0, says:

the Grand Rapids Weekly Democrat, of August 15, ared a review of a recent speech of Senator EdEis, of Vermont, in which the Senator spoke gly of the danger of the allowance of Rebel s, amounting to millions of dollars, in case of

gation. It is perfectly clear, therefore, that the Con.
stitution does not stand in the way of Congress pen-
sioning every rebel soldier or soldier's widow and
children, or, indeed every other rebel, if it pleases.
"I will not reciprocate the epithets of this worthy
Editor. Very truly yours, GEO. F. EDMUNDS.
"V. J. TEFFT, Esq., Mason, Ingham County, Mich."