Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1826-06-05

| " than the enlargement ola pension system, ou'
than the existence OF any thing which would DC
properly called by that name But ie. US ho'
be misled by a word, particularly in this case,
in which a word rendered odious by its abuses in
other countries, is to be applied TO objects In
This conn.rv. Of nature totally dissimilar.-
NV honorable friend Mr.. Sprague) has alrea-
DIV alluded to the definition given OF pension
nv the great English photographer, who un-
InctiIv found himself before long in the situa-
lion of a nensioner. Permit me again 10 draw
the attention of the Committee to this memora-
HE definition. "Pcnsion, an allowance made
n anv one without an equivalent. In England
II is generally understood, 10 mean pay given to
a state hireling for treason to his country
Sir. Twill drop the latter part of this defni.
ton. where the feelings Of the partisan appear
to have disturbed the judgment OF the critic.
will take only the part OF the definition IN
| tended to be exact: "An allowance made win,
out an equivalent" Without an equivalent.
And is this the character we are going to give
10 the frugal allowance proposed Tor those VINO
led the armies of the Revolution! PenSioner :
Does any honorable man affect TO give tina, name
to one who, in his employment, exerts his Ia
Tents, and spends his, life zealously, faithfully,
indcfatigably? Is the fair compensation, Tor
services rendered, to be called by The odiou'
name of pension? Sir, pass this bill, adopt
the amendment Of my honorable colleague, Mr.
Reed, give the survivors oil the Revolution all
they ask and ten times more than thcy ask,
and which generation will still be IN arrears;
we to our fathers, or they to US; which VIII
have done the most for the other; they, III a.
chewing by their tolls and blood, the indepen-
dence we enjoy, or we in,so!acing their age by
these poor gratuities; which generation Is de-
pendent on the bounty Of the other; which is
the pensioner of the other?
Sir. it is said that other classes suffered as
much as those for whom relief is now asked;
that the distress and prlvatlon were general,
and that the army bore no more than It's snare
i'm the common calamilie s.-Ihere was suHer'
ING enough on all sides, Heaven knows, and II
fell, it is true not less on the citizen at home,
than on the soldier in the camp. But Inc ar
my, in suffering as such, was not exempt from
its share of the general calamity They did
not cast off the character and relations oil citi-
zens. No, sir, while they were suffering all The
hardships Of the camp and Of the field, they
were also suffering in all their interests at hcme,
in Common with the rest Of the community
Sir, the wealth, or rather let me say, the frugal
competence ofthe great mass OF the citizens oil
the United States, then as now, consisted IN
the labor Of the cilizen's own hand, applied to
the cultivation Of a little farm, or the manage
ment Of some other small property. Such un-
questionably was the case with those ior whom
relief is provided by this bill. They belonged
10 class Of society whose personal attendance,
labor, and care, are their chief property. What
brings the most grievous distress on such a
class Of society Not the fluctuations and OBJ
structions of the Market not the failure OF crops
of great staple products, which do not depend
upon the presence or absence OF an.opulent pro-
prielor No, sir, the citizens Of this class are
most distressed when an industrious member is
called away from the little ciTcie-when an &C
tive son or brother is lost TO the aged iather or
helpless sisters, who depend on his aid TO carry
on the frugal operations OF that domestic indus
try which is necessary 10 the common suDSis-
tence and comfort. The absence from home OF
those most needed, in this way, was the Chief
cause of that general wreck Of small fortunes,
which was one great feature OF the universal
distress. | myself, sir, know families, from
which, not one alone, but two, and even three,
who were most wanted at home, were yielded
10 the common cause: from which, when Joseph
wat not, and Simeon was not, the voice oil
bleeding country called Benjamin away also:
And however great the sacrifice, the call was o.
bey;d, as is well known from many touching
| anecdote OF those e,entful times. Letsme quote
but one from the memorials OF that day on
which the first blood of the Revolution was
shed in that district Of which am the humble
representatives." The day that the report OF
this affair reached Barnstable, a company Of
militia Immediately assembled, and marched of
to Cambridge, In the from, rank there was a
young man, the son OF a respectable father, his
only child. In marching from the village, as
| they passed his house, he came out to meet
| them. There was momentary halt. The
| drum and fife paused for an instant. The father,
| suppressing strong and evident emotion, said,
"God be with you all, my friends. and John,
if you, my son, are called into battle, take care
that you behave like man, or else let me never
see your face again"
Yes, sir, the spirit of the day was equal TO its
trials; but let US not talk of the soldier as ex-
empt in any degree from the common suffering
of the citizen: when the fact, that he was absent
from home in the army, might be the heaviest
blow to the prosperity Of his family, and to his
own prosperity as member oEit. 1t deserves
also TO be recollecied, that the suferings oil the
country. after the close of the war, were proba-
bly, more severe, on the whole, than during its
continuance. The burdens Of the war were
then consolidated on society; considerable