Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1832-04-20

4
ny of them to be not only in the possession of COM
petences, but many of them TO be really rich, and
to live i'll splendor. But suppose them all to be
poor; why then does the gentleman from Connec-
ticut, Mr. Ellsworth oppose the adoption of the
amendment? Does the gentleman not perceive that,
IT his assumption he correct, injury be done?
! The amendment does not exclude the poor it
cudcs tho rich. feel as much for the poor soldier
as he or any other gentleman. The rich do not
need my charity
| do not deem it necessary to say more at present.
The general merits of the bill are not open now to
discussion. l hope it will be the pleasure of the
House TO adopt the amendment.
/ After some further debate sketch of which has
already appeared,
| Mr.. Everett of Vermont, proposed TO amend the
amendment of Mr. Craig by striking out part of it,
and inserting shat much of the act of 1918, as
requires the applicant for pension to be in indi-
gent circumstances be repealed"
HednesdcuJ, .4pril3.
! MIR. Bouldin of Virginia, said Mr.. Chairman,
would not that any who here elsewhere,
should, for moment, suppose that fancied that
aught could say would form any sort of dam to
the current with which this bill is running through
the House; but wish enter my protest against the
bill, and the system to which it belongs i'm all its
parts. remark at the close of the speech of the
gentleman from Vermont, MIR. Ill. Everett,) struck
me with peculiar force, when it made He
MIR. Ill. Everett) sneeringly asked "who could cal
culate, from tables of mortality what are the num-
bcrs of those who will come within the general
description of the BILL and what sum of money the
pensions proposed to be given will amount to?"
Much Mr.. Chairman, is included in this question;
and by the votes this bill il will probably be seem
that the persons, they varously affected, Thy
this calculation of numbers and of money! will be
! found TO be marked out by geographical lines. Why
should those on the side of this line stop TO
calculate the amount of burten which, to raise the
money, those on the other side of the line think will
impose Il burthen somewhere? The first have as
certa'ned it as certain fact which none can deny,
but under the influence of entire delusion That the
American system of raising revenue by impost du-
ties, imposes no tax at all the people; but the oeo-
pie oil the other side of that line, those Mr. Chair
man, south of yonder river whether acting under
the delusion with which they charged or not,
do verify Think that for every dollar of revenue
raised on them by the present system of duties to
pension the poor soldier, they are required to paw
and do pay, two dollars to the rich manufacturer Mr.
Chairman, when said rich manufacturers / did not
refer TO any gentleman this floor | referred to n
member of distinct class, having the class itself i'm
mind, and no particular individual. 1t need not
therefore, be surprising that they should feel no or
binary soicitude about the extension of the burhcn
arising from this system of pensions.
Yes, MIR. Chairman, those who sent me here can
calculate, and do calculate, the burdens imposed on
them, under this and every other scheme of appro-
prailon. They can feel, too, this sentiment of graft
ude to the revolutionary soldier as warm and biob
as ever filed the breast of the orator on this floor
appearing To plead the cause of the poor soldier:
but they are unwilling to pay three dollars that the
soldier may get one; their gratitude their benevo-
lencc, can be dispensed at home in mode which.
while it costs them less money, fulfils all the pur-
poses of genuine charity. They can dispense il so
Sir that while the receiver enjoys the benefit the
sivcr or payer is made n better man. The differ
ence OF situation on the two sides of the line be-
fore referred To, amply accounts for all the differ
ence in their votes this floor, not only with re-
ference 10 the pension laws, but to all appropri-
atoms not of strict necessity. No surprise need
he felt AT the opcn-handed liberay of the rich
.ftttar IA,
from the public Treasury; well he knows and close
ly has he calculated, that whatsoever is by him thus
given, returns TO him doubled; and that bv no ndi
rection, nor after many days, but the direct re-
suit of his benevolencc itself Well, indeed. nav
these smile at the absurd thought, that impost dn
ties are taxes and SO long they can, as now they
do, on every question touching their craft command
majority of the votes of this House. they will
stamp the impress of detuSion on every one who
dares to say that high duties do not lower the pri
ces of the goods OH which they are laid But
would not, for one moment, that they should believe
that those who share not this bounty, have the least
faith in the notion that revenue is raised by mpos
duties, without burthenS oil those who nav them
Mr.. Chairman, felt entirely certain that this sys
tenn of pensions, had its origin, and will now have
It's increase, in the difference of opinion formed by
the people of this land on the question: whether in
crease or taxation is increase ofblessinps or of bnr
hens. Never did any bill pass this House on the
principle of the one now your table until the
major part of those whose opinions govern and di-
rect here had come the conclusion that increase
of taxation is not only dimnuton of burdens. but
coniers wealth and prosperity the country To
some, is indeed blessing; but that is because it's
to others curse My life on it, Mr.. Chairman
could this matter have acted equally we had never
known this system at ALL could it now be brought to
equality neither this system of pensions, nor anv
like scheme of expenditure, could keep its head
above water one hour.
But this whole scheme is unjust for other reasons:
the friends of it differ to the grounds on which il
rests but whether it rest the basis of debt sim,
| ply, compounded of n claim based ON moral
equity, founded on contract and gratitude for the
peculiar character of the services or whatever else
be its foundation, the practice of it by this Govern
ment has been and is unjust. Who, according TO
the laws as they now are, and as proposed by the
bill on your table, are to receive the pensions Drovi-
ded for by them? The officers and soldiers of the
revolutionary war, who served there for nine months
and survived the year 1918, or those militia and ALL
who served i'll the.same for six, or even three
months, and survived the year 1892 Who are to
pay these pensions? The widows and children of
the officers and soldiers who served i'm the same
war. Often have | noted the individual instances
of the pensloned soldier, who had belonged nomi- |
naly only to the army, for the short term of nine
months, or even longer term; but during his SER
vice had never seen the color of the encmv's |
coat. / have him, Sir, living on his pension
while the widow and children of his deceased bro
Their soldier, who had borne the heat and burtben
of the war, gone through all the hard fought ac- |
tons, destroyed his constitution, and sacrificed his
his aro foVod 10 ,,,, a.