Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1834-01-18
THE prNstnNtAw.

iuuon oil Mr. Chiffon, to appoint Select Commiuee TO
inquire into the exPsdency Of extending the general
pension law us 10 embrace within its provisions those per.
sous who were engaged In the Indian wars down TO the
year 1874; aud the amendment il by Mr. Bouiin TO
appoint eom'ee 70 Inquire into the moral effects OF the
peuson system upon me community, and how lar il ought
10 he abolished repealed.
Me- MeComas admitted that the flee, Of the present
pension laws u calcuisted TO corrupt many Lu, .oi ma
joy, rather to corrupt some. but many Blu, who
Will reject law because in its effects i, may :, o,c.
tew ev'; although in its general operation Il c,,,h,
oil producing beneficial results. whirh greatly G.
any coocomitan evils Such principle il a,lop,ed n,
practice would npurn the very foundations OF society IT,
sell lie sees no satisfactory why the eroe4 Of
The hon,er should lie entitled TO the relief proy
scns oil the pension laws; aud think, the he.
tween them aud those who fought the revolution 10 be
inviion The soldiers Of one period and campaign Al
vel repaid; While those another do not receive So
,'ary cent Nor can he either the prophecy or JUS
tee oil sboishing repeating the pension laws ma suy
gesed In the amendment OF his colleague from Virginia
he law will, in the lapse OF time, repeal Itself nv the
deaths OF the soldiers pensoned many Of whom are now
on'e verge Of eternity, and many hav already passed
The bounds o.! time There is therefore, relnct on of
al least twenty per cent. the oriy na rams and fur
ner reduction may SUI be expected: few, il any, Of the
penslonares being under seventy years Of aye. WHY
hen gravey deliberate the repeal OF laws which have
OF veie ans! ~
IL is true, that many soldiers patriots; and from their
love oil country, and opinions Of civil liberty
would enter into the military service in case of sbsoie
necessity Yet, where il the soldier, devoid of the hone
OIL remuneration, who will continue in the forces of his
country to light her battles il his objects Of reward are
|
away, and tho musket will fall nerveess from his grasp
The bayonet will fall pointess lew will ardeniy Oh.
pose she enemy. IL troubles originate again, the soldier
WIN hnd that he can obtain nothing empty onors aud
who will covet honors which viii but beggar him! He will
point to the resolution Of the House, the
WIZ take no care OF him. that his father had fought at ne
RODS oil our revolutionary history, had his for
assistance In his old sighted, reeced and this at
time when the funds Of the Treasury locked up
when (ike the river Nile) II overlooked its banks and
was boarded sinking fund make Presidents out of
He sees no difference between the soldiers who fought
| hohf
Their punishment death by hanging; those who fought
with the Indians when their deaths would be by the scap
ing knife or tomahawk. He thinks none have such an
aversion to being hung, voluntarily to enrank them
selves among the opponents OF the Indians by whom thew
WIN have their heads skinned, their brains knocked
anu men subjected to enduring excruciaon till death be-
comes relief Those who fought against the Indians in
The west were subjected equal prvaons and difficult
ties, as the pensioners who fought at the Revouon Tho.
had volunteered their services in defence of their
hai spent Tor her the energies OF their youthand are
her Claims to be rejected that the ros Of 20 wears
| nave rendered them wreched and helpless!
Mr. Speight thought that some term of service should
De ascer'ained whereby soldier should entitled to the
by committee, rather than have abrogaed the Whole
laws II would prevent the corruption nsinua,ed in the
Mr. Dickinson thinks those WHO fought against the In
dams in the war from s3 81 fairly entitled 10 the relief
oil The pension laws. Militia men who had fought for sx
on,ns OBTAIN relief, which is denied to those who have
fought uner similar obstacles, and with equal for
the period oil twenty years, third the ordinary life Of
man. The frontiers of the West had been cultivated.
all spoiled by the inroads of the Indian foe The ear
settlers were shot, their goods paged houses burnt and
'ner BLOOD stained the grounds, vesges of the san
suinary triumph oil the Indians. And when thew arose
In their might in graduated discipline 10 repel farce ~
orce they not only secured the independence of the oil
States but effected easy the territory of
the Indian regions beyond the Mississippi Nav thew
fought Tor freedom ITSELF with spirit and success nnpar
1t said that extending the pensions for military GER.
vices other than those performed the period of the Re-
dangerous and should be avoided. Sir, the
services oil tue revelation cannot afford precedent n
any pensions 10 be granted under our institutions cond
eng that those services effected and were designed 70 M
ec an era in our history which never be renewed
services similarly employed in defence of the liner
"es ana properties OF society under the now
established deServe similar remuneration as services
whereby that Government be came established The eaI
pioneers broke the savage charge; which f,rn;sIsS
much employment, and so many victims. They shared
e dangers and ,errOs of the republic the soldier,
OF ,ne Revolution Mr.. ID. instanced Thomas Spencer
ana Iohn Haydn oil Tennessee who fought for 20
gans, me ndlanssustaning themselves solely their
But II may justly be argued-as wa. formerly dome
mat ths Indian war was but continuance OF the revolution
airy war against the British for il known that the Ri
fish government did reinquish Its claims 10 The
ern territories that had wresed il from them and
at hey continued till the year 94 or 95 TO succour and
support the indians In those hosiies from the Reyouon
till this period. The therefore still Continued
and supported by the foe opposed to us at
the Revolution il therefore, he consiJereJ 40 ,,,;
fest portion OF the first war; whose heroes pensions
now claimed without any objection And shall those who
fought twenty years in The continuance of the be neg
cnn-
dered eligible to public remuneration for the winter of
their days. w Winner Vi
AS ior the proposition contained in the io be
resolution OF Inc gentleman from Kentucky he thinks 1,
assumes dangerous principle that of involving the claims
oil me worthy with the pretensions of the worthless To
pension soldier for services done his country in tho %
mai ygor oil his days, and but stimulate his energies
greater and more successful exertons by
ga'mty held out TO him and uniting il with his p,trio;
cmvary This alone should be permitted TO operate
on the heroic energy OF any Reward NAV stimuli =, a
where that must fail He who sees in the prosoec of n,
iuture That his country has generously made provison
Tor ms advanced age will be to deeds of noble vaIor
enting him to the reward promised for the service 81
his manhood in defence OF his country He will NO, b
sunereu 10 pine In want, NOPE misery when no ia
OLD he will not therefore, reluctantly take nm NJ
bestow his youthful yigor in behalf 81 the liberties Of h.
country. "'' VI MS
viii be noble spectacle to the friends of free5o,,
throughout the world 10 find that great nation ba. thus
by her noble course Of conduct efaced the sgma attach
en- 10 republics that they celebrated for their
| iul neglect oil their public benefac,ors.
Mr. Burgess, OF Rhode Island cannot see tl,e Dron;o,
OF conoundng the Indian with the revolutionary nor
was ne before aware oil the existence OF an Indian war
carried on for the space OF 20 years The princin,e an
which the pensions granted 10 the soldiers of ,b %
Vouohary war was, that those soldiers had been un,a;d
LOT tner services at the time, and were therefore
ehuued TO public compensation. But this il no, snn
cable 10 the case OF those no fought against the indian.
Inc claim Tor arduous difficult service has moi bee
coghed by Congress; nor has claim for any term of ser
wee. AS 70 the ~ years war, IL any has ever been il
must have been private, public; and must ba
exhibited reciprocal energy on the part Of the invaders
ana me inVadedon the part OF the Indians 10 Obtain for
c'De po session OF the territories Of the frontier se -
and on the part OF the frontier settlers 10 rene tbose 49,
k ana oeienu their own possessions. So has il ever