Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1844-11-01
From the Raleigh Standard
COL. POLK AND TEE PENSION LAWS.
RALEIGH, Oct. 2lst, 1914.


Mr.. HOLDEN: have examined, with gres,
care, the Journal of the House of Representa-.
tlves for the first session of the twenty second
Congress. being for the years 1912, in
regard TO the votes of Col. Polk on the Revo-
lutionary Pension Bills, and communicate tho
result of my examination, as was requested
to do by the meeting On Saturday last
The wing speakers, as ! learn from differ
ent parts Of the State, are in the habit of char.
ging ''that Col POLK voted against the gener.
al law of 1882 granting pensions to The off,
GERS and soldiers of the Revolution" 7M,
charge meet ,UiM q. fiat denial; and proceed to
show its utter restitution of truth, from the
proceedings and votes, which now give from
the Journal, copy of which is to be found in
the Governors Office, and from which chaI.
lenge contradiction.
The Journal shows that there were pending
before Congress, at the session of 1882, two
Pension Bils-the one originating in the
House of Representatives, and the other orr.
ginating in the Senate. The first passed the
House, but did not pass the Senate. The
other passed both Houses, and is now the law
of the land. The first came from the Com
mi!tee on Revolutionary Pensions, and was
reported to the House ffom the COMMITTEE Of
the Whole, on the first day Of May, 1892,
when Mr.. Wicklife (the present Postmaster
GeneraD moved to amend the Bill as to
embrace ''those uho defended tie frontiers in the
Indian acars, from ITS up 10 the Treaty @
GreenuiHe, in 1795."-Ye cas- So, Nays lOS-
JAMES X. Polk voting for the nmendment.-
(Jour. 678.) Mr.. Blair, of South Carolina,
then moved to amend the Bill so as toncIuds
'those militia acho fought mi the battles Of Kings
Mountain and GuiJord Court House, North
Carolina, without further proof:"-Yeas 46,
Nays ll3-JAmEs K. Polk roting for the O.
mendment.-( Journal, p. 6sO.) Mr.. Bell, Of
Tennessee, then moved to amend the Bill By
striking out sentimental establishment" and
: inserting in lien thereof "State lines, or in The
militia, or in any Uolunteer eorps."-Yeas 81,
mendnsent.-(J Journal, p. 68l.) Mr.. Lewis,
of Alabama, then moved to amend the Bib
adding ''.4nd the aOido,Us Of all aUho gCere either
or the a0ido,Os Of such as died during The SAID
service. Yeas %, Nays l3s.-JAnrs X.
POLK voting. for this amendments Journal, p
Col. POLK, with Mr.. Archer of Virginia, Bell
OF Tennessee, augustus II. Shepp.rd of North
Carolina, and other Wings, voted against It,
|
e which the wings now circulate, as showing
e Col. Folks hostility to the Revolutionary SOL
diers, taking care to suppress his votes on the
amendments and also his rote for the SENATE
Bill. vhich did pass and IS now the la,r 9f the
land! On the Oath of May, 1882, the House
: proceeded to consider Senate Bill No. l, DE-
t ing "An Act supplementary to the Act Tor y. 'nS
RI relief of certain surviving officers aad soldiers
of the Revolution" The previous quesAo2n
ID being carried, the question was Shall 'nS
said Bill be read third time?" and it passed
;, in the affirmative-Yeas ala, Nays 81
y JAMES K. Polk uoting for the biH-( Journal
=. p. 1887 On the 3lst May it finally passed
Yeas 1877, Nays 45.-JAMEs K. Polk votlDG
: for it.-(Journal, p. s2O.) On the 7th o
e June it was approved by President Jackson
: and returned to the House on the 9th. TIL
!. Act may be found in the volume of Acts pass
. ed at the first session of the twenty-secon
;; Congress, page 81, chapter 1876.
- Such is correct history of the proceeding
and votes on the two bills, from which 1t j
d seen that Col. Polk voted to include in tn
Q Pension laws, LIST. The soldiers of the lndlai
r wars; I'd. The soldiers of Kings Mounta'
e and Guilford Court House, scithout furla.1c'
proof; Sd. The soldiers of the State line, MI,
'i tia and volunteer corps; and 4th. The WIZ ""
e ows of all who fell fighting or died in To- ~
e States service; and finally he voted for y! !.
\ Bill of 1899, which is the general Act uncSS
- which the officers and soldiers, and their wiz
ows, are now receiving their pensions. 4: An y
ID Notwithstanding all this, which affirm Is "
ID record, the whig orators have the hardlhooGp o.
N charge that Col. Polk is unfriendly to inc nv
voluiionary soldiers; thus evidencng the ss'a =,
a reckless disposition to Islander the living, .,d
20 they have done to defame and villify the oS'
'' r. NJ. SAUNDERS