Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1850-07-04

gress from Indiana instead of making long -winded
speeches. have been using their Efforts to cheer the de-
cuing days of the patriot soldiers of the of 1912
and Of the Indian wars and that they have been
foremost in making liberal allowances of land for
their services. 1t will be perceived. by teegra
phic dispatches that the bill has passed the House of
Representatives
On the 18th inst, Mr.. ALBERTsoN, of Indiana. Of
fered an amendment the bill, which will be ex-
planned by his speech below.
Mr.. MCDONALD gave notice of the following
amendment. which was read:
To strike out of the fifth line Of the bill the words.
"for period Of six months and over" and to insert
in the sixteenth line after the word sinierior, the
words "for all those Who served three months and
over and less than six months. eighty " and to
strike ont the word eighty. and insert ''one hum
dred and twenty the bounty for those who served
six months. and less than twelve.
Mr.. ALBERTsov said, that in offering his amend
ment TO the original bill, he did not intend TO make
any lengthy remarks. His amendment reaches a
large class of those patriotic and mertorous soders
who had devoted themselves to the defence and glory
Of our common country, for whom the original bill
does provide The bill Of the committee provides
only for those who served for term Of six months
and longer, but his amendment provides for alas
well for those provided for in the original. bill, who
had served for six months longer for those VINO
may have served for a less term of time. He could
no just grounds way distinction should
be made, where really distinction exists. Those
who had served for three, four or FIVE months, were
meritorious in degree those who had served for
longer term. He urged the great and urgent de-
mand IN the public mind, why this large and patriotic
class of feow-citizens, who left their families
aud homes and endured the dangers, privations and
hardshps of war, for the defence and security of our
fresdes and homes should now, at this late day,
Tho nd odout
this bill now proposes To give ihem for their nvaua-
BILE public services. Where, he asked, the man,
with an American heart in an American bosom, that
would not be willing. this late day. TO come for
ward aud in degree do justice to these patriotic
cizeu-sUdiers to whose bravery and prowess we are
indebted for the perfect security OF families and
homes He trusted tina, this Congress would not ad-
ourn before some bill being passed providing for them
IL it does not. his humble opinion the reason would
not be because the public voice does demand il at
our hands
Mr.. MCDONALD. ] had supposed, sir that the time
had arrived when the of the soldiers of the war
Of 1917 would be taken up and discussed. and their
claims considered without running into party meas
ures and distinctions. had supposed that. on this
occasion, the only occasion when the question as been
ngaied in this House during this session, this hos
uliiy would not have been manifested. I had sup
posed that the people of the United Sutes had formed
an opinion ne TO the Justice of these bountes and
Il
principle upon which it is based. But | have been
mistaken. find gentlemen rising on the opposite
side of this House, and attacking the bill, and en-
deavorng to defeat its passage. The gentleman from
Maryland is particularly hosIile and has abored most
strenuously to defeat it. He denounces it on the
ground that il is contrary 10 the Democratic principle.
IL that be true then would expect the gentleman TO
support it. His conversion to Democracy is re-
cent for TO put any trust in IL. II is not from the
gentleman nor from that side of the House that
should expect hear Democratic principles expound-
ed and pracseJ upon. He may be like King Agrip.
pa in the presence of ST. Paul. almost persuaded To be
Christian, but that he has sufficient faith lead
him to the performance Of good works. He says it is
not Democratic to give bonnties soldiers for
vices rendered TO the country. This is, certainly,
orthodox and yet before the close of his remarks he
offered, substitute for this bill, proposition
give away the public domain to The first settler.
He says further, that he did not know where the
claimants of the bounty of the Government under the
provisions of this bill, are to be found They may
not come from the gentleman's district. II may be
that the provisions of the bill may affect the gen.
tleman's constituents; il undoubtedly would be ben-
eft to them if his substitute could become law.
have no doubt many of them perfectly Indifferent
whether they settled on their own or on the ant
Of any else.
But the gentleman is opposed 10 the bill because il
does make provision for giving bouniies those
who carry our Gag upon the seas. Ten why mo-
amend the bill 10 make il include that class
This is a matter which does not go to the principle o
the bill. Let the gentleman bring forward his amend
ment. and when it comes to be acted on, I, for one
will support it. Let not the gentleman object To ht
bill. because its provisions mol extensive enough
TO include all that may be meritorious.
But there is an objection which comes from the gen
teman from New York, Mr.. SAcKETT,l who has jus
taken his seat. What is that objection II is tha
u contract entered into by these people that
contract formed between the Government and ih
>odIer, aud that that contract has been completed
He supposes that the soldier, when he offers hmsel
10 his country the field of battle, enters Int
n calculation of how many dollars and cents he is 4
receive from Government. and that this stipulated sun
is ample compensation for all the services he ma
render. matter what hardshlps he may he called
to endure. | am not surprised that this objectio
should -ome from that section of the Union, wher
the whole business Of life is regulated by the sandar
Of the almighty dollar.
This may be so in relation to his region of country
but let me tell the gentleman that Government
which treats It's volunteer soldiers in this
when ii to need their services again, will Gu
some difficulty in procuring them.
But this bill is based upon a different principl,
What is it 7 This Government has always acted iii
eral, towards all those who have stood up IN her dc
fence. with the exception of those who are conteu
plated by this BILL They have been overiooked; the
have been placed in the class of sep-children fort
years have rolled around. and this Government ha
not yet done justice to them. We called uT
ON to do them JUSTICE shall we refuse this reasonab
demand shall we refuse TO do what justice demand
at hands The statute of lImita ions though
may properly be pleaded in some cases, is~nat 10
applied in such this. Many Of those who's
services entitled them TO this bounty nre no longt
among US. do not know how il is in otier section
of the country, but in that portion which I have III
honor To represent. have had the pleasure of NEE
ing within tie last three weeks. during recent VII