The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1853-01-05

itoIious hold that the country scarcely toe
far IN the expression OF ils gratitude for he services 9
these individuals who entered the army without hope
reward, and who received only such reward as ih'
country was then able 10 give them And now, IRON ht
foundation OF government laid by them, great and
prosperous aDd rich country has grown up ~ the ENJOY
dent OF the Liberties which they achieved II seems lt
me that II would be base and ungralelu II some nolc'
was not taken OF them go cheeriully, although dlt
not rise TO debate the matter for the proposition OIL nt
senator from Maine, Mr.. HAMLIk
Mr. UNDERWOOD No, willing, 70 be put u, the
wrong, and TO have opinions imputed TO me which &c
/ Mr. DAVIS. (inierposing) know there is not a
man in the world OF more generous heart than my
frend-nol man and know that his motives are az
pure as those OF any gentleman be, IN protecting lht
treasury OF the country. But think he has let his Sc
we're judgment upon these matters get the better OF ms
feelings in this instance.
Mr. UNDERWOOD resumed MIR. President, have
hot particle OF feeling about IT, II had any i would
be To open the treasury TO all the widows and children IN
the country, and let them help themselves freely Bu
sui must put this right and VIII endeayor 10 do u as
Now sir in reference 10 the soldiers and officers OF
the revolution concede that everything that The gentle,
man from Massachusetts, has stated is right They had
trials, they bad suerngs, they had duties, such as
scarcely fell upon be shoulders OF any other set Of
men. But now, when you come 10 dispense rewards
Tor those suengs, those trials and those duties, what
have always insisted upon, and shall ever insist upon
while have vote here. that you shall not be partial
that you shall mete out even handed justice that you shall
embrace all alike or embrace none. That is what pro-
pose. Now, II you intend TO compensate the officers and
soldiers OF the revolution Tor those suerings, those trials
those expenditures of their blood and their money,
tablshng the liberty OF their country, you 10 embrace
the whole You are make no distinction. You are
not to select one, and leave out another select the
family OF one, and leave out the family OF another My
objection is that you leave out some who are equay )
mertorious with the others; that you provide partially
for those that happen TO live long, and by that life, II de-
voted 10 honest industry, can aid themselves and then
both father and mother by early death, and refuse 10
give them that 10 which they entitled for the same
suerngs and The same expenditure OF blood and treas
Who has answered that No one Who can answer
Ihs No one What. then, is your system SYSTEM
OF partial legislation, not imposed upon you by any prom
Use for have told you already in regard TO every prom
lse or resolution OF the Continental Congress am Tor
carrying il out fully but you will not do it. You take
np such case as Miss Lynch's, and pass that and
when the OF Meredith, exactly like it in all the par
cuars comes from Kentucky, we insist that it shall be
passed, but cannot gel II. There ought TO be dlscrim
inaon in OF this sort And If tn expenditure OF
blood and treasure by revolutionary officer or soldier
now mertorous case, instead OF passing these parlia
bills, you ought TO make Them embrace everybody who Ii
en,ed and ough TO let the families OF those who died
early come in and enjoy with the families oil those who
lived until late period, and thus your justice
equally TO all But you will not do it, You say thai
the government was poofi but the government is now
rich
Them sir, if you want TO do justice. take the whole
You passed law IN 1892 '92 which deprived the Off
GERS of The revolution OF their half pay Tor liie which
YOU had promised them during the Continental Congress
ing them their hall pay according 10 the resolution Of
the Continental Congress, for the residue OF their lives
But you left period of forty years-from l792 to
ls32-during which they received pay, and you have
never done them Justice TO this day ! am for doing jus
,ice 10 them will 90 just as lar any man living
go TO do justice TO the officers and soldiers OF the
luionary war, according 10 every promise ever made tc
them. and 10 do justice to the whole OF their families
But repuda,e eschew everything like this partial sys
tenn OF legislation by which you open the treasury 10
particular class and their families while others equally
merorious are neglected. | have sometimes thought
you could not remember the dead, because they have
votes 10 gve because there is no influence IN the grave
but the living, who speak, and act and be heard
and carry Influence to the pclIs they remembered
and they provided for, while others overlooked
and forgotten. MIR. President, say again, that have
made so many speeches on this subject, which have
been so utterly useless and unavailing, that hope
shall be called upon TO speak upon this subject
again. think never will.
\ Mr.. HAMLlN. | desire to say that | have modified
my amendment 10 make it more definite. ask that j
may be read.
The amendment read follows:
And BE- further enacted, That the widows OF all Of
hcers nonconmssione officers soldiers musicians and
private who served In the revolutionary army who were
married subsequentto January, A. d. lsoo shall be enti
lied 10 pension In the same manner those who
married prior TO that date.
Mr. DIXON As have a vote to give upon the prop
oston which is pending before the Senate, desire
10 say few words explanatory OF the motives which
influence me in that vote consider the proposition a.
exceedingly important and regret exceedingly that
compelled to differ from my colleague in regard Ia
the general motives which should influence us in oul
decision upon questions OF the character OF that which
is presented TO the consideration oil the Senate
understand that the proposition is to pay the widows o
the officers and soldiers Of the revolution who
red subsequent TO the revolution the same compensation
which paid to those married during the revolution
or, in other words that the same compensation which
has been granted by the Congress of the United States
the widows OF the officers and soldiers OF the revou
ton who the wives OF those officers soldiers du
ring the pendency OF the revolution, shall be paid to The
widows no married those officers soldiers subsequent
to the revolution itself understand that my colleague
opposes this proposition, and insists upon that al
though he s ready to pay the widows who were in ex-
s,ence during the pendency OF the revolution
is wrong to pay those who married subsequent 10 the
| revolution Now, sir, do not agree with him at all IN
the proposition be urges in the Senate and before the
country.
Why sir do we pay at alll What claim has the
widow who lived during The pendency OF the revolution
for anything at all for the services OF her husband
What claim has she to be paid, over and above the
claim of the widow who may have married the officer OF
soldier subsequent 10 The time when the revolution ter
minated put the question to my colleague; What u
the principle upon which pay al al It's the principle
OF gratitude for the services which have been rendered
by him who fought the battles OF hs country and aided
in achieving the Independence OF the country IN which
we now live That is the principle upon which we act
We for the services rendered For those services
pay The widow not because she rendered the services
but because her husband rendered those services And
why pay the and pay the other class OF widows
Is there any for paying the in existence du
ring the revolution that is at all Tor paying
Tho widow who was not the wife OF the soldier al the
time The services were rendered can such rea-
son cannot the force Of the reasons my colleague
urged upon the Senate against the payment OF such
claims as this For my part. must confess that
am in favor Of paying all those who rendered any ser
1 49, ,tn aln ln