Daily American organ., 1856-02-21
To the Members Of Congress

40 Me nefaoeFs or CorgreSS + III ny. s,e# IL II
PENSION 0FFfcEA-SoUrnERs REVOLUTIONARY
CLAAs.-Mr. Editor: viii you allow me to call
the attention of your numerous readers to the fgid
indifference paid the claims of Southern Revolu-
tionary soldiers at the Peasion Department? never
since the passage of the first law by Congress for
Che payment of the old heroes has such heartless
and picayunc treatment been extended to calls Of
the old soldiers" their heirs or widows. We
are crediby Informed, that the clcarest claims, the
most conspicuous cases, bluffed and, the
claimants, generally poor, old, and needy, are sent
away insutingly, particularly If they hail from the
South. We believe under every other admnistrl.
tion OF the government the claims of our Revolu-
tionary soldiers, their widows and heirs, have been
regarded as vested debts and they have been
treated With due yeneraton and respect but, IL
has been reserved 40 the present dynasty to do
sway with old usages and establish dark, and
rigid code Of ethics, unknown to precedent con
tray 20 custom, and In contradistnction to justice
and gratitude, TO thwart snd refuse the old men"
their widows and children, the pittance allowed
them by Congress This thing, we are told, is ex-
tended particularly to all claims coming from the
South, when u s fact, which no sensible man
san deny, that the Southern Revolutionary sold
iers were never paid the debt promised them, many
erapplied and IL seems, under the existing reg
me, an application Is useless, unless perchance, it
halls from some frigid region.
We ask 10y what authority does the CoInnlls-
sioner predicate those sectional predictions We
should like 10 know And we would also like to
know, by what authority he makes new rules,
and senselcss regulations TO kill off and defeat
honest clsimss We wish TO know further if the
report Il true, that he grants to those agents
he likes best, and bluffs those he diEkesg If SO,
does be take politics into consideration IN his eS-
tension Of fvors, and from whence does de derive
the powerf the Throne or Secretary McClelland
We speak advisedly, when we say, that scarcely
pension has been granted TO Southern claimant
however neriforious his course under the present
administration, which seems disposed TO run with
the hare and hold 10 the hounds in everything.
Now, such picsyune 90 meanness we detest, such
crawhshing we hate, and we hope Congress will
examine the matter, for the " otd heroes from
Bunker Hill to surrender, ought TO be promptly
paid and questions asked about this State, that
or the other, and any man who harnesses them
with puerie exceptions and senseless put Off, In
clear cases ought 10 be summarily elected from
the Commissioners place. We hear that num-
bors Of merit0rious cases arc refused from the
South al present from no cause whatever, only
perhaps laying up the money 10 protect in the next
campaign the omissions Of speckled, spotted and
unworthy administration, which Il now Tipping
and ouncing In every direction 70 throw itself into
public favor.
We call upon Congress to see into the matter.
The government hirclings can pay out money to
catch German Jew voters 10 vote against Ameri
cans, but when an old Southern soldier, his wife,
or child, comes up and asks 10 be paid Tor his
vices, be is told ID cannot be done Oh shame,
where Is thy blushy Spirits Of Washington, Knox,
Franklin, jackson, and host OF others, upon
whom have your msntlcs hllenY Certainly not
upon Gen. Pierce, or Mr.. Minot.
We have been Democrat All our lives hundreds
In Washington know Il, thousands can attest III
but Pierce and Minot are is representatives, for
the future We are hands Ell that's an
A JAcEsoE DEMocRAr.