The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1857-01-17

pance with their request Congress passed the resolution Of
1888
But now we are told that the officers sought this change
under the pressure of public opinion and Of pecnniary
cessy and therefore they should not be required stand
by their bargain Is that public opinion constrained
them TO ask this change II Is true that public opinion
condemned and denounced this act as the initiation OF
privileged class. Sir public opinion was right as it gem
orally s If there be different public opinion now IL is
because by your legislation you have taught the people
Of this country to look on this government rich
patron and certain persons or classes OF persons in as
its clients for whom IL must provide 1t is because you
have taught them TO look upon certain classes Of
the government aviary who to be fed when they cry
Give II is true that public opinion did constrain the
officers seek this change but whoever heard that pub
lie opinion constituted such duress should relieve
from his contract What law, what dictum of any
judge, maintained that plea of duress per public
opinion good avoid contract What casuist
maintained that not morally responsible for
done under the influence of public opinion Public
opinion it is true is sovereign only sovereign in
this land before whose DEGREES the pride of fortune and the
of station forced to bow In humble submission
This sovereign cannot depose, but may corrupt
FIVE love the institutions Of this country and would
have them preservedf esteem the principles Of our
revolution and would vindcaie them by governmental
prscceet adopt no such measure as this to degrade
the public mind, and to deprave the public heart
But told the officers constrained by their
pecunary necessities This appears to be abb
surd assertion than the former What did they petition
Congress to dol To change the ha-psy for life a sum
in gross payment for limited of years thereby
giving the election to Congress either to vote them gross
annual ment for limited time The hali-pay
term of years would be paid annually Shortening the
did quicken the payment expedite their relief
Hence the pspable absurdiy of this assertion.
But sir, told the election given the lines
and individuals, and hence there individual
ree-wl in this matter Let those who make this
ton point out those officers who opposed to the
change, who did not memorabilia Congress- and did not
after the adoption of the resolution for Communication in
l7s3 vote to accept it in lieu OF halpay, and will vote
compensation to them their children Show those that
neither memorazed Congress- voted in the lines to ac-
cept full pay for term of years in lieu of hafpay for life
but yet accepted the communication and with plaus
by they might their claim as not having exercised
free will in their election. But until do this they
do speak for the officers Of the revouon they cannot
speak for them they speak for minorityan nconsid-
cradle minority of the officers of the revolution for we do
know, by the testimony of who saw and part
of the things done in that revolution that large majority
in the lines voted for the change
Mr.. President come now 10 remark upon what re-
gard the most niquitsus of all the features of this BILL
and invoke the particular attention of the Senate
ciay the advocates of the bill, TO what may say for
shall PROFOUND some questions to them that have not
been able to to my satisfaction and which, with
due Difference to their ability think they cannot answer
the satisfaction of the public Are there who have
received haltpay for life Yes, sir the committee
cede this and with just appreciation of the utter ground
lessness OF any claim their part for future bounty from
this government they have excluded them in the ninth
ton of the bill, which says: ..
This shall extend to the of any officer his
representative, who has received for lie under any
| special act"
Why did the committee limit and narrow their exclusion
of those who have enjoyed half pay from the bounty pro-
posed in this bill by the term specials" hope some
member of that committee will this question
now, when have concluded take it that the word
special used here synonymous with private legisa
ton for the individual benefit of designated by
name Why did they limit their exclusion TO this class
If any have received halipay under any gsnea BILL
they within the of the ninth section of this
act? If captain of infantry for example received TWEEN
ty dollars per month which his halpay under gen.
eral for instance that of 1881 should not he be
cuded from this bounty well captain who received
hapay under special act passed Tor his individual ben
eft2 To whose mind is uusophistcated by State
the mysteries of legislation it would that
they stood the ground and should be governed
by the rules and yet fud under this bin the com
mee admit to its bounty all who have enjoyed hafpay
under general act and exclude from its bounty all who
| have enjoyed hslf-pay under special act.
There another class who embraced within the BEN
efts OF this BILL who have received much from this gov
ernnenyea the largest Gums of any of pensioners
alude to those who have enjoyed full pay for life under
the Of 18th May, 1928 which to begin from the Sd
of March, 1926 Why they embraced in the BILL as
titled to the bounty Of this government and those who
ceved halpay under special act excluded Why should
those who have received double portion be permitted
enjoy yet If the bounty of the government while
those who have aad only half portion shall have no
mpre2 These determinations are inexpcabe They
be just, d. hare soughs for gome tor them
In vain. have sought for pretext and perhaps have
found The resolution of the 2st October $780, prom
sed haIpay to those who served till the close of the war;
suppose the committee thought there literal COM
pliance with the resolution in giving hsay under spe
cal act but there not literal compliance in giving
them full payfor that was twice much promised
by the resolution OF l780and that nothing less
than hafpay will satisfy the claims of the officers and
vindicate the national faith The committee stick in the
bark,
But SIR, hadinage aside really suppose-and it is the
most charitable conclQeoathat the committee have
formed that ninth section ignoraRtly or Inadvertently
They must have been ignorant, it to the time
they framed that section of the act Of the 18th May 1928
giving full for life to those officers who served o the
close Of the When impute ignorance of the PEN
sion laws to any member this floor, do not think
impeaching his general intelligence questoning his
capacity lawyer; for the pension law is not system
it has method and observes fixed rules 1t is an
caprice than by and rather to crafty personal
alities than to render even-handed justice say the
committee surely ignorant of the act of the 18th Of
May 1928 when they formed this bill and especially this
mini section. II they not trust they will explain
to satisfaction and that of the Senate and the country
this singular favoritism which has been shown the recp
tents of full pay under general act and the dsfavor Of
the recipients of half-pay under special act
This class, remarked before have received most at
the hands Of the government They the class to which
alluded ten days ago In few remarks, when said that
the bill provided best for those who had already thrice
paid for their revolutionary services Sir ii does provide
best for Them reward for their length of service
their merits but for their longevity They ouived any
other class and therefore, according to the chronomeca
standard of thp eommtee they ought to have pay
The longer they lived to accumulate property for them
selves and their families and the larger THE store of this
worlds goods they left their children the greater their
need of government bounties There some such chill
dren who though living in palaces clothed in purple and
fine linen, and aring sumpuousy every day pressing
the passage of ths bill with all the pernscious mporu
nifty of Spanish beggars And dare say that like the
Spanish beggas when reproached with asking aims while
they have horses to ride these men, if tainted with their
possessions would reply The greater need to beg"
p L =.