The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-05-26
THE PENSION BILL.
RrmaRKs OF MIR SAVAGE, OF TENNESSEE,

REMARKS OF MR.. SAVAGE, OF TENNESSEE,
Dererea IN he House Of Representatives., Apra ~ 1885
Mr. SAVAGE Mr. Chairman, we are called on to-
ny by order House. 10 consider question OF the
greatest Importance TO the Union and do not know
that felt less equal to any task than the one before
me on this present occasion Yet am assisted in my
task by the character of the subject am here TO advo
cate 1t speaks to the hearts and patriotism OF the people
in that gain nothing by cloquence or logic
Nevertheless sir, far have been able TO see, the
question does not to be understood correctly The
objections which have been raised to It, both IN this
House aud out Of it, when examined will be found to
have nothing in them.
All great causes In my opinion, best advocated by
simple and clear statements and 1t will be my endeavor
to state briefly the ground upon which support this bill
1t il true that history might be appealed to- and the
peencs of the past called to adorn it. Yet 1t not my
intention the present occasion to go into those things
My wish is to consider thus as an American question as
question of the present hour and question appica
bic alone TO this nation. As question of policy 1t has
not had parallel in the past and it appeals to
intelligence quite as forcbly as to the proofs of his
tory
Estate it, Mr. Chairman as self-evident proposition
in the present condition of the world that every nation
must rely for its safety upon some system OF military de-
fence. The idea of nation maintaining its independ
without military policy Is absurdity too gross
to be refuted The question present to-day to the Amer
lean people this What kind Of military system shall
adoptY Who shall be the guardians of American lib
ey Who shall be defenders against the foreign foe
and domestic usuper Shall adopt the policy of other
nations and tread the pathway of those whose history
not the contrary endeayor to establish system diff
erent from that of those nations and which, in all future
time will accord with our American institutions take
it AZ proposition OF common sense that we pursue the
of European nations, will quickly tread the
pathway Of their destiny and follow in the common ruin
to which they have gone
Most persons do not look beyond the old soldier
and his nsforunes his necessities and his rights That
is potent argument and always look upon him with
the deepest sympathy Yet there other considera
tons and important In their character, which
nected with the future of our country and which
more potent to urge me to action. But am happy while
find citizens ready to sympathize with the suferngs
of the old soldiers, and happy to know that that
common feeling among all classes to honor these mon
unents Of second Of independence Yet, sir it
is my object examine this subject in its bearings
upon future safety True the old soldier. with his
rights and necessities branch of the argument in
support of this bill but the other branch Is impor
tant, looking, it Does to the establishment of mill
tay system for this government in all time hereafter 1t
is system different from all those which have preceded
it, and which, in the future, will furnish defenders to the
country 1t s great American system to provide for
repeling the foreign foe and queng domestic nsurrec
ton This is the question presented which cannot be
evaded or gansayed Will you adopt it as proposed by
this b will you adopt system founded upon those
of European nations? viii you resort to thoee systems
which have crushed the people of Europe with
military establishmentsi Will you do that, will you
adopt system which will furnish soldiers ready at the
tap of the drum to rush to the standard Of the Union and
bear it on to victory and glory? One Of these altena
tives must be taken
say to those who vote against this bill, that when
they vote against peDsion list they vote for standing
army upon the continent Of America certainly if it
written in the statute book Be it enacted that
army Of hundred thousand shall be irrevocably
fixed upon the American republic. Gentlemen may not
wish that thing but certain the night follows the
day it will happen, if refuse to adopt plan of
rewarding the citizen soldier If it had not been for the
spirit OF people what would have been history
you crush that spirit if you discourage it, if you frown
upon it, if you turn cold to it, if you neglect it, it
will no longer exist and when your drums sound when
the war gust comes, those gallant men who in times
past, have been your glory and safety, who have
from every class of fe-from the farm the workshop
the counter, and the lawyers offcewil not again,
they have done throng to the rush Of battle and the din
of arms in defence of this land You may wake the
tons of the world by the sound of your drums and these
men will not answer your summons. Then this system
OF standing armies the of other nations and the
of the downfall of those which have heretofore
sted will fasten itself upon the nation like consuming
canker, and fatal to your liberties.
Now, sir need appeal to the history Of the past r
state it as another seeyident proposition, proved by all
history and all experience that nation of SOL
diers must always be nation of freemen, and that
but nation Of warriors can be nation of feemen Hav
ing military and virtue they will impose
tyrant upon themselves, and ambitious conqueror
with his chosen few cannot erect throne of power upon
the bosom of the many.
So, then, / advocate this the great con-
servator Of peace When wish TO form soldier, it is
not for purposes of and foreign conquest but that it
may be known to the usurper, to foreign foe and TO
all mankind, that American citizens their own sol
diers and do their fighting and that the hope of
crushing by armed usurpaon may exist nowhere upon
the face of the globe.
propose to allue to few national examples in proof
of what have said and look to republics for argu
ments, rather than to monarches want to take your
minds back to the old Roman republic In the days of
her glory, power, and prawess, every soldier
The people controlled the destiny of the nation
der her kings whose first acts of tyranny banshed them
and their posterty forever and made the in
form what it had really been in fact In this condition
she achieved her greatest foreign conquests and main
tanned peace and civil liberty at home to far greater
extent than in after years. when the people of Italy had
forgot the Of 1t is written that these
masters Of the world employed themselves in the
most progae luxury, nvalling each other in extrava
giant entertainments while the defence of the nation
committed to ambitious general, who trained his
mercenay band to love his order better than the State
Such ing Roman liberty not known after the
establishment of these mercenary bands who
ready to march against Rome herself against foreign
foe.
Look, again, to Athens and Lacedemon. At the time
of their greatness every soldier and the his
torian says that even the lowest of them COM
mander
Mr. SMITH, of Virginia. Were they pcnsoned2
Mr. SAVAGE. / will the gentleman that
question in proper time. 1t when every a
soldier capable Of doing military duty and having the
will to do military duty, that they achieved their glory
and enjoyed the benefits Of science, liberty, poetry,
greatness and power and fame which is perhaps
now tho brightest that graces the annals of time
The gentleman asks they pcnsioned l do not
contend that they were, yet there certain public
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