The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1858-05-28

speech OF Hon. sam,l n. curtis, OF
Town. on tho Riii granting PEN
stens te Soldiers " mo- served IN IN
Last war With Great Britain, and
the Indian wars pr~ce dtnG.
Mr.. CHAIRMAN: here are only few mo
| ments lsft for the general debate on this
neAsure, and Ill occupy them in replying
| - some OF the objections which have been
made to it, presume that there will be no
I objection in the House To resembling the or
| der terminating debate. see several gem
slemen here who wish to speak on the sub
| icct think the bill is worthy Of full and
1aitAful consideration.
Mr.. Chairman, who have been peiitioning
Congress for years for this measureS They
are TIN hoeOea ~ the war Of 1912, who
turned ons - periled their lives for the
country Nnd for our defence, when yoo and
| were tolpiess infants, unconscious OF eurs
rounding peril, and the dangers and suffer-
ings Of those who rallied to our standard.
The British forces on the East and North,
and the Indian hordes Of the West, were
threatening destruction to our kepubhc,
which, after gaining an independent rank
among the nations of the earth, had scarcely
entered upon its national career. The war
of the Revolution secured our political
rights, and the second war demonstrated our
ability and determination to maintain them.
Bob OF those struggles were necessary to
establish the national status Of great Nmer-
lean Republic, and those who participated IN
both, deserve the grateful Acknowledgements
Of present and future ages. For many years
these soldiers Of the second war have Pc
titioned Congress for the relief which was
granted to the infrmites OF those who
served in the fst war with Great
Britain and il seems to me il is but fair that
we should consider their claim, and deter
mine whether they are entitled to similar re-
gard and distinction.
But, in reply to the argument Of the gen
tleman from Mississippi, IMr. Qui.man], who
has just take ~ seat, an argument which
has been M This House frequently be-
fore, that this bill 10 going to peril the Urea.
ssury Of thia country, that it is going to in
volve US in millions of annual expenditure,
would say that II does not seem TO me neces-
sary 10 open the door SO wide as il is imag-
ined by those who are opposed to it. 1t does
not follow that because we grant pensions to
q class, that all other classes are likely to be
added who are making this application
They RE men who, forty FIVE years ago, left
~ nilitasy service Of their country, and re-
tarued tossheir families and civil pursuits
Il thSy were twenty years Of age then, they
are now sixty five; and if they were twenty
veyears Of age, they are seventy ysAxs ~
t0s1ay. They are, therefore, old Npen, ~
A43o % obtain livelihood by physical la1os.
Wsrr1pose by this bill, not to give them q
sun - mere gratuity, for these old men
would scorn pension il you place it upon
the ground Of agratuisy. They are not pau
pers; they donot come hero ms trembling
app1ioAsta "a your dpors in the character OF
bS1nem hG1oro UonGrsss. | denounce and
de 31snch - impntation.
4ney 0O1neAs your sires, as your soldiers
ard oOnQuerSts Of your domlnions, Who
fonghs Tor and maintained your country, yonr
liberty; and they now ask, and | demand for
them, what, by the usages OF other aations
and countries, conquerors have in all ages
rcceived--a small contribution from the
spoils Of victory, 70 signify our sense Of
their deserts, and snoosh the path Of their
declining wears.
About twenty -ons years Of a mans life is
devoted to his pupilage, and after he becomes
sixty three years OF age he is considered no
longer producer. There is, then, only
about forty three years Of a mans life IN
which he can expect TO accumulate wealth
and power by his personal e11rtipns. Even
though men live TO be four s6ors wears and
ten, there are only lorty-two years of that
time which can be regarded as positive, the
rest is negative, in a mathemntica point Of
view. During forty-t~o years they are pro-
ducers, ard if they live twelve septennials
eighty -ious years) they have been forty two
years consumers. Ii out OF that time they
devote portion to the military service OF
their country, it is taken from the best por-
tion Of their productive age Of life, and il is |
the custom Of all countries to regard thoeel
services with special houors, and TO compen.
safe them with marked distinction. Those |
who speak against the custom speak agaiust
the custom OF the world, and custom long I
since, and, think, wisely adopted by this !
country. II you dread perpetual standing
army, maintained NJ great expense, reward |
those who turn out to yindieats their conn- |
try's rights and honor, as did the brave msp |
OF the Revolution and the war OF Iol2.-
tonpensAte them according 10 the oustom |
Of other nations, and thereby avoid the q
pense OF q large standing army, that moves |
by commands, and not always from patriotic |
emotions.
How will you compensate your sodiers2--
They were not paid while they were in SER |
vice. The men who enter the service OF the
United States, in time Of war, get, in fact.
no adequate consideration FIR their services
when they are rendered. What is seven or
eigh, dollars month? The policy Of tho |
country il not to pay at u rate that will rive
men the means Of spending beyond their ac. |
tuai necessities, for il is an encumbranee.
and detrimental to the service for soldiers 20 /
have more money than will supply their nc, |
tuai PHYSICAL wants. A surplus IN the field /
Is an inducement TO dissipation. They ara /
not paid, then, while ia abe service: but
when they come back to civil life, aud In their
declining years become unable to accumulate.
they must be supported, and the State NAV
then do them justice. Is it opening the door
too wide to say that the few who survive sew. I
ensy-hve or eighty years Of age, who, after /
serving for nominal or no pay = soldiers.
have served society forty four or fcrtv. fiye
years, shall be taken into Confederation. ana |
rewarded for sacrifices, losses, ana dispar-
agemeDts, sustained in your servioef Ii has
been shown by tables presented here thu,
there are but about Is, 900 OF those soldiers
OF ISL remaining. IL WAS policy adonted
aud published by the Emperor Of France
during the Crimean war, that the children ~ |
those who fell IN the service of THAR conn.
try should be the children or the Emn;ro
and the policy Of this country shonla ~