The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-06-05
PENSIONS TO THE SOLDIERS OF
THE WAR OF 1872.

state of the Union
| Mr.. CURRY said:
Mr. CaAlaxAxi sppspAch 'tap discussion Of this sub
Guilty and unplcasxntness of the task To deny Of
this kind to those who pashsoally described the
old sqldicrs, subjscts onss coMuct 70 misccnstruc
Ven ns ys'y q from %y purpsss e ae.osAts from
var a pdspendsnqA Nv impulses s1d feelings prompt
70 the exercise Of the largest berslity In ther b.
han but inpslssa and fslinss pot sats guides for
Ing nos from grattae but from the consultation the
rights Of Others aud the state of the treasury Pathetic
duty d Livingston. In discussing this very question,
!. 20 hssay Y politics = IN morals go.
some sost. In England the King hes been regarded
the sole judge II the merit for which pensons to he
1 gwen Ihe power conocdsd to him 10 furnish
wards for public nevvico TO acknowledge stimulate
merit and to raise those who had been serving their
try above the capEces Of fortune 1t has been sadly
abused 70 sustain royal household to feed host OF
parasitic Dependents. % tempt and corrupt the opposition
to buy up placement and political influence The
nation grew resve under these grants of royal favor
and proaosd struggle has been waged to require
ministerial responsibility for the bestowmento Of this
tronage 10 reduce and limit the amount of pensions and
parliamentary interference The struggle has been
FAR successful that al parliamentary interference has
bean interference pf restraint" M
Unlike England In the United States tho pension sys-
tenn instead of being restrained has been enlarged As the
screw, from every revolution, gathers additional power
every enlargement Of pension List has but increased the
demands and augmented the outside pressure This bill
the most comprehensive Of ALL the most generous in its
recogntons of merit the most indiscriminate and prince
ly in the bestowmcnt VI it, charities. - ha
To provide for the revolutionary soldiers different acts
Of legislation have been passed by Congress- At early
period, during the was stated by the gentle
from New York, (Mr. FKNTOs) pensions, adequate
to their support during fe the continuance Of their
disability, rightly granted to those who lost limb
or otherwise disabled In the line Of their duty
Subsequently these laws for the benefit Of the wounded
and disabled were enlarged and explained. In 1873
those who served in the Of the revolution until the
end thereof for the term of nine months longer
ut any period Of the the conhnasdI establishment
and Shy Of reduced circumstances in life,
in need s'of assistance from the country for support
provided for. In 1928 pensions were given with
out any qualification to property, to all officers and
soldiers who served in the continental line Of the army
to the close Of the Finally In 1882 the terms
enlarged and pensions granted to all who served in
military capacity during the war OF the revolution for
period Of not less than six months. First, those dis
abled in the military and naval service received pensions
then the INDECENT and necessous and lastly, all were
embraced. ~ ts + - 30 y Z 4N tt r
So fsrvent was the national gratitude, these pension
laws although opposed in part BY some Of the purest
and best Of the Unon received the popular sanction
ought not TO be forgotten however, that it was re-
peaedy denied in debate that these laws could be claim
ed precedent for pensonng soldiers Of later
asserted that such claim could arise that
there could in the nature Of things be similar
vice i was physical. and moral. and political impos
sibty. To this, that sagacious statesman and incor
ruptble patriot Nathaniel Macon in 1915 replied that
ut did not require the gift Of prophecy to oretell that
thirty forty hence much may be said in favor
Of the army engaged in the second war Of Independence
As we have now heard about the frat though much
may not be said about the state of the country and Of
the susrngs Of the people because the facts will not
warrant 1t. ~ Fsb
verified and pensions for the soldiers Of the Of 1872
claimed matter OF right and justice This
bill goes even beyond The laws making provision for the
soldiers Of the revolution Az before stated the most
vice that Of 1882 The rats Of psnaon graua
ted by the length Of service and the grade rank in
which it rendered Two years service entitled the
party to the full pay of his rank in the lne not to
coed, however the pay of captain For shorter periods
the pension proporonably less but pension
provided for merely be ng In battle for any length
Of service less than six months prvates pay in the
revolution SO 66a per month, $50 per annum.
In the Of 1912 1t 50 per month, $96 per
that while the highest pension private in the
revolution could receive for two years service $50
per annum for years service $40 per annum, and
for six months service $40 per Annum this bill gives
SOC per annum for only three months service, or for
one day service provided tho party engaged
in battle There many persons, during the Of
1872 suddenly called into service at New Orleans
North Point Plattsburg, and Bladensburg, who
gagged in actve battle, and who not In service
but few weeks yet, under this BILL they vii! be enti
tied to full PENSIONS while the revolutionary soldier who
may have served FIVE months and twenty nine days. and
during that period been engaged in than active
battle would receive nothing, The man who served
only three months in the Of lSl2 will receive, under
this bill, SIG per annum moro than the revolutionary
soldier who served two years and yet how vast the diff
ference between the two struggles te ~
This bill throws all other pension bills in the shade and
out Herods Herod in the magnifcence of ik bcality
In very wantonne Of generosity and gratitude it throws
aside restrictions, magnihes, have shown, the SER
vices Of the soldiers Of 1872 above those Of the mes
that tried mems souls and rising above all such petty
as length OF service privatons endured
disabilities incurred, it embraces in its scope all who
served for term Of three months, engaged in