Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1859-04-22

/ wives babe all Goi.pecd in their work. and wid-
offered as their '.miie' in the service OF their
cu.ntry. Then oil was gratitude 10 the defenders
| d our liberties Bot Sir how 10 u now how
! cAaageAl Les. winter bill was brought for
| ward in Congress, in session in that same Wash
ington City, TO- ray mere pittance to the Few
remaining s,ldiers Of that war, and the widows
of the brave men who gave themselves to the de.
fence Of the country in that terrible struggle and
what, sir it was voted out Of Congress as an I'M
| holy thing! illumination in tho eyes Of the
| representatives Of the people Do you believe Sir,
that ia 90 doing they did represent the people, l
do not. But this is not all. Virginia hung be the
heavens in black had representatives there to
vote agninst that Bill the Hon. John Letehcr. and
the Hon. Albert Gallatin jenkins among them.
Aud then they come back to us. and tell us about
bounties to the Cod fisheries Black republicansm,
aud Democracy. o; Shame! Shame
Sir, they could vote themselves Fix thousand dol
lars wages for nine months cfMeir ralnabie time
and arduous labours in Congress, but not one cent
h the poor old soldiers and their widows, now fast
! ASSN, away.
Yes Sir, Mr. Letcher md Mr.. Jenkins could
both vote ut the last session Of Congress, to pny
themselves three thousand dollars and travelling
expenses. for n few months living in Washington
City, and vote against farthing being given to
the few surviving soldiers and widows OF the war
Of 1872
Mr. Lctcher could vote four thousand dollars
and more Of the peoples money to pay for wine
and brandy, and cigars, aud carriage hire, and
tavern bills, fpr kossuth. hut nothing to help him
who fought and bled for his country.
Mr.. Letchcr and Mr.. jenkins could vote up
wards Of five thousand dollars to dress up room
for n Democratic member Of ngress-curtains
three hundred dollars pair. velvet carpets four
and Ave dollars yard, thirteen hundred dollars
for n looking glass they call it mrror;) eighty dol
e. E..l, h.. n...lt ,.tIa
hundred dollars apiece, clocks, lounges, small
looking glasses &c, &c. in proportion, but not n
dime for the I'D widows who gave their husbands
and sons to fight, bleed, and die, for their coun-
try.
These gentlemen could vote to buy for Congress
with the peoples money combs, brushes md soaps.
seven hundred aud fifty eight dollars WORTH be-
sides paying out of tho public treasury. II bin for
snuff and snuff boxes for members of Congress-
who voted themselves Il thousand dollars II month
wages but the old soldiers bill was an abomi-
nation in their honest eyes.
They could vote seven thousand, two hundred
and seventeen dollars for carriage hire horse hire
&c, for Congress, but when the pcopl asked them
to remember the old soldier and hi+ poor Old wild
ow, they !ii'd up their hands in hcly horror, over
~ monstrous proposition and voted II out OF
congress it Was not lit To como there
They could vote themselves their travelling
expenses t. aud from Congress, large quantities Of
fine and costly books, maps. pictures. to alorn
their private libraries, and houses letter paper,
pom knives. porket books, pens. ink, inkstands
scaling WAX waters boxes. scissors, paper weights,
and tape, il NIL amounting hard on TO II miiiions
of dollars and this too with the government IN
debt, the treasury empty, and the country borrow
ing money 10 pay the current expenses Of tho
government. and to pay for these very things that
those gentlemen have voted themselves.
Now Mr. Newton. these arc facts, melancholy
facts it may be, but yet truthful, stubborn facts
that cannot be successfully conradcted. All these
things have Mr.. Lctchcr and Mr.. Jenkins done,
bit there was no money to spend for those nien
who had ri>kcd their lives, and their all .ur their
country. nor the widows of those men who had
fought blcl aud died for rights and liberties,
and whose last moments were chcercl hv the
thought that their country would not cease To
remember with emotions Of gratitude aud thank
tulness the sacrifice even to death itself, which they
had made for her.
But Mr. Newton, to conclude, | have lcrn
brought up to "cat my bread by the Hwra' of nay
brow" have not had the educational advantages
Of some. my hands have been more familiar with the
nxhelye. the handspke aud the plow handle than
with the pen, but n time permitted. have lJuSci
n little II the course OF some uf those who
asking votes. and these some of the results
of my observations, and this will aid; al he
Hri0y sons Of that apprentice boy are noH citizens
Of this Kontwha Valley. IaD, one Of them. We
are not asking anything from the government for
whot our father did nor on any other score. All
want MS good citizens is upright, honest fair
..,.a,,ny g." ia" oo"l Of the country, ii the nll
soldiers biii nr, ,..sscl Concrcss, wc could have
had no benefit ho.a it, as our tathe.'S Name vas
not on the rolls "tany company But We would
have been gratilied, at Nrginia's grateful npprc-
citation of,hc services of those men. Particularly
would We have been grntled if our immediate rcplc.
sentative, Mr.. jenkins, had voted for it, lie did
not howey er. and my word Tor il every v,ug ,n Of
that apprentice boy that can get to the polls in
May next, will be there to serve SO far us they
mny, Mr.. jenkins and Mr.. Leteher, as they served
the old soldiers and wdowsin Congress last winter
to turn them out.
BLADENSBURG
The Richmond District.