Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1859-01-16
aaiIp anion & 8meritan
PENSION BILL.
Remarks of Ken. Geo. W. Jones, OF ZEN rem
nessee, in the House of RepresentHtiNes'

-
Remarks of Ken. Geo. W. Joues, OF Ten
nessee, in the House of HePresent''i''''
December go, 1855. az.
Mr JoSrs. Of Tennessee. Mr.. Chairman u ls
the duty Of this government 10 proylde LOT ~ ,
may become disabled from supporting me- -,
bv wounds or disease contracted ID tne 5l-.i:liJ
service of The country; yet DO aot ihlnA ma. IL y
STR ;bt or rropeT r this government TO lnau'
surste system Of general-serSiee pens ons II las
booD as I eopeeive one Of the settled Fnnciples OF
the government to oppose 9 system oi sehei@i-e
ice nensions Il is said that this system vas ertAo-
lished by the act Of 1882 II was e9n'ehueu' II "a,
- 81 ;sult by the advocates Of that Law, that il
on,S Re no precedent; that such case could never
80 riss in the history Of this government as hat
- he soldiers Of the Revolutionary war; and tl4i,
with them. the service pension system would telni
nate.
sruments-the governments Of EuroPe-ptnsion
their soldiers, after they have rendered military ser
vice Who are the soldiers Of he European govern
ments3 Are they soldiers like ours who fight aud
defend their own iresjdes and for government in
which they have part? N. sir, they paid hire
hngs Of the sovereign, who fight his wars, aud
to maintain him in power. Here, The soVerelgns
themselves are the men who 60 to the battle field
defend their homes, their fre-i3es and their al ars
And venture to say thatthere is not one man Ia The
whole country who rendered service f5r wlch pro
vision is made in this bill, who for a momen' con-
templated, when he went into the service, that the
time was ever to come when he should receive Ger
sion because Of that service. have acted and c.
operated with those who have been in favor Of pro
vidiug FOR the widows aad orphans of thase- whC
have fallen in battle, by disease contracted in th'
service think now that we might do much in re
vising our invslid-pension sys EN-. What is tb'
pension YOU give TO a widow WHO lost her husband
in battle or, after lingering years. by disease con
tTactNd in the military service Of the country?
pension Of $3.50 month. Three dollars and if,
cents month, when her husband had lost his life
And this BILL as it originally stood, proposed 10 Civ
8 full-Pay pension for three months service.
What, sir, is your revolutionary pension law nov
The man who tOiled in that Revolution, the ma
who fought in a doubtful cause, the man who Tough
60 establish the independence that We now enjoy
what pension he get for two years service? H
can only receive for two years service full-pG
pension; and the full-pGy pension of iyate c
infantry in the Revolution IS only eighty dollars pc
anuum No revolutionary soldier now living 0
who ever live can get pension for his service
unless he shall have proved and established the fac
that he served six months during that war. Whe
he has proved and established tbe fact Of 81
months service in She Revolution, under the act
1882, the act now in force, ne gets but the pllfr
sum of twenty dollars year; and if he prove
tWelves months service, be gets but forty dollars
year. And now, by the vote Of this committee, n
man who has been service ten days is to receiv
a fun pay pension!
Again, sir, there should he no distinction ma1ei
service pensions. When in actual service, you mu:
have your military organization; you must hay
privstes-the basis of your Army-and then 20
must have The various officers 10 cOmmaud and di
rect that force. That is necessary, sir in actual sci
vice But when they have renderedtbe service, an
returned to their homes tLe3, say, that if 20
are going to give service pensions, you should pr
them all upon equality, and let them receive ID
same pensions for the sane service. l see n
reason why there should be a difference made bt
tween those who happened 20 De officers aud thOs
who happened 10 be privaies.
Here the hammer fell.