Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1859-04-14
Ftum the wh,-hts Tines.
TINE PENSION nILL-Aa. IErCHEs
AND TIE Old -oLDIEss CoNIsA
TkD.

A.
TkD.
On the 9Th Of December, 1859. bill
passed the House Of EePre.ebtaiivss 10
graat pensions TO the officers aud soldiers
engaged in the war Of 1912 The bill gave
pensions to the old soldiers Of 80 for a
years service, 60 for siN months, aud ESQ
Tor less than sir months The bill pas.e a
the House by vote OF 80 yeas TO 10 nav.
Ar. Lsteber, true to his Instincts ~. one
OF this small minority Ia opposition to this
act OF justice 10 tie old ,o.dIer,
MIR. Le,cher Vas sfrAigprd before ,L.
people the other day for refusing to DO iu..
;iss 20 tne old soln-r. ani the su5,t.u.o
Of has excuse s.', sasi ~. bYy. rnE.s,t -!
already paid them ali II or .iu.lly prom ,ei
thsm-thsi the men engages 10 the var no,
90 much for money a, Tor glory. SO
Now, letustry Nr. Le,eh,r by the same rule
he has isid dosn for the Old soldiers lie
sgrsed to rsPressnt tue peop c VI the Rock
ingham district IN ,h. Congress ,flhsTsi-
TED States for eighi dollar, isy He-..
elected. lie went ~ Cougr-.. aud served
until the heel of the I'd .e.,isn of the 3tth
Congress, aud theu be eouniyrd at the p.-
sage Of a ball IN violation Of tie spirit of .b.
Constitution, aud which DC could easily hay-
defeated BY merely calling for the reA1iug
oil 4 stansing rule, which prohibited any
mem Der from Seilug for sOy ball IN whlei
be was personally or pscuniatily interested
by which bill he vas enabled b. cheat ID (.
government out Of thre> tiOutIai d,,iars for
services which be did net render Mr.
Letcher, IL Is true, did not vote for the hiiI
on Its passage lie hai not courage enough
for that. Bh h. pcSmiiicI fle 5,H q pIsy
VheR he ooHti har, pJcr,si,i q, and ayiey
ioI'a' pet .1e Hi soi.cn 0s1a,y % t.s Pc :.
ai
Here then. VIC conceive 10 a striking il
lusraiion cf Mr.. Leichers hypocii,y lie
si0riss 10 h-NiuS l.ci o.. iua !ere. s-,a,t
the passage Of bill allo-ias tue poor sol.
diers, who defended their eouut,'s honor
IN the war of | -, the piuful peu.loD Of sy6
Tor year hard service ia that war but IN
directly aids in pushing through Congress (.
bill which enables hun TO put In hi. own
pocket ~ 80 for services before he WAS elec-
ted, and - 30 more for the sane before tb .
session com neuced i-makitg 4 together ~
OOO lor labors which lie never performed
aud which as au honest man he would have
no night to receive And yet, With knowl.
edge OF this transaction Jet fre.h Iu his o = n
mind, has narrow heart could rot eonesiy.
the proPrsty of giving pension of So 10
the poor soldiers who had tiskcd their live,
Tor whole year IL defence uf their eoun.
try honor
Suppose u true that the Government had
/ ps 4 the old soldier. all 1t orr igiouAlly prom
Isc6 them, we would euquire bal it not done
the same With Mr. Leichrr, IIebad agreed
To serve iu Congress eight doIlsf. d.v
asd iet ho did not hesitate to accepttb, In
creased pay, aud TO pocket Ii5e, thousand
Tor services sbIch be dIi Dot render When
| the last war sas usdcttakeu To. govern.
ment was not as able as nov to do full
| justice 60 its defenders and a, many Of these
old patriots are now IN destitute eitcumst,n.
ces, as butAn act of fjustIcs that they should
I be remembered Ia their hour Of e1trsnity
Democratic Congressmeu eau vote land "a
every foreigner who will 20 and occupy !,
/ Why then should those Who were wiling to
sacrifice their fortunes aud their lives AID
whose necess.i,s IL a measure call for The
intsTNeuti9n %! tie government b. forgotten
IL would bs burning shame g. the nation
single soldier ia tue great army Of free.
! dom should % pcTmitteI 20 suffer for N {.
comforts Vt lie, While mslnb b-r. vi Cougrts,
and cunnirg trickspcrs Ike Mr Lslch.r
should bs extracting Increase pay for ID, lr
services, aud Pocketng fhI.e AosGaAd dol.
lars fo' work which they never peri ,rmed ,
/ Let the people remember tbis act ~ John
Lsicber's career Let ihem neither forge,
nor forgive bis refusal to give the cid SCI.
diefs the poor Pn1sues OF ninety ,N dollars
, fora year service IN defence Ot their couu
I Try, ~l'lv be hlm'c4f Iusdy pockets the,
{ fa,I"a"! io"a'' .Or Tor staying a, ho,ns.
slesliooeer'ng for Congress, anI Attending z
4 to Lis Orn -bu,iUcs