The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1859-03-11
TIIE PENSION RIl.I..

made report adverse TO the passage Of the
Pension bill, which some weeks since passed
tie House of Representatives by large ma
jority. The Committee applied to the Com
missioner Of Pensions to know:
|. What SUN would be required, under
the bill, TO be nlpr ,priated at the present
session of Congress?
.. What average sum would be annually
requisite and for what period thereafter.
3. What would be the aggregate sum ne
cessary cxtinguish all claims that might be
preferred under the bill.
4. What increase of clerks in the Pension
Bureau and Of pension agents, if any, would
be required, and the compensation therefor.
The Commissioner, after n carrfu! and
somewhat elaborate examination, arrived at
the following results:
/. The amount il would be necessary to np-
propriate ut the present session would be
about S29, 9,76O,7lO.
9. That the average sum annually requisite
thereafter would be about $S,SOO,OoO for
ten years.
8. That the aggregate sum which would
be necessary to extingush all claims under
the bill would not be less than lO3,OO0,0oO.
4. That the Increase in the clerical force
in the Pension Office would be about double
the present number, and the expense of such
increase, including contingencies and the
compensation of agents for paying pensions,
would be not less than S355,OOO.
The Committee think these estimates of
the Commissioner nre well sustained by the
facts presented by him, and that experience
would probably prove them to be below the
actual expenditures. They say the indebt.
edness Of the Government now amounts to
S65,000,000; its revenues fall below its or.
dinary expenditures; and there is no substan.
ta ground for the hope of realizing under
the present tariff and from the public LANDS
during the next ten years surplus beyond
the average ordinary expenditure of the last
five years, sufficient TO discharge such debt
over Sl00,o00,0O0. The means to discharge
it therefore, it the bill become n law, must
be derived from increased taxation, or from
loans obtained on the credit of the Govern
ment. The Committee were not prepared
TO recommed resort TO either Of those
modes of providing money to be bestowed
IN gratituous pensions.
| They could not concede that all who VOL
unteer in their country's service in war nre
entitled to pensions; or, in other words, that
citizen soldiers have right to claim the
bounty of their government because they
have defended it, and thereby discharged IL
duty demanded of them by self-love as well
as patriotism, and By private as well as pub.
lie honor. Such II sentiment tends 10 demor.
alizc the soldier, to weaken the government
and to oppress the tax payers with heavy
cxnctions. In the opinion of the Committee
the bill rested entirely on that sentiment
The consequence of pensoning all who serve
their country in time of war would be tu
render taxation so oppressive that the people
might well begin to consider whether The
government was not more burdensome than
beneficial. and the insults and injuries Of for
rign nations more tolerable than the cost OF
resistance and redress.
In the early days Of the republic, it was
thought the government discharged its entire
duty to its soldiers when it provided for those
who were disabled in its service and could
not provide for themselves. Only the invalid
and INDECENT were pensioners. The persist
ant and too successful efforts, during the last
quarter Of this century, 20 enlarge the system
SO as to embrace all who have rendered any
military service, and their widows and child
rcn, admonsh us to retrace Our steps vatheI
than advance, and in future to confne the
bounties Of the government to those who, in
its service, have lost their ability 10 take care
of themselves, and are dependent upon pub
lie or private charity for their subsistence.
For the foregoing reasons the Committee
think the bill inexpcdient and unwise, ant
recommend its rejection by the Senate. Al
this report will doubtless be concurred in by
the Senate, and MS great numbers of persons
are interested in the action Of the Senate, tn,
bill having passed the House Of Represen
tatves by n large majority, we have though
that an analysis of the grounds Of its almos
certain rejection by the Senate, MS laid dow
in the report of the Committee, would be o
interest to many of our readers.