Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1859-01-01
OLD SOLDIERS, PENSION BILL.
Speech of Hon. John HI. Savage, of Ten
neaaee.


Mr.. SAVAGE Mr. Chsirman. have ANTICIPATED
all that has occurred in regard to this bill Every
great cause has been opposed without regard to its
merits Indeed, persecution and opposition seem
to have been the most unreleuting and bitter to
those that we're best. Christianity came upon the
world TO raise n universal howl against il from the
heather nations Progress of all kinds, from the
earliest period the present time has met this fate
Our Revolution-the most glorious step in mans
political history-had its bitter and irrecOneia5le
opponents, who sacrificed their lives and fortunes
under the name Of Tories for the deadly hatred thew
bore the csuss of liberty. Gentlemen opposed to
this measure rejoieed as if something unexpeci ed
had occurred, when the gentleman from Alabama.
Mr. Curry spoke agains: it at the last session
For myself, | was in no way disappointed IF it
had not called forth some such opposition, might
have doubted its correctness and final success; but
this beginning gives full assurance Of the end
and that sooner later the citizen soldier shall
again be victorious. There is nothing new to me in
the speech of tie gentleman, Mr.. Curry Every
argument and illustration used by him was urged
most eloquently, and more in detail, by Mr.. Davis
Of South Carolina in 1892 against the soldiers of
the Revolution indeed this last speech is perfect
daguerreotype OF the rst-smsller in its dimensions
and more concise and beautiful in its expressions
IF the speech Of Mr. Davis was read to>day to the
committee. much would be said, appli-
cable TO this bill, said by the honorable gem
temsn from Alabama. These arguments were pow
erless then, and will fail now.
Mr.. Davis denounced the bill of 1882 as q system
Of immense magnitude, novelty of character, and in
oalculable amount. No time, he thought, could be
unfortunate and iljudged for the introduction
Of the measure. He described the nation depress
ed beyond endurance, and lsboring under burdens
too heavy long to be borne; he called it 8 imam
meth bill, extending beyond ali former all de-
scribable limits, and all calculable costs ush-
cred into he House, snd pressed forward with
haste and zeal; that 1t was enormous, wild and
eKtravagani." He compared il 10 the herdng to-
gether of wolves TO chsse the wounded buffalo and
said that it would saddle upon the country an an
nual expense of than six millions; that it ives
the same system which, in the language of Jefer.
son, had sent the European labOrer supperless TO
bed; that it would pension such men as General
Wade Hampton aud lay the foundation for an arts
tocrstc and privileged order; that it was sacrifice
o! the property Of enc for the benefit of m other
ana would teach the people 20 look TO the Govern
ment for bread; that 1t a sy tenn eOrrupting to
individuals and States; and be more than once re-
peats what we heard from the gentleman from Ala
bama, that Roman liberty was but a name after the
people began TO feed from the public granaries
Mr.. Davis also noticed the soldiers of the war eff
1872, as the member from Alabama has done the
soldiers of subsequent wars he denies that they
ever dreamed Of PENSIONS but he described the Fed
eral Government as then penniless and insovent- -
too feeble to even furnish to meet the foe and
sinking upon the wild current of war like the great
Cesar upon the swollen Tiber, crying to generous
people "Help! help me- l sink 20 The gallant
citizens Of the West, without arms or equipments
furnished by the Government marched to New Or
leans and fought battle that broke the hearts Of
tyrants covered themselves with imperishabe glory
and forever established he dignity Of freemen and
and the power of America. These and MANY other
ffensive things we're urged by the gentleman from
South Carolina, in 1882 against the pension system
for the revolutionary SOLDIERS have noticed them
for the purpose Of showing TO those who may have
thought otherwise, th It the weapons used by the
gentleman from Alabama, in his assault upon this
bill, are old, broken in former defeats, aud in
way dangerous Gentlemen, BY professions Of re
specU aud kiIsd feelings fSE tiiS old soldiers,
deavor to avoid the responsibility Of the arguments
they make and the votes which they sive: but tell
them there is no neutral ground; this is great bat
tie, and be that is not for us is against u.s. The tree
must be judged of by the fruit and the fruits Of their
speeches, II permitted to ripen, are death to The
hopes Of these old meR who now, sinking to the
grave under the iron grasp of poverty cry TO The