New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-07-08
A PROPOSED IMMEDIATE INCREASE TO
MILITARY AND NAVAL PENSIONS.

what consider very important, andi ndeed, lnuir-
pensabe, reform regarding the provisions for oil
military and naval men who are perma lently dis
abled 10 the war and for the families Of those killed
Having saorced my health by oyertoil III the polt-
zeal oanvasses Of FIVE years duration, which resulted
in putting the present Administration into power,
can being invalid, sympathizo as only the rulier-
nr can with the suffering; and, at the same time.
may claim 10 speak upon public matter which
desrly affects the credit Of tie Executive Of my
choice and with it, the entire interes and safety Of
the country.
We have, Mr.. President, in the treatment Of sol
ders and Sailors as regards the penaon-iist esPe-
cially but too nearly initiated, without originality or
genius, hat which they receive in Europe, where
the lines Of caste create their own pecuiErities.
There the great people are largely paid and tie little
people poorly proyded-fcr. In civil affairs at least,
in this country we have moi followed Tie European
model a comparative equalization OF salaries Is one
Of the most marked features If our Government. |
propose, accordingly in regard 10 the military and
naval service, TO augment class OF rewards, aud
hence the inducements to serve bravely anj FAITH
fully, and likewise the incentives to erlid: not by
raising the pay Of those that are well snd hearty,
but by increasing the pensions of those who are or
may be dssbled and Of the persons whose relation
snip 10 soldiers, sailors and marines killed entities
them to such q consideration.
Al present Mr. President whist IS the reward OF
the soldier. who Las become wretehed cripple for
lifo.-wtb dreary day., and dresrier nights as h''
portion. until death coses the sceue What, too the
recompcnse the widow and orphan receive because
ther natural protector laid down his life on the
battlefield, to save bis country
Eight dollars a month, 90 far ~ can learn
L. this proper reward iOr the agonies Of horrible
wou-ds Or Of ampu,atcd limbs; FOR the rlcAng tor
ments of The sick-chsuber for the terrors, slow or
quick. Of yiolen, death
| 90 not wish The custom Of foreign nations TO be
quoted in regard 70 their pensonod soldiers. What
they DO for their subjects is their affair; what We do
for our citizens ought 10 be ours, from m original
point of view, worthy Of tie country Of vast farms
and ersnaries Of laborcreating machinery, OF mar
yeousy increasing wealth already moderately rated
n fifteen thousand million dollar, OF d.iiusiyc COM
fors, Of political equality. Neither are The wise
politicians Of Europe ignorant Of the injustice OF ac-
cordng 10 tie bioken-down hero, untitled though be
/ be- paupers fare and obsequies. remember
/ scene in point in the French Chambers, some years
since. ne Hublttt ufturrtu WIS iit 5lodl -ltai
or Retreat for Wounded Soldiers in Paris. Dep
MY was descaniing upon il as an excellent thing
' for the sahl cried voice; the interruption
being followed by general laughter, aud cnes Of
+ "trts b,fn ga biti'-sDd 30 forth.
propose to your Excellency, to reform in thr
country the whole spirit and action which charso
terizo always and every where the treatment OF
wounded disabled or killed private soldier and
common sailors. propose that they be treated not
ss paupefs and 0uicGsts, but as heroes and gem
tlemen. In place ofthe mblmated Sum OF Eight Dol
lars month as the saGrimuA, propose that l. he tie
minimum pension. IL may be taiely stated that
man with the qualities Of heath, ygor courage, and
hdelty 10 make soldier, can earn in this country,
at least. on the average one dollar DAY, three
hundred and sixty-fve ycar-say, four hundred
dollars. propose that in Gaze private he killed
he family, instead of receiving nnsy-siX dollars -
year, have four times that Gum, namely: three nun
dred and eighty -four dollars, year propose that
IN care Of sbtolute bodily disability such as TIE lore
Of limb eyesigh or olherwi,e, thai u Ike sum be-
paid % the suffering soldier; aul t.4t here be g.
graduated reduction Of tie rate Of pesol, ay, i1ur
Glasses Of peDsoncTs that il 10 So, for the c.a.- -
mentioned death or total disability, thirty ,wo do
lars a month; threefo,rths disability, twenty -.onr
dollars month"; half disability, tix;ccn d1iIan
month; quarter disability, eight dollars month:
thus. mono Of tie disablcd men would receive icss
han the nncty-six dollar. a year and Chat ,u4i
gum ONLY when he IL capable q dong reaIily He
three-auGItegs of an ablc-bodcd man work to'y4.ds
The maintenance Of himself snl those sc cHdon'
him for support.
In making these propositions. which Of .ousc IRE
startling conline myself to VIVA. IL rofsi1c .Or
"the healthy, wealthy, and wse 70 10 fjri4e.r
brave protectors, wi.hou, sacrificing any aAup.
Il we take as IN extreme number, tl;t CONC our
ot the war with One Hundred Ihol,.nd men aes-
;ioyea or rendered permanently invalid. iiuu,-
Der TO DO considered in the pcusion-L.s is voui4
DO, increase, II We compute tbe average OF the
whole a. The rate Of pension for tLIoc-uarc a. arr
ability, or tventy-four dollar, month, ihc annual
sum required for the purpose more tran treble tia.
Low demanded; that il 20 say, T"0 iiunIlca anG
Eshty.EigLt Lollars for each ponaoaer, or Twenty
Nine Million Dollars q yeal. But u u nOt al 'Ii
prolable that more than % haif Third OF i..a
rurn would b. required ,s any CONT oraaic len
If time.
Cheapuess. NJ. President, II comparative. hU
country. ia Constitution, in destiny, sre woi.l al
pFcc. On Tic extraordinary eiors oi whom 80 wc
sely now ior the preservation 4 ,4eset On our
.odicry. On those already disciplined, ANA ia tic
field, sad on he Three Hlndfcd thousand men Zoo
be raised under the new Proclamation j No eau
strengthen The efforts q he veterans VI can give
a magnificent impulse to The new recruitment, :. Do
not cheap at fraction Of one COLLAR annually h'ad
for the people OF The Union tb's 70 in'iAme tic yor