New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1863-12-25
HOMES FOR DISABLED SOL DIRRs.

HOMES FOR DISABLED SOL DIERs.
England, whose march is DER the mountain
wave, whose home is on the deep, erected long
ago, on the banks of the Thames, Greenwich
Hospital. whose esplanades, shaded by elms and
lines are crowned by cOmmodious buildings,
fit for the dweling-place Of princes, where her
seamen who have been disabled in the service
of their country find an asylum in which they
can smoke their pipes and while away their
lives in talk about Jcrvis and St. Vincent Col
| lingwood and Copenhagen. Nelson and the Nile.
France, the most martial nation of modern
times erected, during the wars of Napoleon, on
the banks of the Seine, the Hotel des lnvalides,
where. in the midst of its petite gardens and
beautiful collonades, her battle-scarred heroes
can gather around the tomb of the Great Cap
tain, Quaii their light wines, and tell stories
about Marengo and Austerlitz, Wagram and
Waterloo. Our own country has not yet become
the Acedema that Europe has been for the last
two hundred years. But the war for the pres
crvation of the Union, with its natural fruits Of
manned and crippled soldiers, is teaching Us
that we, too begin to feel the need Of quiet
and honorable retreats where our brave boys.
who have risked life and lost limbs in the good
cause, can spend the remainder Of their days in
peace and comfort. We are happy TO know
that this subject is orresting the attention Of
patriotic and practical minds. Az our form OF
government differs from that of the old-world
monsrchies, so this noble boon will doubtless be
initiated and conferred in manner adapted to
our institutions. Subject TO the supervision Of
the National Government, the great bulk of our
armies have been raised BY the several States
Very naturally, therefore, suitable asyidns to
which our disabled soldiers may retreat, and find
sustenanoe and care. viii doubles, be estab-
lishedn the States where they crecnlisted. For
example, Ncw-York, Pennsylvania, and Massa-
chusctts have each contributed largely Of their
sons 10 iichi the hg,ilos Of the Republic. And
enls,ments in each were promoted By liberal
bountics, furnished by their own citizens. IL Ii
natural, then, that each should feel u warm in
teres, in rendering the declining days 81 il own
disabled soldiers cheerful and happy What,
therefore. could better become the wealthy
classes of the three States We have named than
10 contribute OF their abundance Ia establish.
in some pleasant spots on their own soil. homes
for life for their war-wom veterans who have
become permanently disabled through the
casualties Of the service
Many plans for accomplishing this object will
doubtless suggest themselves 10 patriotic minds.
Ii seems 10 us that private contributions, rather
than legislative appropriations, are the most
feasible and hopeful mode of initiating such
asylums as the case demands; aud that they
should be organized upon such system As
would secure a reasonable competence to the
soldier while at the same time stimulating him
10 put forth his own c1ertions for enhancing his
individual comforts. A fertile farm, with work
where those who were able could ply the spade
and the hammer. receiving fair reward for
their labor, all deficiencies in the means Of sup
port 10 be supplied from The common fund,
the public and compensation for their OWL cNcr-
tion., which We have indicated. OF course, dir
abcd soldiers who have homes and friends to
20 10 will, when discharged from the army
naturally repair ththcr, ~ thousands have
already done, and rely for support upon their
pensions and the assistance of their relatives
and neghbors II is Of the other class that we
are speaking-those who are homeless and
fri.ndless, or whose relatives and nrlghbors are
unable or unwilling to provide for their support
The asylums we would see established should
not be regarded as cold charities, but as debts
due by the country 10 liz defenders in the hour al
IT. EXTREMIST need. Nor should Legislative ad
be spurned. We only say it should not be re-
lied upon and especially not to start the enter
prise. The need ia pressing. Despite his small
pension, many soldier who has los, an arm or
leg, or hand in the service, is suffering for
the means Of comfortable maintenance.
The entrance to such homes should not be IN
any sense compulsory. Under proper regua-
tons, the soldier should enter at will, and, his
accounts being adjusted, leave at pleasure. He
might, for the time being, assign his pension to
the trustees OF tho institutions, 10 De placed 10
his credit along with his earnings (if any)-but,
while he remained, he should have q generous
living. TO avoid political and ecclesiastical
fayoritism, the trustees or managers Of the insi-
tutions, might be selected in part by the con.
tributors to the fund, while Others should take
their Offices by virtue of other positions held by
them. such as Governors of States, Mayors Of
cities. Presidents of benevolent societies, and