White Cloud Kansas chief. [volume] (White Cloud, Kan.) 1857-1872, 1866-01-18

70 cI0ot0 tuc fsuA W oouotot ~ ous %
mics. We believe its intention is that
Lieut.. Gen. Grant shall be promoted to
this grade. and the bill proposes an in
crease of his present salary above that
now given the Lient. General abou. SO
per cent.. or $50. 600 per annum. 8
For one we protest sgainst the passage
of this bill as unnecessary and upjust.
We are willing thai Congfsss shall hon
or Lieut. General Grant to the full extent
of his deserving. and be deserves ,all tbe
honor the country can give bim. But bis
salary is already large. sad the nation is
already overwhelmingly in debit our cur.
rency is greatly deprecated, and as a
consequences all articles Of consumption
or use are enormously high. The country
aroans under heavy taxation and bish
prices, and until our national debt is so
reduced that we can return to sound
specie basis. We object to any increase Of
expenditure in this way. General Grant
can live we'll on lis present salary. and
needs NO increase of it. but there are han
dreds Of thousands of msimed and help.
less heroes who bsve given all they had
to give for their country. and are now
hobbling through life, with the miserable
pirtance of a pension of 50 per month
There are equally as many soldiers wild
ows shivering through this long. dresry
winter wanting the bare necsssaries of life.
While these facts are facts. is it right OF
Just to indulge in this species Of munifi'
cence Let us be generous. but at the
same time. just Let us give when We
can give. but retrencb when We can end
must II the country was out of deb,
and had returned to sound specie basis,
the Lieut. Generals salary would be
thereby practically as greatly increased
as this bill proposes to increase it. while
at the same time the humble defenders oI
the Great Republic. who have served il
as faithfully. as nobly, IS earnestly. and
certsinly at greater sacrifice than the
Lieut.. General has, would have theiI
monthly pittance worth nearly double the
substance it now yields them. .t
Nor does our little army need an off.
Ger of higher rank than Lieut.. General
During nearly the whole war. our vast
armies numbering over o q million men
had no officer of higher grade than q
Msjor- General during the last year only
Lieut. General. Our forces will now
be reduced to about fifty or seventy. five
Thousand men. 1t cannot. be th Il thi.
small force, in time of peace, needs an
officer of higher rank to com m aud it thar
it required during the tremendous wa,
Just ended, when our forces were almost
as countless as the sands of the sea.
We object &c Il again because, by thu
rule adopted in the regular army, il Gen
! Grant were made General. Hallsck, beine
the ranking Major General. would sue
ceed to the Lieut. Generally. while Sher
man and Thomas would still be held il
their present grades. The Nation desires
the consuuma alton of no such outrage a,
this.
Let Congress attend to its fist sni
greatest duty-so reducing our expendi
ture that we shall at once return TO {
sound specie paying basis. Or, if ap
propriations are to be made paying tht
defenders of o1r Nation, let it look frs
to those who have lost their all in th'
service. instead Of hunting up methods te
fritter away the substance of the people
in granting enormous subsidies to officer'
who are already enjoying princely sala
ries. Pay the helpless. the MANNED, th'
stricken what they have earned. and wha
it is pretended to give them. This is th'
way 10 do justice, and we are sure tn
Lieut.. General does not desire to riot il
luxury and grandeur while the men who
made bis reputation and elevated him tc
the place be now holds by their courage
fortituds, aud sacrifices. rot and starvs ir
beggary and want.-Atchison Champion
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