The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1866-02-08
BOuntics to Our Soldiers. GEN. Dutle,
on the Situation 4.. ~r.,

Bountics to Our Snlliers...Gen., Butler
on the SituatiOn.H -,s.. .~rr
Gen. Butler addressed the Soldiers
aud Sailors National Conventions a. the
Capital at Washington, on the 23d ult.,
90 the subject Of equalization of bounties.
lie urged that the meeting demand of
Congress an increase Of pensions, in some
degree commensurate with what the off
Ger or soldier would ordinarily earn ip
Some legitimate employment After
paying glowing attribute to American
soldiers, he favored an equalization Of
bounties, SO that those who had born.
the burdens Of the war should receive, at
least, as much as they who came 10 at tn .
eleventh hour. But he would not vote
money from tho Treasury for that pur-
pose. These dues should be paid by the
confscation Of southern lands.
From this point we quote the Generals
language:
would demand that the bounty Of all
soldiers should be equalized and land
warrants given them, whether they would
take five hundred millions, or seven hun.
drea millions, or any other millions of
acres of The public land. For every acre
Of land that you give soldier the coun-
try would be richer, in its settlements,
in its development, and in the opening
Of its mines. Let US, therefore, demand
that land warrants, properly guarded by
the wisdom Of Congress, so that they
shall inure to the soldiers benefit, shall
be issued sufficient to equaize tho boun.
ties and provide homes for the soldiers.
If any body Suggests to me that there is
otsIand enough to be got, TO him an
swer: begin at Arlington and measure
south until you fod eoough. It is there.
Most of-ns have seen it and know the
lay oftt, and know how to survey it and
run it out. And who has a better right
TO it under God than he who rescued it
from tho enemy? Who has = better right
TO occupy it than he whose brothers aud
comrades lie buried ia it, and whose
blood has. enriched its soil? Who shall
claim it by q higher title? Shall sny man
who has forfeited it by treason and re-
bellion say, "This is mine;" and to the
Union soldier say, Stand back, am
holier than thou?"
MIR President, I am not advocating
hard measures, unless they are necessary,
and, if there be land enough else hers,
without taxing the loyal North too much,
| am conteut not to cross tho Potomac.
But, If not, | am quite certain that it is
the duty of the Government Of tho Uni
faI to hn 4
see to it that the men who have fought
this war shall have the fruits of the war.
To our sailors We give all that they take
| do not speak it invidiously, but an Ad-
miral gets 500 900, and do net see why
We cannot have few acres given to tho
poor fellows who trudged over the land,
Instead Of giving all to those who have
sailed on the sea. I, by no means, be-
grudge to the sailor what he has got
only ssk fair plsy, equal justice to all
men, on land or on sea, black or white.
L seems 70 me, sir, that We have right
to demand 30 much for security to the
country for which We have fought. I
think thstif this land were settled by
the soldiers who won it, al the political
questions Of reconstruction or otherwise
would vanish. If We had only the old
armies Of the West. and Of the East, and
Of tho Gulf, settled back in those States,
Think there would be no difficulty in
this hall of rcadmitting ~ once, and
without debate, all tho States into the
unidn: i.think there would be 40 doubt
op tbs qosstisnlof loyalty Or fsalty to the
HPg, az Of attachment to tho Usisn, to
disturb the -9ebates-1pf the rsspeetsbls
rent tlemen Who ncrnn. th;. heN hv d.v