New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-05-13
70 anv Democrat who hopes for office will vote
for Tammany, since by so doing he only helps
to keep the three royal families in possession
of all the offices.
NOT TO BE FORGO11FN.

Whatever be the popular demand Tor re-
ductiOn of taxation, or for retrencn'''ch' III
government expenditures, there IL one ciasS vi
claims in regard to which Congress must
always temper liberality with law. we reior
to that class illustrated in the resolution
which promptly passed Congress the olher
dov. giving liberal pay and allowances 10 "ch
Gabriel r. Paul of st. Louis, who, at the
hattie of Gettysburg, was shot through po'h
ewes. which were wholly destroyed. The same
class of claims is also illustrated in a bill, not
vet acted upon, granting one years pay 10 the
families of the officers and sailors lost I'd 'ne
steamship Oneida. ,.
When we lately called upon Congress to '''ho
steps toward reduction OF the expenditures
of our military establishment, 1t was sild tha'
the policy of retrenchment in this direction
would work injustice toward some OF the emil
mont officers who had served the country by
leading its armies in the late Rebellion. we
protested against this view OF the case we
took the ground that the country couid never
sufficiently appreciate or reward those VINO nao
| marched to do battle in its behalf, at the rish
of wounds and death. And we declared that
| we would submit to any measure OF taxation
rather than permit the preparation OF anything
like wrong OF meanness upon any or these
patriotc men. If army rctrenchment implied
this, we should oppose it; but we believe IL
implies nothing of the kind.
There is, however, especial reason why we
| should never be backward in making kindly
provision for manned officers and soldiers IKE
Gen. Paul, or for the bereaved victims of a dis
aster like that of the Oneida. 1t is not only that
every country in the world makes provision Tor
| those who have suffered in its service. 1t Is not
| only that the cOuntry's honor was pledged LOT
the insurance of generous treatment OF those
VINO might offer themselves as sacrifices IN us
behalf. But it is chiefly because the recognition
of such sacrifices is in itself a matter OF the
highest Justice, virtue morality, and honor. we
| owe this recognition as a just debt; we cannot
ignore it without being guilty of a base crime.
| If a man has had his eyes blown out, or his right
arm shot off, or his leg shattered, while
unfolding his country's flag, we would prove
ourselves a dastardly, as well as an ignominious
people, were we to leave him to perish. If,
under such circumstances, a man loses his life, we
should show ourselves people unworthy the
| name of men were we to leave his children to
starvation. We must confess with shame that
the country cannot be held altogether free from
condemnation in regard to this thing We
have not provided even decently for our dis
abled soldiers and sailors, officers and men
wo have not remembered in a proper way the
widows and children of those who fell. They
have suffered wrong at our hands; and this
wrong is a dishOnOr to the American people.
| We urge Congress, while retrenching in every
feasible way, and in regard to every wasteful
item, to deal justly and literally with those
pressing cases in which appeals for relief are
presented in behalf of men who have lost their
all by offering themselves for their countrys
|