The Sweetwater enterprise. (Sweetwater, Tenn.) 1869-187?, 1871-11-02
REMARKS


Senators in Congress, To Have the
Pension Laws So Modified aS to Do
Justice TO all Soldiers, and Their
Widows, of the War OF loi2.
Mn SrEAEER-I did hope that these
resolutions would pass without amy Oh
j]ectIons from a single member of this
body. 1t is nothing more than Il re-
quest Of our delegation III Congress to
Use their influence to have the Pension
Laws so amended as to do Justice To all
pensioners, and their widows, of the war
of 1872. The law, or the ruling of the
pension ogent, does great injustice to
some of them. Why? Because, when
an old soldier sympathlzed with the
South, he is denied the privilege of
drawing II pension us those 90, who
were loyal to the United States Govern
ment. Even the old widows, who lived
in the South and had SONS III the Con-
federate Army, and fed and clothed
them when they came home during the
war, are turned away from the pension
department, by this magmanimous Gov
eminent of ours, and told they are not
worthy. Again, Mr.. Speaker, the old
widow who yet lives, and did not marry
until after the close of the war of 1872
and IA, is rejected; while tbs widow
who happened to MARI before the war,
draws her pension, If she was ioyaL.
This is unjust, and works hard. know
OF such widows in Flhr county, and in
other counties of hast Tenn, who IRE very
needy, And there are many old sol
diors who are exceedingly poor. There
is one i'll the pool-house of my county,
Amos Nicholson, who ri5ked his life to
defend the Stars and Stripes Of this
Government, when our soil was invaded
by II foreign Toe. Viii such pensioners
be denied their rights any longer? That
is not ali; old men and widows, who had
been granted pensions before the late
unhappy war, and could hardly live on
them, have been dropped from the pen
sion rolls, because they dared to feed
and clotho their sons during the late
war. In my county lives one james
Montgomery, some eighty odd years old,
who met the invading army Of England,
was shot down, and now carries III his
body a bullet from IL British musket.
He was drawing II pension before the
war, but is not loyal enough to draw now.
Shame on such IL Government. The
South pays all taxes levied by the Gov
ernment, but the poor old soldiers, who
We're SO unfortunate as to sympathize
with the South, are not allowed to draw
the pitiiul sum allowed to the soldier
who lives North.
The opposition to these resolutions by
the Hon. Senator from Campbell, is be-
cause he fears that it might benefit some
poor soldier who was, OF may be, Il pen
Siuner for services rendered i'll the Mex
ican or Florida war. It's true, sir, that
men from our State and the South did
defend the flag of this Government on
the soil Of Mexico, and have drawn pen
sions for it; and it's true they were brave
and gallant soldiers i'll the Confederate
Army; but If the Government is not
~magnanimous enough tolforgct the late
unhappy war, and reward such for for
mer services, they will haEe to do with
ont, anddic in AoolAIVlsls and in pov-
erty. Those who oppose these resolu-
! tions, neetl have no fears of Rebel sol
diers ever asking this Government for
any pensions. l., Mr.. Speaker, would
be willing to see every disabled, yes,
every soldier, and their widows, of the
late war, who lost their health in any
way, drawing IL pension. No Govern
ment can ever stand which refuses to
=. be liberal towards her soldiers. Can the
North, or Il Government, expect the
+, old soldiers of the war of 1912, the Mex
d, lean and other wars, to love the Govern
> ment which refuses them their Just dues
No, they cannot; and their children and
, grandchildren cannot and will not, love
, the Government which turns its back
upon them, now when they are old and
worn out, just because they happened tc
, live in the South.
do hope this body will pass these
, resolutions and do justice to the old vet
3 Grams, and their widows, who yet sur
vive. I feel certain that this Govern
ment will not longer refuse them theil
just dues. Pass the resolutions, and
: show them that we are their friends.
-O