Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1873-02-12

survivors of the var OF 1912. The bill, if
passed, will probably restore to the rolls
about one thousand pensioners who were
stricken off under the act of 1862. If we
understand the sentiment of Vermont, it is,
by great majority, not in favor of paying
pensions to any persons who gave and and
comfort to rebels or who took up arms us
support of the rebellion, though then max
have been in the service of the United Sta tesl
in 1912 and received .pensfss EaR tie
United States Treasury ssaeh. seeglee; add aud
the acceptance Of such rscogn1tion thereof
seem to us only to aggraIateo their critksd
Moreover, IF we T6esffi rs u pensions to
rebels, where ID g 81 % ssSP I
sbas Inc. Niddlehury Regsster of the 4th says
'izyv0 Gar member, Mr.. Willard, is getting the
ziqgedit ofamaking fool of himself, by re-
Am porting q bill directing the restoration to
J ztbe pension rolls of the names of
= such pensioners of the war of 1912
as were struck from them under the
act of February 1862. on account of having
aided and encouraged the rebellion The
bill, if passed, will probably restore to the
rolls about one thousand pensioners who have
been stricken off under that act We are
very much surprised at this action of Mr..
Willard, the more from the uniform good
sense and wisdom and sound policy which
have characterized his public acts since he
got over his patronage tOllles His work as
a legislator has been eminently iudicous and
satisfactory to his constituents, and lately
they have been congratulating themselves
that no breath of suspicion of any cOnnec-
ton with this last national scandal had been
uttered against their representative. And
we are now satisfied that be is honest in this
opinion of wise craftsmanship and Justice
oil H.
represent the views of the great majority of
his constituents In this matter.
The resolution of Mr. Sumner which
caused so much excitement, at the opening
of the session in December, is more nearly
defensible, on the ground of its tendency to
restore harmony through the country. But
this bill can have no excuse. Justice does
not demand that these rebels shall be re
warded for defending a country which they
have since sought to destroy; and no other
plea is possible. In behalf of large num-
Der of his constituents we utter an earnest
protest against the proposed amendment.
The Free Press misled by some Washing
ton special, has greatly exaggerated the num-
Der of pensioners who will be restored TO the
rolls by the bill reported by Mr.. WILLARD,
if that bill should become law. 1t is
probable, 1--WE judge from letter printed in
a subsequent debate, from Mr. Baker, com
missioner of pensions,) that not more than
one hundred persons will be benefited by the
bill. The correction Of this error in fact
does not, however, obviate the objection
made by the Free Press, to restoring any
person who in any way participated in the
rebellion, to his former right to pension
But there is another fact worth consider
ing in this connection. All pensioners living
in the reDellious states, whether loyal or
dslOyal, were stricken from the pension
rolls, early in 1862, and this was done with
out any proof whatever of disloyalty. They
were all inraLd pensioners or widows oil
those who had died from wounds or disease
brought upon them in the service of the
country. The youngest of these soldier.
could not have been less than sixty-fye years
of age at the outbreak of the rebellion anC
of course, all Of them were incapable 0
taking up arms against the government, anC
thus never did give any active assistance t
the rebellion. Such of these person.
as have since made proof of loyalty, hay,
been restored to the rolls, nd the suspended
pension with arrearages lls been paid tt
them. Those restored by the bill reporte.
by Mr. WILLARD, are, however, only to b.
paid pensions from the date of the passag
of the act and they will thus lose the pension
for the period of eleven years which ha
elapsed eince their pensions were stopped
The Free Press may think forfeiture c
pension for eleven years is not sufhcen
punishment for such sympathy with rebellion
as men sixty-f5e and seventy years Of age a
the outbreak of the rebellion, and who live
in states overrun by rebels, may have ielt
but we should certainly be surprised to fin
majority of the people of Vermont agreein
in that idea. A pension is as much propert
as bounty-land warrant, or a goverDmer
bond, and ought not to be confsicated e2
cept for reasons which would warrant til
confscation of other property; and yet thes
pensioners are the only persons who hay
suffered confscation of property Except
few cases OF prominent rebels) on account {
the rebellion. Is it not unjust as well
upgenerous to single them out for punisl
ment by confscation of property, while tt
active rebels enjoy undisturbed their rigl
to their estates and their property?
President Johnsons proclamation of graz
and amnesty-which did not except pension
ers from its benefts-has been held by Il
Supreme Court to restore all persons
whom it applies to all their property right
but as the United States cannot be sued
the courts these pensioners can receive
benefit from such decision. Yet it wou
seem that they more than any one else Dug
to have the advantage of such ruling of tt
court yet they cannot have it except by a
of Congress. When active rebel General
like Longstreet, are appointed to lucrati
Offices by a Republican President and co
frmed by a Republican Senate, it sec
hardly worth while to forfeit the pension
an old soldier, wounded once in defence
his country. whose only crime, as Jud
Bingham of Ohio said in the debate, v
that " he gave shelter to his own children
Our State.
1t is fact worthy the attention of
people that the last census shows that T
hans one half of all admit native-bOrn v