National Republican., 1873-01-11
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.
That Land mn,


EDTroR REPUBLICAN, On the sth inst. you ac-
knowledged the receipt Of pamphlet arguing In
favor Of the passage by the senate Of the SOL
diers' and sailors land bonnty bill, passed by
the House on the i2th Of December last, and
made the points that the Grand Army Of the Re-
public had passed resolutions den0unclng the
bill, and that Gen. Jos. r. IIAwley anil other gen.
tlomen, who were engaged in the war, opposed
II in the House. You say that when the authors
Of the pamphlet, whom you accuse as "land-
grabbers and swlndlers," explain away these
facts you will attach some weight TO what they
say, and perhaps change your opinion OF them.
We hope you will he fair enough to print these
remarks In favor Of the bill, as well as those
which have been written against u.
And now for the resolutions. They purpOrt to
have been passed IN January, 1879, by the en-
campment Of Pennsylvania, and while they "pro-
test against giving land to soldiers without set
tement, at the same time earnestly urge" an
increase Of oil pensions twenty per cent, and
"heartily approvena bill for the equalization Of
bOunties In money. While we do not admit that
these resolutions reject the sentiment OF any
great number Of soldiers of the country, let us
examine the effect Of an equalization Of hnuntlcH
such as alluded 70, and see which the country
can better afford TO adopt, tho land proposition
or the money bounty proposition. "An act
which would practically equaliZe the bonntes to
the soldiers would exhaust the resources Of the
Treasury" Those soldiers who oppose the land
hill are In favor Of bounty In money. They are
willing to bankrupt the country for the sake Of
one or two hundred dollars zach. Let us hope
lntft uIN uui ltM VI Nllh NlhhHs ~ " tNlHnhltu
by the paymastcr General to require one hun
dred md sixty million dollars to equalize the
bOunties Of all soldiers and sailors at the rate Of
eight and one third dollars per month Of SERVICE
which Is the method proposed or more money
than there Is In the Treasury.
We consider this scheme unworthy Of the men
who ''carried the musket amt the knapsaCk"
during the rebellion. When they come forward
and demand the bankruptcy Of the nation to
satisfy their claims, we do not so much wonder
at the words utteredb by the distinguished soldier
0raIaF anil mnmbRF from ('nnu art WhIlR
posing Mr.. Stoughtons hill, mot the one passed,)
that the soldiers are "only equally patriotic with
any other citizens" that Is, they are no more
patriotic than those who stayed at home during
the rebellion.
A word a. to how far these resolutions reflect
the sentiment OF the soldiers OF the whole
country. "They represent the political soldiers
and the officers who are controlled by the rail.
| roads and the monopolies.n They do not repre-
sent the rank and die nor most Of the ofiiceS.
Theyarc presented as the expression Of the honest
sentiment Of the soldiers Of Pennsylvania, while
| in the late canvass In that State General liar.
tranftis approval OF them was earnestly dlsa.
| vowed, thus showing that they were not con.
sidered as satisfactory to the great body Of the
soldiers Of that State, whose votes were solicited
even by the sgners themselves.
| The rank and fle are IN favor Of this hill, and
| we deny that there has been one word or act
| from them In opposition to II. But the debate In
| the House against the measure was directed al
Mr.. StOuRhtons bill and principally upon the
provision allowing the right Of assignment, and
therefore does not apply to the hill passed, which
was the substitute OF Mr.. Holman. This hill
quarter T I" section Of anI ThIs Was pTomisea T
them by recruiting officers, Governors Of States
and politicians when they were asked to enlist
y gives me tltle FULLY aud completely; II Is then
right 1t has been the policy Of the Government
| In all former wars There Will I've no deprec cation
| IN value Of land scrip. The soldier can as well
allow his land to lie and increase In value as the
spectators or "land-grabbers," and II he does
not desire to settle II himself he can sell II, and
who Is forbidden TO sell his own7 or he can leave
u as legacy to his children for them to settle
II is not very probable that much Of II will pass
| to speCulatOrs, for they can huy under the pre-.
emption laws for fl.25 per acre In any quantity
The soldier cannot sell his land or any right Ii
| II until after he has located aud received Q
patent for It; and II is not likely that more than
one In ten will ever Locate, Hnd that those wht
| do VIII dn II gradually, year by year, 40 thai
there cannot he any large quantity sold to specu
lators, for those who take the trouble 10 larat,
will take care that they are benefited thereby
and II II hut reasonable and fair to accord Il
sodcrs EuffiCient degree Of intelligence ant
discretion to maintain their own interests, Ant
that the great body who dO not settle themselves
Will hold their land until there l. demand for 4
| for the purposes OF settlement, when they will
sell to the actual settler and receive good price
80 that the soldier Will be COmmensuratell
beneHted by this grant.
BY this act the country loses nothing, expend
no money, does not diminish rs resources, bu
rather Increases them, for as soon as patent Il
issued for 100 acres Of land that land become
taxable, and viii be taxed,
signed by T. L. Hll, United States navy; JOIN
A. Beckwith, Co. u, Eighth regiment Connect
cut volunteers; J. NJ. p, JeIyoss, Second Ino
cavalry; W. r. stidham, Twenty-eighth Penn
hylyAnia infantry; Geo. y. LAmpherC, sixteenth
| regiment Connecticut volunteers; u. 4. Duffy
District Columbia Presidents Mounted guar
and Third Pennsylvania cavalry; J. 7. Butler
| Nlneteenth Indiana volunteers; c. II. Dow, Fiftl
Maine infantry volunteers; W. s. Eaton, Unite,
States Signal Corps; John W. He'll, First Massa
chusetts light battery; l., q. Martin, Fourteenth
New York volunteers and United states army
II. c. Darragh, one Hundred and siXty-fOmtl Il
New York volunteers.