Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1876-06-07
foantinued ttpm Eyrst paqe.l

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cording 10 request aud sent, aud most Of them
two or three tiinss over and Why this poor widow
should be compelled 10 70 70 ali Of this extn,
| trouble and expense 70 furnish u all over again
am certainly al . bss 10 conueive I'm L-.t
This seems to bc truly hard case. Tho soldier
was sick and blind for years, which fact has been
repeatedly shown to the pension oacers and tho
fact was at the same time shown that his ailments
were brought on BY his scrvicos In tho Army, and
20 acknowledged by the Pension Department.
aud while In this condition hr had 10 bs carried
about from nearly ono end Of the State to the
other repeatedly 10 obtain the testimony neces-
sary to establish his claim, no that he might got
something TO enable him TO procure proper medi-
cal aid ind food and raiment TO subsist UPON
And the Pension 0iioe acknowledged the receipt
| Of his papers, and thpt they werc correct, and
that his claim was Just. But they have stili
withheld his pension and allowed hin TO barely
subsist upon town support and the charity VI the
neighbors and, lastly TO die from actual want OF
proper medical attendance and the common nco-
cessaries Of life. And now his widow asks for the
portion the law allows her, aud has sent all Of tho
proofs necessary 10 establish her claim, and that
too at considerable expense and trouble and she
has no more than sent them befov sheis required
w sefHtrh thV nhmo fikat WV "k*fhf wv"
word. She has endured In this matter IN the
way of trouble and expense all that 10 possible
for her to endure. She 10 not able TO DO at the
expense 10 again furnish tho exact same proofs
which she has already furnished, and u she were
able, cannot see for the life Of me why she
should be obliged TO. Now II sesms TO me that
the Commissioners should at once either tell her
that there Is nothing for her--that il, that the
Government Is ungrateful for the services Of her
N Al an. .ll..uI H.. .Iats a.1x
These fow remarks, my dear sir, are submitted Ia
kindness aud without any insult aud disrespsct.
And now will you have the kindness TO present
this matter at Washington In It's true light, and
as soon as possible transmit To me the result y
Respectfully yours, A. ,,owv
wn. T.. PRKsros. Admimsfraior.
Mr.. jerks. The widow pleads her
cause while the fund that is provided
by law to pay the officers Of the court
to grant her relief is appropriated by
custom for party purposes In the
early winter in one of the dailies, my
eye caught an item something like this
"The attention of a policeman this
morning was attracted by the waling
of child in a dilapidated tenement, to
which he went, and upon the floor sat
o sobbing child about eighteen months
old, cold and alone by the side of its
dead mother. A post mortem cxami-
nation developed the fact that sho had
no food in her stomach. She had died
of starvation" Perhaps she was the
wife OF one of the "boys in blue" who
attested his patriotism by his life's
blood. If she was not, hundreds and
perhaps thousands of parallels are
awaiting the action of this tribunal.
On the street corners the cripple
stands and hold out the hat he must
beg or die. While he stands begging,
around the fund 0 grateful nation has
provided for his relief every obscene
bird of corruption gathers. Shall this
continue2 Common decency demands
il shall cease. If embczzlement must
exist as custom, (Which God forbid
let il fasten upon some other fund than
this. This is the poor remuneration
OF the deceased, the pay Of the mutt
lated soldier, the price Of the blood of
ps.riot heroes, "whose blood, so holy
is it, would not stain the purcst rill
that sparkles among the bowers of
bliss" Let the vile hands Of eorrup-
ton at least refrain from its pollution.
May that which nations faith and
gratitude have appropriated 70 this
benificent purpose reach tho worthy
claimants of the nations justice and
bounty undelaycd, undiminished BY
a transfer TO the War Office this politi-
cal defilement would be- avoided.
Another suggestion is not unworthy
reconsideration. From thevery nature
Of our institutions, a large standing
army is obnoxious, and yet until that
period arrives at which every man viii
be law unto himself, an army is nee
essary. We, with propriety, maintain
Military Academy TO educate the
officers. These educated officers should
not be lost 10 the nation. Employ.
ment should be provided for them, so
that our army, which in time Of peace
should only bo nucleus, should have
a framework Of skilled commanders,
so that it may be on any sudden emer-
gency expanded to meet any contin-
gency. This change will enable the
Government to retain those who have
been educated at the public expense.
These, with many other considerations,
lead us to the conclusion that greater
efficiency, purity, and economy will be
maintained in this service by It's trans
fer. Indeed there is reason to fear
that to very great extent these con-
siderations are largely forgotten in the
Department of the Interior From
its conduct one would be almost led TO
suppose the great truth that tho De-
partment is but an agent Of the people
is not regarded. Officers salaries and
emoluments are disposed of with q
hand more prodigal than that with
which even the spendtbrift would scat
ter his stores. Let there be return
to the days of primal simplicity and
frugality. Let II be known the Gov.
ernment and its Offices are not made
or maintained Tor the benefit Of office
holders and hangers on, but for the
general good.
ask for this subject your thoughtful
consideration. Ibeg that all considera-
tons of party or patronage may be
forgotten. This bill provides for the
removal on the lst of July, 1871
Neither Democrat nor Republican can
say now whether it is his own patron
age he is diminishing or that of his
competitor for public favor. believe
the change to be right, and upon the
broad principles of right and wrong |
desire il shall bo determined. ask
this in the name Of the aged veteran
who followed the chiva!ric Scott Mt
Lundys Lane, or the heroic Jackson
at New Orleans, whose palsied limbs
now tremble on the brink of the grave.
In the name Of the disabled heroes Of
Buena Vista and Cerro Gorio, ask
it. In the name of "the boys in blue" "
who on the long, weary march, in the
crowded hospital, on scores of battle
fields, amid the death-dealing storms
OF war with their lives and blood
sealed their devotion 10 their country
and her flag, ask it. II is my hope
and trust this subject should receive
such consideration as will enable us to
act upon it in an enlightened, conscicn.