Nebraska advertiser., 1876-02-10
Soldiers of the Mexican War.

I
On the 3rd inst, the veterans o.
that war i'm the State of Missouri had
q reunion, in st. Joseph, at which
there were some so or 100 of those old
soldiers present. The principal object
of the meeting was to adopt the besi
possible measures to induce the pass
age of Mr.. Stones bill. Several eX-
cellent speeches were made, the prin-
cipal one being by Gen. Lucien ].
Eastin, from which we make the fol-
lowing extract:
We have met here to-day to present
our desires to our government for q
pension. 1t has now been twenty
eight years since the close of the war,
and many of our soldiers are old, in
firm and poor. 1t is time a govern
ment. heretofore generous to its citi-
zen soldiers. should show It's gratitude
to these old veterans. For several ses-
sions of Congress our claims have
been presented and postponed, main
ly, it is believed by exaggerated re-
ports made by the Commissioner OF
| Pensions.
The number of soldiers engaged In
the Mexican war. it is stated, amount
! to 80, $50. OF this number the Com
| missioner of Pensions reported 30, ,00O
| living. Since even the close OF the
war twenty-eight years have elapsed.
1t is estimated that thirty-three years
| is the average of human life. How
then can il be possible that, after the
expiration of ftwenty-eightyears, near
ly one half the entire number of SOL
! diers are still alive? The fact Is, after
diligent research. and from the best
information. it is believed there are
not now living more than Is. 900, and
the number is evidently growing less.
| If the government ever intends doing
anything for US, now is the time.
The war with Mexico grew out OF
the Texas question. For ten years
Texas had maintained her independ-
ence, notwithstanding Mexico tried
to subdue its people. In 1915, on GER
tain conditions, Congress passed an
act, recognizing the Republic Of Tex
as, and if it would settle the question
of boundary, it should form part of
the United States. Mexico claimed
this TO be a declaration of war, and
commenced the war.
We made the war an aggressive one,
and invaded the enemy's country,
marching thousands of miles over
hills and plains. and gaining a vic
tory in every important contest, and
going into the battle often with great
ly inferior numbers. In the very be-
ginning, at the battle of Palo Alto
and Resaca de la Palma, which were
fair open field fights, with two thou
sand brave and heroic Americans. We
conquered 5000 Mexicans. The march
of our victorious army was Onward.
We marched into the enemy's country
of vast extent, lying more than one
thousand miles from the centre of our
population, containing eight millions
of people, and completely subdued
them.
By the results of the war the United
States acquired all that vast extent of
country extending from the Gulf of
Mexico to the Pacific Ocean, includ-
ing Texas. Utah, Arizona, New Mex
lea, Nevada. parts of Wyoming. Col
orado and Nebraska, and all of Cali
furnia, embracing in all 937 ,875 square
miles, making six hundred million
acres, equal in extent to the original
thirteen States.
The speaker then very ably and ap'
propriately called attention to the
great benefits accruing to the nation
from these acquisitions of territory,
which gave to the country the richest
mines in the world and the best and
cheapest lands for settlement by the
poor and the landless.
The following resolutions were ad-
opted by the meeting:
WHEREAS, The general government
in a spirit of generosity, adopted the
policy at all early day of granting pen
sions to soldiers, for meritOrious SER
vices in defense of their country, in
the Revolutionary war, and the war
of 1872; therefore,
ResoIved, That the soldiers of the
Mexican war feel that they are entitl-
ed to be placed upon an equal footing
with the soldiers of the war of 1872.
ReSOlUed, That as Mexican war vet
Grams we stand to-day as we stood
thirty years ago, in defense of our
country. ready again, while life lasts.
to rally for our native land against all
| its enemies.
ReSolred, That our Senators aud
| Representatives in Congress be re-
quested to use all their influence to
have the Mexican veteran pension
bill passed.
ReSOLUed, That we approve of ma
tional convention of Mexican soldiers
to be held this Centennial year, at
Philadelphia. on the 4th Of July; be-
lieving it would bring about better
state of feeling between all sections of
our country than perhaps any other
body Of men could produce.
Every Mexican veteran who hears
of the interest Congressman Stone is
taking in his effort to do them justice,
will silently, ifin no other way. tender
him their warmest and most grateful
thanks. And those speeches and res
olutions by their comrades in Mis-
souri, will meet with hearty approval
by every veteran of every State; and
they will feel grateful to their Missouri
comrades for making an organized ef-
fort. in behalf of all, which should
not go unheeded by our Congressman
and Senators. We think our national
law makers would perform just and
righteous thing, and one not at all
adverse to the opinions of their con-
stituents, by granting the prayer of
those old veterns of Mexico.
A bank robbery recently committed