The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1876-05-11
Proposed Pensions for Rebels.

Few nations have been called upon TO
place upon their pension rolls so large =
number OF pensioners as we have. The
rebellion caused fearful loss Of life and
distress among those persons who re-
sponded to the call OF the the country
TO save the Union. Men who suffered
the loss Of limbs or Of eyesight or Of
health in the direct line Of duty. and the
widows and the orphans OF soldiers and
sailors who fell in the service, were prop
erly provided with pensions. A pension
however, was not given so much as q re-
ward for loyalty. IL was granted more
out Of the gratitude Of the people for the
devotion and sacrifice Of those who stood
forth in the hour of the nations peril
and aided in its preservation.
But the men who took part in the re
bsllion, and fought against the Union
and the cause IL represented. have no
such claim. To reward such men IL they
suffered would be q discrimination in IA
vor OF treasonous disloyalty, and place
the rebel and his dependents on the
same footing with the soldiers who fought
and saved the Union. In order, there
fore, to guard against such gross injus-
tice a law was enacted which has been
reproduced in section 4,7l6 in the re-
vised statutes. That section reads a. fol-
lows, viz
mo money on account Of pension
shall be paid TO any person. or to the
widow, children, or heirs Of any deceased
person, who in any manner voluntarily
engaged in or aided or abetted the late
rebellion against the authority Of the
United States"
Now, the Confederacy, which was the
product Of the rebellion against the au-
thority Of the United States, having been
destroyed by the Union forces in the
field, has gathered its scattered elements
in the National Congress: and the assem-
bled Confederates in the House and SEN
ate, appearing in the guiss OF representa-
tives Of the people, seem to be actuAted
by the same spirit az when the war pre-
vailed and to be resolved to do all they
can on behalf OF their comrades and their
families and against the interests Of the
Union. Accordingly. wherever Republi.
can legislation protected the Federal
Treasury, or confined payments there
from to persons OF known loyalty, the
Confederates in Congress have set them.
selves to reverse that legislation, and 10
open the way for the entrance Of disloy,
atty to seize upon the public money.
These recent efforts TO extend the pen
sion rolls by quartering rebel sympAthi.
Eers and their families upon them is ex.
planned in House Bill No. 1891, intro
duced by Mr.. Mcfarland. to repeal the
above section Of the revised statutes.
This bill has not attracted much Atten-
tion. but its principle 10 80 impudently
and monstrously wrong that IL deserves
q close examination and should be re
membered. The text Of the bill 10 as
follows
"Be IL enacted, &c, That section forty.
seven hundred and sixteen OF the revised
statutes Of the United States be. and the
same is hereby, repealed; and the Secre-
tary of the Interior is hereby authorized
and directed to place on the pension rolls
the names Of all persons who may be en-
| titled to q pension under existing laws,
Notwithstanding they may have served
in the rebel army prior TO such service,
and pay to such persons. their widows or
children, pension as provided by law
! in other cases. from and after the pas
sage OF this act"
1t is almost always safe to assume that
when q Southern Democratic member OF
the House or Senate desires to repeal q
section Of the revised statutes he either
aims at protecting the Democratic South
in its disloyalty or to reward his disloyal
comrades for their treason out Of the
Treasury Of the United States. This is
not q condition Of affairs that the peo-
pie are likely to approve, and Represen-
tatives especially will resolve that their
votes shall be cast to defeat forever the
hope Of treason in that direction. The
bill above cited has in substance been
passed by the House majority. As a re-
port from the Committee on Revolution
airy Pensions. which committee 10 pre-
sided over by an ex-rebel brigadier-
Hunton, Of vi rginia.-[ Republic.