davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The National tribune., 1877-12-01
Bounty Equalization Bill.

We have no new steps to chronicle In this
issue in relation to this just and proper law In
both the. Senate and the House it was long since
referred to appropriate committees, but as yet
no action has been taken. With bill that has
been SO thoroughly discussed by the press and
in Congress, which has been approved by COM
mittee after committee in both houses, it would
seem that there should not be ground for any
delay, but that it should be reported back and
passed at once. Both parties have fully indorsed
the principle in their national conventions, and
instructions are on file from the legislatures of
most of the States demanding its passage. 1t
is about time that the Committee on Military
Affairs both of the House and Senate should
report favorably, and give the members chance
for a square vote.
Let US see early as we can who ventures
to vote against this measure of justice SO long
and SO unreasonaby delayed
Pay up the debt due to the soldiers, gentle
men of the House and Senate, before paying off
any other.
Let claims and questions of currency ard all
others Of that sort stand out of the way awhile
and do what you have repeatedly promised and
have as repeatedly failed to perform.
The National tribune., 1877-12-01
Reforms Needed in the Pension once.

We use the word Reforms advisedly, we do
not mean economize-we do not mean reduc-
ton OF salaries, we mean such judicious increase
of pay and positions as shall secure more accu-
racy, more educated talent, more efficient work
by the officers in Washington and their local
employees.
We mean that the Commissioner shall be
placed en- an equality with the Commissioner of
Patents, that the Medical Referee shall have the
full pay and emoluments of full Army
Surgeon of ten years standing. That the grade
OF examiners and assistant examiners be created
and maintained in the Pension Office as in the
Patent Office, with equal pay; that the examin-
ing Surgeons be paid three dollars for each
examination and foe dollars in obscure and diff
cult cases. That the board to be ordered by the
Commissioner shall receive each the same paw:
in short the time, labor, and responsibility, act
ually given to the service of the Government be
remunerated in fair proportion.
We propose to demand and require, good, eff
cient, scientific work. and to pay for it what It is
worth-and we commend these views to the
Committee on Pensions in the two Houses. as
the decent and proper solution of the embarrass-
ments, which are now alleged to involve the
administration of the Pension Office.
The National tribune., 1877-12-01

81 600. We do not know DIR. Clarke, nor his
competency as a surgeon, the thoroughness or
character of his Investigations, nor of course
the credit Justly due him. But it is safe to say
that of the 1878 examining surgeons it is not
likely that Dr. Clarke, appointed in the same
mode as all the rest, occupied, either profession
ally or otherwise, any position commandingly
superior to the general average
Nay, more We feel sure that DR.. Clarke's
record as an examining surgeon is in nowise
better than that of many others; and it strikes
us as unfair to hardworking and meritorious
class of men to select cut one single man for
praise, while as to all the others the report is
silent, or, what is worse, condemns by contrast.
DR.. Clarke, of course understood the object of
his mission; he knew the theory that was to be
maintained. 1t is possible visions of larger and
more permanent jurisdiction and better salary
under the new plan dazzled his mental eyes,
and his diagnosis was more severe, his rulings
more strict, than they would else have been.
1t is very likely that many other men SO sit
uated might have done the same. Notwith-
standing, we prefer to believe, until some better
proof comes, that the mass of the examining
surgeons do their duty both by the Government
and the pensioner.
We of the NATIONAL TRIBUNE stand as sem
tinels to give the alarm when what we consider
injudicious or pernicious action is contemplated,
but we can do no more unless the body of men
thus attacked rally for themselves and their
own protection.
This they should do at once, for the recon-
mendation of the Commissioner justly has much
weight with the committees and with Congress
They must strengthen our hands by prompt
aid, by instant and large additions to the sub
scription-lists of our paper, by prompt and
ready support, pecuniary and otherwise, by cor
respondence with us on the subjects of interest
to both, SO that we can come to the attack again
with an assurance of hearty sympathy from a
large and influential body of men.
The NATIONAL TRIBUNE has done and will do
its duty by them and all others; let them do
their duty by the NATIONAL TRIBUNE
The National tribune., 1877-12-01
Annual Report of the Surgeon General, o. s. A., 1877
TEytraet.l
IExtraet.l

1t my duty to call attention to the fact that the Ell
cheney of the pension division of this office has been se
ousy impaired by the reduction of clerical force made n
July, 1874, and October, 1876 The number of clerks
and stewards employed i'll the division during the fiscal
year ending June 80 1874, ga. They searched and
replies in 49, 535 cases. leaving only 975 nd
unanswered at the close of the fiscal year. In other
words the division then only about three weeks be-
hind its work, which satisfactorily discharged with
out unnecessary delay. The reduction of force which
took effect July 1874 diminished the number of clerks
to &c and as the number of demands for information
did not diminish, the work began to fall steadily behind
hand. July 1876, the number of remaining
answered 1919 nevertheless, October 10, 1876,
another reduction of clerical force went into effect st
further diminishing the number Of clerks to 49, The
inevitable result, in spite of the most strenuous efforts
has been the very large number of reported
awaiting action.
Congress its last session authorized the Secretary of
Office This act went into effect July 1877. The assist
thus afforded will certainly be very considerable,
will undoubtedly appear in the report for the next fiscal
year; but my duty to point ont that this additional
force not sufficient to meet the exgences of the
All that be hoped is that if the number of demands
ON the Office continues about the the average
number received annually for the last years. the
number of replies will approximate the number of de-
mands made that the division will not fall much fur
ther behindhand in its work But it cannot the
lest ground with the clerical force allowed and every
consideration of justice and economy makes it sodesra
bic that it should do So that earnestly recommend the
employment of fifty additional clerks of Glass for
long time may be necessary enable the division to
dispose promptly of the work now in arrears
The National tribune., 1877-12-01
j. X. BARNES,
Surgeon General, q. S. a.

To ATToRNEYs.--Corres is invited with
attorneys who desrous of retiring from the claim
business and who have claims pending before the
Departments Also with such as are uow prosecut-
ing claims or who may desire to engage in the bus-
iness, aad wish to act in conjunction with attor-
ney resident in Washington To such, liberal terms
will be offered. Location in Washington, extensive
acquaintance, and many years. experience, give me
facilities not excelled by any attorney
GEORGE f. LEMON,
Lock Box AZ, Washington, d. e.
The National tribune., 1877-12-01
President Linoolns Second Inaugural Address.
M0ych Ath, 1865.

FELLOW couNTRYMEK: At this second appearing to
take the oath Of the presidential Office there less
sion for extended address than there the first
Then, statement, somewhat in detail of to be
pursued seemed very fitting and proper Now, at the
expiration of four years during which public declarations
have constantly been called forth every point and
phase of the great contest which still absorbs the
on and engrosses the energies of the naon little that
is could be presented.
The progress Of our arms upon which all else chiefly
depends, is well known TO the public TO myself and
is, trust reasonably satisfactory and encouraging
ALL With high hope for the future, prediction in re-
gard ventured On the occasion corresponding to
this four years ago all thoughts anousy directed
to ap impending cyi AL dreaded it, all sought to
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1877-02-08
THE STATE<TYAN, TtE PREsF-
DENT AND THE EsFGgsALD.

SoTe days ago when thcrcu hly
satisfied that the Pre- lent al sup
planted Morton as the leader OF his
party in the Federal Senat and led
the way in support of the scheme OF
adjustment now operative, We took oc
casion to declare the simple truth and
do the country's Chief magistrate SIM
pie justice. He chose at last to de-
clare, by his own unguided action, that
he sought no protraction of his power
after March, that he dld not propose to
play the role of Caesar and that he
loved his country more than he loves
his party. 1t is a singular fact that
violent partisans condemned the asser-
tions of the STATESMAN and we were
told that in lauding Grant we had
grossly offended the acute sensibilities
party indefensibie which admits of JUS
tice to the enemy. The New York
L1CTdtU HAS UGH inc must FIOlcHL Vi
Grants assailant'. 1t is commonly be-
lieved that the Herald rendered his re-
nomination at Cincinnati last year i'm
possible, and yet on the very day that
the STATESMAN uttered sentiments that
have been harshly criticised, the Herald
was pleased to copy US. The STATES
MANS article is almost reproduced.
Very certainly the ideas presented are
almost identical. After commencing
the lofty patriotism of the majorities
IN the two houses, the Herald declares
that
The relations of the President to the
bill seem more particularly worthy of
commendauon. He gave to it the moral
support of his approval at moment
when it was Of infinite value to the
measure to have it known that it was
sure Of his signature. Since the bill
has passed both buuses by vote of
over tTo-thirds in its favor, this fa t
which seems to put it beyond the
power of the Executive to harm it
may detract in some minds from the
merit of the share the President will
have in the great solution by signing
it; yet 1t must be remembered that his
known favor, which bre Ike the unity of
the opposition that the Republican par
ty seemed at one moment disposed to
make, was very important element in
the great vote thus obtained. 1t will
be satisfactory feature in the history
of Gen. Grants career that th u ,h at
certain times ae became unaccountably
separated from that sympathy with the
national purpose which in the gloomy
years of the war was his greatest inspi-
ration, yet in those critical periods
when q great occasion came he was al
ways found equal to it, and IN the last
great exigency found an opportunity
for commanding exhibition of the
most exalted conception of public duty.
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1877-02-08

THERE Is no honesty in j j,urnalism
unless there be perfect independence
of men and parties. The Springfield
Rtpu6lican illustrates this proposition
so clearly and conclusively that it can
never be questioned. And yet people
sneer at independent journalism. You
pretend, they say, to be for Hayes and
then declare for Tilden.
Well, we have been for Hayes. says
the R,PV5licda. from the start as inter
preted by himself. We have always
stood squarely oR his letter of accept
ance. Did that bind US to follow the
party leaders when they fought the
campaign on other issuesl
When Tilden is elected by the peo-
pie, our presidential preference must
Weld to the event The day of per
sonal preferences is past. There has
been al election. We declare for Til
den only because We believe that he is
president by the popular vote. Would
II be Independent or honest to conceal
that conviction or uphold the manipu-
lations of the Louisiana returning
boardi But why not accept that just
now as 3 choice of eyils-sharp prac-
tice on both sides, you know-and
rely on Mr.. Hayes to condone the er-
ror by . brilliant reform ADMINISTERS
tioui Because we believe in Going
right. Doing evil that good may come
is 4 treacherous motto. The path Of
the Just that shiAeth more and more
don't lie that way. There Is nothing
so brilliant IS success when it starts
fair. s.But be one thing or the other,
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1877-02-08

ident's active Intervention, would rot
have been enacted. When it was first pro-
posed, he hesitsted not moment. He
did not await the response of the press
and people. lie made Morton and
Chandler and Sherman instantly i'm
potent. He asserted openly and
vehemently his assent to the suggestion
that the presidential embrcglio must
he taken from the hands ui partisan
desperadoes and adjusted by men who
could no', because OF their exalted
worth in the cou1try's eyes, 60 pub
lie or private wrong. Ii peace and
order were not maintained Grant
would become the foremost figure in
the progress of g terrible revolution, and
yet Grant leads the way 10 peace and
security and rePose and law and order.
Does it not become honest men, who
have assailed the President because he
is a soldier and has made the .s1veru-
ment his personal government-does it
not become the duty Of those who have
condemned him too violently to retrace
their steps and tell the truth; and the
very truth Is that Grants recent acts
are as self sacrificing and patriotic as
deeds that have made names immortal.
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1877-02-08

THE International road is doing in
finite service to the country it pene-
trates. II not only advertises with the
utmost pertinacity farms and land
along Its route, even as the Central has
advertised especially the country about
Austin, but the International, by les
sening freight rates to a minimum, in
duces farmers 90 diversity crops, and
there are already produced along the
route of the road vast quantities OF
fruits. The people are preparing even
now to send to st. Louis, from all
points along the railway, the first po-
tatoes dug and apples and peaches
gathered. These crops precede those
of like character, grown about st.
Louis, quite two months, and such
is the demand for early vegetables and
fruits in Chicago and St. Louis, that
cars constructed especially for the pur-
pose of transferring the products Of
Southern farms and gardens to the
great cities of Missouri and Illinois
may give employment to locomotives
and render empty trains going north
for passengers very profitable. But
Texas is the great beneficiary OF the
scheme, and the people must owe o
debt of gratitude, if not of bonds, to
the international.
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1877-02-08

Mr.. GEORGE S. Coz, chairman of
the committee to adjust and scale the
debts of Southern States and cities and
to compromise with bull-dozed munic-
lpalities, like Houston, Memphis and
Vicksburg, has said that the idea of
making these compromises originated
in the mind of gentleman identified
with the Centennial. He thought that
if there could follow throughout the
country IA sentiment lavoring settle
ment OF the debts of the Southern
States it would have a most beneficial
effect or the nation, and that the Cen
tenuial Exhibition would be the flower
of which this great event would be the
fruit. The outline that this gentle
man suggested had been followed in
the plan adopted, and the com
mittee appointed had accepted the
trust, provided the mutual consent of
both debtors and creditors could be oil =
tanned. The amount of the indebted
ness of Southern States was from one
hundred and fifty to two hundred mil
lions, and this debt was distributed
all over the country aad all over the
world. In the South the plan suggest
ed had met with great favor, and al
though the time was short since the
appointment of the committee. he had,
as chairman of if, received many let
tcrs from the South approving of the
Tlon
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1877-02-08
BEN. HILL THE ROUSE.

David Dudley Field, the mstchless
lawyer, had spoken, Lamar and others
followed under the ten-minutc rule,
when Ben. Hill rose in his pla2e before
the Intently listening House and
th1onged galleries. There was ST.
lence OF death, We are told, when he
said
81 have been witness Of the sorrows
OF that people, and willing sharer II
all their sufeT.ngs. ll@Y | therefore
be pardOued, on tuis OCCASION, for cali
ing the attention OF the House and of
the country to the spirit which has
been manifested by the distressed peo-
pie during the entire controversy. Ga
another occasion l defended their man
hood, their ciMization, their hum ami
ty from whg knew to be unjust
charges. II answer then Was uu-
satisfactoryN { further answer lie
found in / BE 80 which the people
of the South have manifested during
the pas: sixty days. There is scarcely
u man in that Lountry who does not
believe that the Democratic ticket was
elected, and who docs not believe that
all that they have remaining Of prop
erty, of right, of justice, depends upon
The Inauguration of that ticket; yet,
during this whole controversy, say it
with pride and pleasure, the South has
manifested hut one spirit, and that has
been the spirit OF forbearance, of kini-
ness, and of fairness. With the CHAINS
of the usurp:r still on her linn S, with
the greed of the stranger rtling
her already exhausted Golfers, with
the army of the United States
now scattered throughout her borders
and standing sentinels for the protec-
ton of her robbers, the South u:teIs
to those who have been her despoilers,
and who now threaten TO bc despOile s
of each other, but one voice, and that
voice is, 'Peacei Peacen Civil war
redresses no wrong, preserves no right.
If you doubt it, look here and be con-
vinced. l hope that people will never
again be derided with charges of reb-
els and traitors solely for Offering up
their lives in vindicatlJn of their hon
est belief that they We're right. Let
me express the hope that, in the fu-
ture, he alone Will be regarded as chief
rebel who, after the passage of this
measure of peace, shall again whisper
the words ot sectional mate; let him
be regarded as chief traitor " ho shall
again seek to breed scctiona! strife.
For myself, | feel pride in being able
t. say that can lo,k upon every foot
of Amerlcau soil and thank God that
it is part of my country. I Can look
on every person in this whole land and
say, This is my feliow-citizvn,' and l
can raise my vision to the uttermost
part. of the Republic and say, My
country, my whole country! blessed is
he who bleSseth thee, and cursed is be
who curseth thecr"
Our dispatches have already in
formed our readers OF the mighty burst
OF applause which swept through the
hall when this highly -hCnored son OF
the banner State yielded the floor.
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1877-02-08
HOUSr ON ANu GALVESTON.

There are five or six railways con
verging at Houston, and only one from
Houston to Galveston, and yet Calves
ton has tenfold the business of Hous-
ton. This latter city does not receive
and sell one bale of cotton for esch 100
sold by Galveston. Houston is mere
conduit pipe tn -ough which wealth
flows, never haltinS and never reap
pearlng. Branch roads meet in and
around Houston, but the great trunk
line passes through TO Galveston and
the sea. Even SO Tom Scott's Texas
and Pacific, SO grossly misrepresented
among gullable idiots, and as proposed
to be built by Lamsr's bill, places the
State of Texas in the precise attitude
of Houston, as its fortunes are shaped
by Ho&ie and the International. Hoxie
passes through the outskirts of the in
land city to the sea, moving th!ther the
freight and travel and trade, not only
va hiS p"hg OuS Va ult lOdlS COuNcIG-
ing ut Houston, and Houston Is mort
bund and Galveston prospers. Texas,
having railway of its own, endowed
muniicently by Texas, suffers a railway
potentate from Philadelphia, having
his millions invested N railways from
Vluita to Philadelphia, to take the
land of Texas and devote it to the
construction of a road SO transformed
that the trunk line passes through the
northwestern outskirts of Texas, bear
ing everything to the northeast, and
destroying the State by the very pro-
cess applied to Houston. Not only Is
there no terminal city of the Texas and
Pacific in Texas, but.there is none in
the South. We of the South are given
"branches," while the diversion to St.
Louis is made at such point in the
northwest that this branch becomes
the trunk line and part of the Penn
sylvania Central. From Texarkans
there is direct road to St. Louis.
Scott, not content with this, must di-
verge to that city at point west of all
branches leading into the South. Not
only is the road itself, which Texas
originated and endowed, used to de-
stroy and impoverish Texas, as HGus-
ton is paralyzed by the International,
but the right of Texas. specifically re-
served by the State, TO fix and regulate
freight and passenger rates, is taken
from Texas in violation of the contract
with Scott and given to the ''United
States" another term for Philadel-
phia and Tom Scott.
VIII not the people of Texas insist,
if the Lamar-Atkings bull be en-
acted that it must provide for the
retrOcession to Texas of the land con-
veyed TO the Texas and Pacific Com
panyl
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1877-02-08

A FAMOUS medical writer says that
with tipplers there is a gradual vita
ton and impairment of vital force.
We may therefore expect that, other
things being equal, their progeny will
tend more strongly than the children
of temperance people, or even of occa-
sionaI drunkards, to fall into the de-
pendent or pauper class, by reason of
original lack of vital force. Then the
right to use or not to use alcohol passes
beyond the sphere of individual rights
and comes into the sphere of social
rights. 1t certainly should do SO in
the forum of conscience; and il may
perhaps do so IN the forum OF law.
Certainly, if it could be proved that
the use of any imported or manufac-
tured article vitiates the breed of IT.
tie or horses, farmers at least would
look for some power to interdict it,
and would no, he.itate much about
using that power.