Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1878-04-16
"Crippled Soldiers Roll"
speech Of Congressman Frye on House
D0or-Heeper Polks Roll OF Crippled
{alalers.

Door.keepei.
Mr.. FRYE.-some considerable time ago had
occasion 10 call the attention Of this House 70 what
is known as the soldiers roll. Now think every
man on this floor knows what the soldiers roll
was. Il was a roll OF fourteen men receiving ne
highest pay for that class OF services received by
any men in the employment Of this House, 20 witt
81 POO year. They were to be "crippled and dis
abled Union sodiers.n And during five six
congresses you could see them at every door
around that gallery, men without arms, men with
one leg, men entirely crippled and disabled, whom
the waytaTing man though foOl' looking upon
would recognize az once a. crippled and disabled
soldiers" And, sir, ! take 10 that no man can
hesitate one moment in determining whether or
not q man Is 4 crippled and disabled soldier
whether or not he Is entitled 70 go upon this roll.
We here knew them, hOnOret them ana trled 70
repay them for their great services and compensate
them IN part for their sacrilces.
Well sir / saw one after another OF these soldiers
disappearing I saw abe-bOdied men taking their
places. / saw the record OF the appropriation bls
changing and dropping crippled droppin, "dis
soldiers" And called upon the House TO know
what il meant, whether 70 was the purpose OF the
Committee on Appropriations 10 DO away with the
law creating the crippled and disabled soldiers
roll. And demanded OF them, ifthat WAS their
purpose, 20 announce IL Ike mon, do away win
the crippled soldiers roll, save their 1880 extra
pay and put in their places able-boded men, j
distinctly stated az the time that it was not ques-
tion OF politics with me; and was perfectly VIII
ing, ay, more. that | expected, the domocratc
party, having power in the House, 20 remove the
crippled and disabled soldiers OF the republican
faith and put In their places crippled AMI disabled
soldiers OF the democratic faith. ~, more went
further. said do not personally object 70 your
displacing these soldiers and even putting on that
roll crippled and disabled coniederates.
Now, SIR Mr. Polk, In his testimony, says mat
In this matter of crippled and disabled soldiers he
thinks there may De a great deal Of sentiment
But sir, DO not look upon Il as sentiment. Ihese
men are as able % perform the duties as-lgn+d 20
them as ablC.bOd ad men are. Iney nave suffered
where able-bodied men have not and -ly, unless
the law IS repealed, it rs high, n-centiogs' oy'
empowering duty upon the democrats OF ,ie hOlsei
as IL was upon the republicans OF lne House. 10
put upon the roll men who have been soldiers,
men who have been crippled sud disabled in the
service Of the country.
twenty men rose on the democratic side 80 once
10 ;hcir feet and declared with emphasis, we
will keep up the crippled and disabled s0lders
roll we Will turn out your republicans Dut we
will put crippled and disabled democratic soldiers
Sir. made no objection 70 that Thank God,
there was loyalty enough in the democratic party
az the North 10 send thousands, ay,tens ana tWen-
ties of thousands of dem 1crats into me service 9i
the country, and they fought and were disabled.
| honor them to-day as much as hOnori II NOT
more the soldiers Of the republican iilth VINO
went into the army, and no word either here on
this fOOr, no word OF mine on the stump or else
where shall ever be uttered against the loyal DEM
ocrat who forgot his party ana remembered ms
patriotism; who in spite Of his party anu against
the policy ofits leaders, buckled on the armor ana
went forth 10 battle TOR his country.
How, sir. did the democratic side OF tue House
carry out that proposition made on the moor on
that OCCASION Dil they put IN crippled and dis.
abed democratic soldiers; call the atientlonol OF
the House 20 the testimony OF Mr.. Polk on page
90. / commence with New England, because
there were democratic soldiers crippled and dis
abed from New England
GO through her valleys, over her mountains,
through her hamlets, her villages, her cities you
can dnd, know, crippled and disabled democrat
ic soldiers-ay, thousands Of them. Were they
found?
Mr.. Polk says;
The New England delegation has alw'ys acted
as unit leaVinE out MassaChusctls,l and they
agreed among themselves TO a distribution OF the
appointments apportioned TO them as one delega-
and Connecticut so agreed. 1 am speaking OF
course, Of the democratic Delegation from InVse
states. In readjusting my roll put down Mr'
Holt 10 20 the soldiers roll. Mr. PreHcou was
doing dUty the roll up % the lJth, and lt the
reasstmJIng oC Congress, on the l0tni SAID 70
Mr.. Prescott: They insist upon Holt having the
place; can't give but so many places 10 New In
gland, and only one on the soldiers roll anu 'heJ
insist upon his having that best place
Now turn to page 81. Mr.. Holt WAS Oh the Wit
ness stand.
Question. You have been a soldier!
Answer. Yes, sir.
o. How oEg have you been in the service:
o. AsSn siS enlisted soldier from Massaehuse:.s?
4. Yes, sir.
What did that mean? What did Holt mean
when he replied in that way? He meant that he
had been a soldier in the Army Of United states,
lighting for his country for three years, from
Massachusetts, or he meant nothing.
Now turn to page 65. He was again on the
stand.
Question. seeing that the matter has been re-
ferred to, / will ask you to state what was your
military service in the Union Army during the war
of the rebellion
Answer. | did not do any. / belonged to an in
dependent company in Boston.
Now Holt to-day ia in the employ Of the demo-
cratic party Of this House, Notwithstanding that
be com mitted-in spirit, at any rate-perjury, and
every man in this House, knows that in spirit ne
committed perjury. When he was put upon that
roll he either deceived the members from Connec-
ticut and New Hampshire or else he deceived Mr.:
Polk and thus got himself put on the soldiers
roll l. il worthy Of the democratic party 20 keep
that man from that time 20 this IN the employ or
the House? j. il New England democracy TO do
Oh. Won New England statesman, could you not,
hunting all over the democratic ranks OF soldiers
In all New England, find a single crippled and
disabled democratic soldier, and were you COM
pelled 10 take this man Holt who served three
wears in an independent company IN Boston
tLaughter What had become Of your promises
| Were they ropes OF sand:
Mr.. FINLEY.-Wlu the gentleman ylelo 70 me
! for question. IN
want 10 saw further that Mr. Polk informed the
| statesmen from New England that Mr. Holt must
| 20 OF the roll, and they held meeting They
| were terribly exercised. Ihey consulted as 70
! what should be done upon this quota 70 which
| New England was entitled. What was the quota :
| One laborer, one fireman, one soldier Glorious
! old New England, stick Tor your quota 10 De
ain f1n cha d n
have 4 quota Move together and consult aDOu I
| your quota To be sure, each OF you represents
one hundred and dity thousand people 10 De
sure you, each of you, represent millions OF cap
! tal. To be sure, you are Interested more than
any other part OF the country in great financial
! questions. To be sure, the tariff is q matter Of
! life or death to the industries Of your districts.
But for Gods sake, gentlemen, forget finance for
get the tariff and stick to your quota of three en-
| ployes.
What does Polk say further
did make out partial roll with few names,
putting Prescots name on the soldiers roll, trom
the lst 10 the 10th of January, and certified ".
went Immediately, that same day,to Judge Fnelp .
and Mr.. Landers, two members from Connecticut
and said TO them, i can't put Holt on the soldiers
! roll; there must be some other Arrangement made;
you must find me soldier 10 go on there" 1ney
were a good deal perturbed and annoyed about IT.
| and they said, "Wait, let Us see let Us hN some
! thing" The same day notified Mr.. Prescott that
Mr. Holt could not 90 the soldiers roll, but IN
/ asnuch as Holt WAS there on the moor ana was
| more suited 20 the place than Prescott thouSnt
| some Arrangement wonld be made soon by which
they both perhaps, could get on the rolls. In the
mean time had stated in writing TO Judge Phelps
and Mr. Landers, "The best thing can do Tor you
is TO give YOU man on the soldiers roll. VIII
appoint Prescott on the soldiers roll, and Will ap.
point Holt on the hreman's roll, and Mcdonnell on
The laborers' rOil;" and knowing that they had be
fore pooled the salaries OF Prescott and Mcdonnell
/ said Now, this is the best can do for You and
YOU can do what you please with IT," They got To-
gether and they came and informed me that lhey