The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1878-02-21

AGPohk AAlnt NAlG nd0 lQk
Invasion of Turkey.
The English channel squadron has
arrived at Gibraltar. In addition to the
vessels now IN the Bay of Mudouia,
the smaller ships, including the Torch
Of five guns, Antelope, two guns,
Fiamingo. three guns, Bassilists, FIVE
guus, Cygnct, four guns, are at the Bos.
phorus or at the entrance of the Black
Sea II keep watch over the straits and
hold themselves at the disposal of the
ambassador and consul.
The Iimes's financial article saws
that the United States funds have SUI
prised many people by advancing, In.
stead of falling, on the news that the
silver bill had passed in a manner that
will insure its becoming law in much
of its present shape.
The Times Rome correspondent saws
the uncompromising party are divided,
some favoring Cardinal Bllio for the
papacy and some Cardinal Simeoni.
The moderates hesitate between Cardi-
mails Pecci and Franchi. On next
Tuesday, after mass and the usual ex-
ercises, the first ballot will be held.
This will take place between 10 and
II o'clock.
The Daily Netos. in leading arti-
Gle, says that had Lord Derby felt at
liberty to speak fully, he could have
said that the Russian communication
was of character to warrant hopes of
psace.
The Committee on Military Affairs
reported an amendment To the section
authorizing the restoration to the pen
sion rolls of all persons now surviving
and heretofore peLsioned on account
OF service In the war of 1912, or any of
the Indian wars, whose names were
stricken therefrom on account of dis
loyalty, so as TO provide that all per
sous should be restored whose disa-
bilities had been removed, or who had
made application for such removal.
Senator Ingalls, said there were not
more than one hundred men affected
by this provision of the bill, as nearly
all distinction between the loyal peo-
pie and the rebels had been obliter.
sted, and as there was no
possibility of the restoration of
national unity without having such
obliteratIon complete. The bill should
be passed, as it was a small thing for
this great nation to- admit into its
councils those who were the leaders In
the rebellion and exclude from the ben
etits of that government the poor old
men who had received a pension of
eight dollars a month and could do no
harm.
Senator Edmunds opposed the
amendment, asd said he did so not that
he was opposed 20 restoring these old
men to the pension roll, but such an
amendment might Be taken as a prec-
edent for compensation for property
lost during the rebellion.
After some further discussion it was
agreed that the words of the amend
ment were not necessary to restore to
the pension rolls the names of those
persons stricken therefrom on account
of disloyalty, and Senator Withers,
who is N charge of the bill,
withdrew it. Other amendments of
a verbal character were agreed to.
The question being of the third
reading of the bill, Senator Iugalls
said he was opposed to the whole sys-
tenn of gratuitous pensions as proposed
by the bill, which was to grant those
pensions to all survivors of the war Of
1912, whomsoever was in military or
naval service for 1874 days. He was
in favor of pensIoning those who were
disabled in the service, but could not
favor the granting of pensions to per-
sons merely because they entered SER
vice. If such gratuitous pensions
were given, how would Congress be
able to resist the appeals for pensions
which would come ten or fifteen years
from this time. When the war broke
out he had not laid awake
at night considering how to
restore to the men engaged in
the rebellion this privilege. But these
old men did their pat in unfolding
the country in 1912, and he would not
exclude one of them from the pension
rolls. Men who had once engaged
actively In rebellion had been pardoned,
and many of them were now holding
office and drawing large salaries from
the government of the United States.
They are dong so 10y the votes of the
Senators from Illinois.
Senator Oglesby-For services they
are rendering now.
Senator Blaine--Yes, they are in of
fee all through this government, and
my rather sad anticipation is that they
are pretty nearly controlling this GOV
eminent. But he could not say that
the old veterans south of the Potomac
who fought and bled in 1912 should be
excluded from the generosity of the
government.
Senator Oglesby said it was wise
craftsmanship to remove the political
disabilities of those engaged in the re.
bellion who asked to have them re-
moved. Some of the men who had their
disabilities removed were now render
ing valuable services in the government.
Ninety-nine hundreths of the men who
were In the rebellion had come for
ward in time from those who merely
served in the late war and were not
awarded such legislation, as this was
prompted by sentiment, and when Con-
gress, in 1871, departed from the sys-
tenn of granting pensions only to those
who were disabled, it took danger
Gus step.
Senator Morrill, said that he feared
this bill was forerunner of what was
to come hereafter, and what would re-
suit in taking large sums of money
from the treasury.
Senator Oglesby opposed the fifth
section of the bill, authorizing the res
toration on the pension rolls of those
persons whose names were stricken
therefrom on account of disloyalty,
and moved that it be stricken out.
He argued that the men who fought
for the government in 1912 should have
been the last to attempt to destroy it
in after years.
Senator Blaine said every soldier
who served IN the var of 1912 must
have been at least sixty years of age
when the rebellion broke out, and
they were now near eighty years of
age. 1t was impossible that these men
could have done anything active
against the government of the United
States during the late war, and it was
not to be expected they would break
their family ties. They could have
their names restored to the pension
rolls by coming forward and having
their disabilities removed.
In reply to Senator Blaine's asser-
ton that the pensioners were too old to
render active service in the war of the
rebellion, Senator Oglesby said age
did not affect patriotism; age did not
affect courage.
Senator Blaine said he had IN his
eye the men who came back after the
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