The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1878-03-01
PENSIONS.
Debate In the House OF Representatives
on the Bill Restoring Ex-Pensioners to
the Rolls-Mr Blame Creates Another
Su
From the House Prooeedings.l

| Surprise.
| From the House Proceedings.l
At ths expiration Of the morning hour, Mr..
Withers called up for consideration the Senate
bill amending the laws granting PENSIONS to
soldiers and sailors Of the war of 1872, and
their widows.
The committee reported amendment to
! the section authorizing the restoration to the
pension rolls Of all persons now surviving here
tofore pensioned on account of service in the
war Of 1912 or of any Of the Indian wars
whose names were stricken therefrom on ac-
count Of disloyalty, so as to provide that all
such persons should be restored whose disabil-
tiles had been removed or who had made
application for such removal.
Mr.. ingalls, said there were not more than
100 men affected by this provision OF the bill
As nearly all distinction between loyal people
and rebels had been oblterated, and, as there
was no possibility OF national unity without
having such oblteration complete, the bill
should be passed. 1t occurred to him as a
small thing for great nation to admit to its
counsels those who were leaders in the rebel
lion, and exclude from the benefits Of that
Government the poor old man who had re-
ceived pension Of So per month, and could
| do no harm.
Mr.. Edmunds opposed the amendment, and
said he did so not that he was opposed to restor-
ing these old men to the pension roll, but such
amendment might be taken az precedent for
the compensation OF property lost during the
rebellion.
Mr.. Ingalls, said he was opposed to the whole
system Of gratuitous pensions, as proposed by
the bin, which was TO grant pensions to all
survivors of the war of 1912, who served in the
military or naval service for fourteen days. He
was in favor Of pensioning those who were
wounded and disabled in the service, but could
not favor granting pensions to persons merely
because they entered the service.
Mr. Morrill, said he feared this bill was the
! fore runner OF what was to come hereafter, and
would result in taking large sums Of money
from the treasury.
Mr. Oglesby opposed the restoration TO the
| pension-rolls of those persons whose names
were stricken therefrom on account Of disloy-
atty, and moved to strike it out. He argued that
| the men who fought for the Government in
| 1912 should have been the last TO attempt to
destroy IL in after years.
Mr.. Blaine said every soldier who served in
| the war OF 1872 must have been at least 60 years
of age when the rebellion broke out. and they
were now nearly so years Of age. 1t was inn
| possible that these men could have done any
thing active against the Government Of the
United States during the late war, audit was not
| to be expected they would break their family
ties and come North when the war broke out.
He (Blaine) had not laid awake at night consid-
ering how 10 restore men of the rebellion to
privileges, but these old men did their part in
upholding the country in the war of 1912, and
he would not exclude one of them from the
] pension-rolls. Men who were engaged actively
m the rebellion had been pardoned, and many
Of them were now holding Office and drawing
| large salaries from the Government Of the
United States. They we're doing so by the vote
Of the Senator from Illinois (Oglesby).
Mr. Oglesby-For the services they are rem
| dering now.
Mr. Blaine-Yes, they are in Office all through
this Government, and my rather rad anticipa-
| ton IL that they are pretty nearly controlling
this Governy1 ent. But he could not say that
old veterans south Of the Potomac who fought
and bled in the war of 1912 should be excluded
from the generosity Of the Government.
! Mr. Ogesby said IL was wise statesmanship
! to remove the political disabilities OF those
engaged in the rebellion who had asked to
have them removed. Some Of the who
had their disabilities removed were now rem
dering valuable service in the Government,
Ninety-nine e.hundredths Of the men who
were in the rebellion had come forward and
! frankly asked to have their disabilities re-
| moved. But there was another class OF per-
sons in the South who would not ask to have
their disabilities removed. These very per-
| sons who were pensioned could be restored to
the rolls by coming forward and having their
disabilities removed.
In reply to MIR. Blaine that the pensioners
were too old to render active service in aid of
the rebellion, he said that age did not affect
patriotism age did not affect courage.
Mr. Blaine said he had in his eye now men
who came back after the war; and Congress-
looking at the Fourteenth amendment, said
These men intend to be citizens We will give
back to them that which is above price. We
will give back citizenship, and open TO them
every honor Of the Republic. Was it possible
that the son who had taken an active part in
the rebellion against the Government should
have all restored TO him? But the poor old
father, who did nothing more than sympa-
thize with his son, could have nothing back.
The widow Of Gen. Jack Taylor was on tie
pension-roll. Her son took an active part in
the rebellion. Was her name To be stricken
from the roll because she bound up the wound
Of Dick Taylor, her eon?
Mr.. Kirkwoed said he for one was perfectly
willing to take his share of any odium which
might come from restoring these old men to
the pension-rolls He thought great Govern
ment like ours could forgive past offeDses.
MIR. Blaine said II Congress was going to
legislate so az 10 exclude Old men ana widows
from the generosity of the Government, it was
taking ground which dshonored the magnan-
unity of the Government
MIR. ingalls, said an attempt to array the
American Congress against few old men was
indicative to his mind OF The spirit whca would
lead man to strike a woman or kick baby.
The bill was passed, as amended, by yeas AZ,
nays S-Messrs. Anthony, Cameron OWLS. }. Ed
munds. Hamlin, Mcmillan, Morrill, and Oglesby
anna attrAt h..