The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1878-02-28
PENSIONS.


Debate In the House of Representative
on the Bill Restoring Ex-Pensioners to
the Rolls-Mr Blame Creates Another
Surprise.
From the House Proceedings.l
AT the 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 1912. and
their widows.
The committee reported an 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 1872 or of any of the Indian wars,
whose names were stricken therefrom on &C.
count OF dlsloyalty, 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 obliterated, and, as there
was no possibility of national unity without
having such obliteration complete the bill
should be passed. It 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 $8 per month"; and could
do no harm.
Mr.. Edmnnds opposed the amendment, and
said he old so not that he was opposed to restor-
ing these old men to the pension roll, but such
amendment might be taken as q precedent for
the compensation of property lost during the
rebellion.
Mr.. Ingalls, said he was opposed to the whole
~
the bill, 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 tha 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 tout. 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.
Mr.. Blaine said everv soldier who served in
the war of 1912 must have been at least 60 years
OF age when the rebellion broke out, and they
were now nearly 80 yearslof age. 1t was i'm
possible that these men could have done any
thing active against the Government of the
United States during the late war, audit snot
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 to restore men Of the rebellion to
privileges, but these old men did their part in
upholdiDg the country in the war of 1912, and
he would not exclude one of them from the
pension-rolls Men who were engaged actively
N 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 were doing so by the vote
of the Senator from Illinois IOglesby).
MIR. Oglesby-For the services they are rem
dering now.
Mr.. Blaine-Yes, they are in Office all through
this Government, and my rather sad anticipa-
ton is that they are pretty nearly controlling
this Governzr 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.
MIR. Oglesby said it was wise craftsmanship
to remove the political disabilities of those
engaged in the rebellion vino had asked to
have them removed. Some of the men who
had their disabilities removed were now rem
dering valuable service in the Government
Ninety-nine one-hundredths of the men who
were in the rebellion had come forward and
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 Gid not affect courage.
MIR 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. lack Taylor was on TIE
pension-r0Il. Her son took active part in
the rebellion. Was her name to be stricken
from the roll because she bound up the wound
of Dick Taylor, her son?
Mr.. KirkwoSd said he for one was perfectly
willing to take his share CT any odium which
might come from restoring these old men to
the pension-rolls He thought great Govern
ment like ours could forgive past offenses.
Mr. Blaine said if Congress was going to
legislate SO as TO exclude old men and widows
from the generosity of the Government it was
taking ground which dshonored the magnan-
unity of the Government.
Mr.. Ingalls, said an attempt to array the
American Congress against q few old men was
indicative to his mind of the spirit whic1 would
lead man to strike q woman Or kick baby.
The bill was passed, as amended, by yeas AZ,
nays 8-Messrs. Anthony, Cameron Owls. }, Ed
munds, Hanalin, Mcmillan, Morrill, and Oglesby
constituting the nays.