The Leavenworth weekly times., 1878-03-07
OUR PENSIONERS.
The Debate in the Senate on the
Pension Bill.
A Racy, Lively, Running Fight Be-
tween Messrs. ingalls,, Blaine
and Others.

OF February 4, 1862, to which reference Is
made in the bill, reads as follows:
That the Secretary of the Interior be- and
he IL hereby authorized and directed 10
strike ffoun the pensiOn-rols the names OF ali
such PERSONS as have or may hereafter take
mp arms s.a n-t the Government OF the Uni
L d STATES "r who have i'm any manner en-
couras-d tie rebels or manifested a SYM
palhy with their cause
1t appears by the report that the commit
tee obtained from the Commissioner of PEN
sions, that under the provisions Of this act
the whole number of pensioners dropped
from the rolls was fourteen hundred and
forty one, which included the pensioners of
the war Of lsl2, Of the Indian wars, and of
the war with Mexico; and the Senate will
observe that all those pensioners who were
thus dropped were those who had been
pensioned for disabilities and not gratui-
tously. Of the number that was thus
dropped, about one thousand have already
been restored upon proof that they did not
take up arms against the Government OF
the United States or in way aid and coun-
tenance the rebels, although they were in
| the Southern States; and is believed by the
Commissioner of Pensions that, out of the
four hundred and forty-one remaining,
about two hundred belong TO the war Of
1872, anu Judging by the statistics OF NOR
tality, 50 lar as they can be ascertained al
the Office OF the Commissioner of Pensions
about 20 per cent. OF these, or forty persons
in all, now survive. Since the passage OF
the act Of February ii, 1871, about one
hundred and fifty who had been pensioned
were dropped from the roll, OF whom
about one-half now aresupposed to survive
So the estimate Of the Commissioner OF
Pensions is that not to exceed one hundred
persons will be affected by this provision Of
the bill now under consideration, involving
at the outside an expenditure of not above
$1,000 in addition to what is already paid
by the Government for the pension list.
OF course there is involved in the con id
Grafton OF this question matter of sentI
ment. As the Senator from Nerment ha.
called for the yeas and nays upon the adop
tion OF this amendment, ] beg to say that
inasmuch as every other political burdeI
that was imposed by the war has been oblit
Grated, as all distinctions between loylI peo
pie and rebels have been wiped out by
enactment, and as there is no possibility O
the restoration of natural unity and har-
| many without that obliteration, it occurs Il
me that it is a verv small thing for great
nation 10 dc to admit TO its councils thos,
men who were the leaders Of the rebellion
and exclude from the payment of a small
paltry, petty pension Of SS a month one hun
dred men who were Of SO great an age wher
the rebellion was in active operation tha
they could not by any possibility have don,
any harm against the Government If the,
had tried to do so. am unable to Sc,
upon what principle of law and moralit,
or common sense it is attempted TO pre-
serve this distinction when every other dis
tinction has been wiped out and cast away
Mr.. BECK. May suggest to the Sena
tor from Kansas before he sits down in con
nection with what he said, if he remember
the language of General Grant in his mes
sage?
| Mr.. INGALLS,. / should be glad +
have the paragraph read to which the Sen
ator alludes.
Mr.. Nancy. Mr.. Presid mt, it seem
to me than when the laws OF this countr,
under the operation OF the fourteenth amend
ment justify, and wisely SO, the admission
into this body and to the highest Offices il
the gift OF the people, of men like mySel
who openly, actively participated in tn
late rebellion, it is TO say the least OF i
something exceedingly singular that a fey
old men now rapidly passing to their grave
should be deprived of their pittiance of
pension OF IS per month, for their service
sixty-three years ago in the war with Grea
Britain simply because forsooth their sym
pathies were with their children and grand
children who participated IN the late war
for these old people were too o'd To hav,
taken any part in il. A broad and hber
al craftsmanship was laid down BY the lat,
President General Grant in his messag,
of December l, 1873, in these words:
renew my previous recommendation tc
| congress for general amnesty. The number
| engaged in the late rebellion yet laboring un
keepup constant irritation. No po>sIbi,
| danger can accrue To the government by re.
storing them TO eligibility TO bold Office.
Following out the policy laid down ir
the message of December !. 1873, which
have Just quoted the same President in hi,
message 10 congress OF December Z, 1874
uses, in respect to the soldiers of lSI2-l;
living in the South and provided for by IL,
bill now before the Senate, these words:
The act of Congress providing the oath
| which pensioners must subscribe TO befor,
| drawing their PENSIONS, cuts on from thi,
bounty few survivors of the war OF ISL re-
| siding in the southern states. ] recommend
/ the restoration OF this bounty 10 all such
| The number OF persons whose nsIn"s would
thus be restored to the list of pensioners is
| not large They are all old persons, VIII,
| could have taken no part in the rebellion
| and the services for which they were award.
ed pensions were IN defense of the whole
| country.
Mr.. President. that was the utterance
of the President, the man who, as
General ir Chief of the armies of the
United States, brought the war to a close
Ii such man, occupying the exalted posi-.
tion that he did and who was elevated to
the Presidency OF the United States BY
reason of the military services he had rem
dered his country-if the man, who more
than any other one man perhaps who occu-
pied a high position and faced the so-called
! rebels and brought the war to close-ii
such man could uttersuch a sentiment, l,
does seem to me that the broad statesman
ship which he enunciated in the passages
have quoted ought to prevail in this body,
and which have no doubt does, and should
cause us to secure 10 those old men this pit
tance for the remnant of their days-to
those old men who are rapidly passing
| away. 1t was my fortune, Mr.. President
to have had three uncies in that war Oi
1872. One was killed at the River Raisin,
one died but few months ago, near eighty
seven years of age, the other is now near
eighty -four years of age. 1t is but natural
| that these veterans of 1Sl2-15 sympathized
| with us, their children and their grand
| children, bone of their bone and flesh OF
their flesh; and | can but repeat what was
| said by getleman of distinction in another
place, that would have no respect for
them if they had not sympathized with us.
But they were too old to take any part.
The war of lSl2-'15 closed sixty three years
ago, and the youngest of these old men must
necessarily be over eighty years of age.
admire the kindly language Of the Presi-
dent, in the passage which have quoted !:
They are all old persons who could have
taken no part In the rebellion.
And the last portion Of that part of his
message quoted should impress all of US:
And the services for which they were
awarded pensions were In defense OF the
whole country.
trust we shall have the magnanimity TO
pass this act and thus remove an ungener-
Gus cause of irritation which necessarily
must exist if this is kept up. Its passage
a tardy recognition Of their services-will
send thrill Of Joy through the hearts OF
those old veterans.
Mr.. EDMUNDS. Mr.. President, ! think
that am Just as much in favor OF the re-
storation OF harmony and goodwill as the
Senator from Texas or the Senator from
Kansas ia. The difference il that we do
not look at the steps to be taken to that
end, alike. The Senator from Texas is of
the opinion that the war of the rebellion
being over, every person who went into the
rebellion is entitled to exactly the same
claims and benefits out of and against the
Goxarrrnapt a. ~ he had never uooa m =.