The National tribune., 1879-02-01
Arrears Of Pensions.


This measure, founded on simple justice, which
has been considered ia Congress for the last four
sessions, has at last passed, has received the APP
prova of the President, and has become the law of
the land
1t stands upon the doctrine of contract, as to all
soldiers who enlisted in the service of the Govern
ment after the passage of the first act Offering pen
sions and embraces under this head all soldiers of
the Army as TO all injuries or disabilities arising
after the date of that law.
The United States, as inducement to volun-
teers offered its promise of pension the soldier en-
tered the service accepted the promise and thereby
completed the contract.
In its spirit the first pension law included all sol
diers who entered the service before it's passage and
the consideration not only of services to be
performed after the passage of the act, but of
vices already rendered
Committee after committee has had the subject
under consideration, and all have agreed that the
right to pension accrued +" er contractio," and be-
came vested when the death or disability occurred
in the line of duty.
For FIVE years after the close of the war every
pension allowed back to the date of death or
disability, and the only reason why all pensions
have not been allowed was because of the statute
Of limitations passed in the pension acts requiring
the claims to be filed within five years.
This statute was undoubtedly intended TO bring
all these cases into the Pension Office for adudica-
ton within the five years named, and it was
pected and believed that all nearly all of those
entitled would file their claims within that period
But the period of FIVE years Immediately subse-
quent to the close of the period of unex-
ampled apparent prosperity, and very many merito-
rious cases were not fled within the statutory limit
alton From 1873 to this date there has been a
period of great depression, and very many persons
justly entitled pension but who not in actual
need at the date of the war, have been driven by
the pressure of hard times to file their claims, and
found themselves barred from recovering the arrears
due them, by this Statute of Limitations
The effect of the law just passed is simply to take
away the bar of this and put all persons who
have heretofore applied, who may hereafter, in
the same position as if they had fled their claims
before the time of five years had elapsed.
All soldiers their widows and heirs. are placed
on absolute equality - on the very highest and
best ground of reason and justice for no man can
give any reason why soldier who is entitled to a
pension should not be paid at the same rate and TO
same extent, whether he files his claim in 1866 or
1879 can his delay in calling upon the Govern
ment for his dues operate reduce the value of his
claim the compensation contracted for in his
original service.
Let the law then be vitalized early as possible
by sufficient appropriations to carry out promptly
and honestly its wise provisions, and this Congress
will make glad many homes now sad and desolate
and give new springs to the dull currents of loca
trade by the early circulation of large sums of money
long since fairly earned, and withheld for years coz
trary to the contract and against common right ano
common humanity.
Compliments for our Clock.