Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1880-08-12
Hazelton on Pensions.


at Washington, to getting pensions
for soldiers. What some people
think about it is indicated in the
following paragraph, found in let
ter dated at Washington March I'd,
1880, published in tie Detroit Com
mercidl Advertiser.
"The Pension Committee has so much
work on haad that il is necessary to employ
three additional clerks, and the Republicans
on tai end Of the committee, at the SUCCESS
ton of Hazel.on. of Wisconsin, sent to Bent
ley, the Commissioner Of Pensions, and ask
ed him to send them man from the Pension
Office. This he was delighted TO do, and
sen. Captain Shepherd, brother of the
Boss, and detective of the Department., to
Gil the place His appointment is fatal to
any pension claim that comes before any Re-
publican member. He, Shepherd, who is
exceedingly ignsrant, and whose business in
the Pension Office has been to hunt up testi.
mony to defeat claims, OF course suppresses
all that is favorable to claimants, and brings
forward into bold relief the very questionable
en- parGe testimony Of witnesses inimical to the
to the success of the claim. / regret to say
that Mr.. Hazelton is antagonizing every pen~
sion claim that he can, not in an open and
manly way like Warner, who will be dropped
by his ccn7tituents for his prank like hot
cake, but in committee aud in detail he de-
feats and retards every pension claim that
comes within his reach. 1t is to be hoped
that the Wisconsin soldiers may all hear Of
this before the next election"
However, we do not think Mr..
hazelton antagnizes all pension
claims. There is a class of men he
don't antagonize. But we have not
been able to find any acts of self de-
NAL on the part OF Mr.. H. toward
the soldiers and we fear his bosom
rankles unfavorably toward them
sometimes Father Bronson and
some other admirers OF Mr. H. ap,
pear to think he has very bravely
faced the brigadiers 10 Congress.
But we failed to find it in his record.
In fact it is safe to defy any friend of
his to fad an instance wherein Geo.
G. has so antagonized himself towards
"brigadier" either on field or forum
as TO call down upon him brigadier
animosity. At homo he has always
been in the way of the soldiers-al.
ways taking places they should have
had. In Congress he was a Jolly
fellow with the "brigadiers" and for
their amusement IT seems he some.
times twitted Union soldiers about
their wounds. Mr.. Warner, the Con-
gresham above alluded to, had been
a good soldier, served through the
whole war and was wounded. Mr..
Hazelton, guessing at it (like he
gueSSes who controls the HERALD
ventured to raise laugh among the
brigadiers by saying che was woun d.
ed early, sought pension early and
the wound for which he receives
that pension is in the back" Reflect
moment how this sounds from a
man who left New York in drafting
times, moved to Wisconsin, and be.
fore he was here year and ever
since has been in the way of oldiers'
holding Office. Warner in a speech
in Congress, took a firm stand
against allowing pensions to certain
impostors. His opposition riled Mr..
Hazelton. They got into a debate.
Mr.. Hazelton made some charge
which Warner denounced as a
falsehood. Our Hazelton replied
with words that implied coffee
and pistols. From this point
wegive the conclusion of the sparring
match and the reader may say who
came off worsted.
Warner
II the gentleman from Wisconsin thought
to frighten him he was mistaken He WAR.
ner) knew very we'll that the gentleman had
never been in the army; that he had been as
close to the Canada border as he could get,
and that he remained so far in the rear as to
be beyond the roar of the loudest cannon.
Laughter.
Mr.. Hazeiton-I am not surprised that the
gentleman stands on this floor to blow his
own trumpet for what he did III the var. As
near as ! find it, he was wounded early,
sought pension early, and the wound fer
which he receives that pension is in his back.
Loud Laughter
Mr.. Warner-There is no better evidence
of a coward
The Speaker-The chair thinks that this is
out of order
Mr.. Warner Continuing -Than that he
should shoot a soldier IL tie back. That is the
only way he shoots. | do not propose here
to proclaim my own deeds refer this house
| and the country to the records made on the
battlefield, in campaign and in camp, from
the begiaaing of the war to the ead. refer
the gentleman TO the Peninsula, to South
Mountain, 20 Antietam, where suffered as
| severely as any man in that battle. No man
suffered more and lived than did. | refer
him to the reports of my superior officers A
gentleman who stayed at home, VINO is wills
ling and has no better spirit than TO come
here to assail the record of soldier of which
he kao'cs nothing, deserves the character
have given him.
Mr. Hazelton-Did you not assail my man.
hood, and charge me with being in Canada.
Laughter.
If thus little episode and Mr., Hazel
toms acts do not show contempt for
the true soldier, then let them honor
him. His beggarly question, too,
with which the debate was wound
up, let's his nature crop out. He saw
he had blundered, and his question is
confession that he said what he did
without kno wing the facts, but would
say whatever struck him, even though
it belittled and brought into ridicule
a wounded Union soldier. Let US
put a soldier in his place. Wisconsin
Republicans want one soldier in Con-
gress.
E~H=-zs--zzssssz
To Whom IT May Concern.