New-York tribune., 1880-01-13
WEAVER AND HIS PETITIONS.
HE ASSERTS THAT sixty THOUSAND soLDHRs utvG
JOlXrD ~ HIS CAMPAIGN 10 PLUNDER TIE
TREAsUEY-UNION VETERANS BEGINNING 10
SHOW DISGUST.

JOiEID ~ HIS CAMPAIGN TO PLUNDER TTfE
TREAsUEY-UNIoN VETERANS BEGINNING 20
SHOW DISGUST.
lBY TELEGRAPH TO The TRBUgE.l
WAsHNGTON. Jan. I2.--Represent alive Weaver.
Of Iowa. VINO may be justly STYLED the apostle of
discomfort in the House, continues 10 load down
the petition box with documents which are alleged
to come from cX-sOldicrs all praying for the pass
ace Of the bill to place them on an equality "
with the bondholdcTs.
There have already been referred to the Commit
tee on Military Affairs about bushe of these pcti-
tons. Mr.. Weaver not long ago asserted that they
bore the names OF about Co 600 soldier Of the late
war.
a correspondent Of THE TRIBUNE recently spent
an hour looking over these documents. All of them
have q printed heading which is III all instances
couched in the same language, but by no means are
all tic signatures those Of veterans Of the late
On great many. probably a majority of the pc
titions more than half the names are sgned by men
who certify that they citizens and that they
approve" of the proposed measure. From certain
letters and memoranda which accompanied some Of
the petitions aud which have been fled with them,
it is plainly evident that the whole scLeuc was de-
libe. ate planned beforehand and is being indus
trously worked mp under the inspiration aad guld-
auco OF the same genius winch conceived the
Weaver bill. The attempt 10 make il appear that
the petitions arc the results Of any Spontaneous
feeling among the veterans Of the late in favor
of the measure Is the bodcs; kind OF prctelce.
good many Republicans like General Garfield
and General Hawlcy. who are certainly quite Us
good friends of the soldiers as Mr. Weaver and Mr
De La Matyr, have received some oi the petitions.
They express great disgust at the movement, which,
they declare, is calculated TO biing the name OF
soldier into contempt.
4 Ecpublican member Of the House who was
gallant officer during the late war; said: II do not
think the soldiers are very much TO blame. They
have without thinking much about il, been fooled
into signing these petitions by blatant demagogues
As soon as they think Of the subject in its true light
they will put their foot upon the scheme If
could talk 10 any 5000 old soldiers on this subject
half hour, and then put the question to vote.
| don't believe one per cent of them would vote for
this crazy scheme. They have got too much sense"
This morning, soon after the House was called to
order Mr. Weaver who sits by the side Of the CEN
tire aisle, ostentaiOusy unroed one of his petitions
TO attract attention to if. This paper bore the
endorsement " Petition forty feet long, from sol
diers III behalf OF the Weaver bill
Among the papers dropped into the petition box
this morning was one by Nj. Clardv of Missouri II
was renlOHstrancc signed by fifty eX-sOldieIs. and
dated at st. Louis. Mo-. December %. 1870.
Ihc demOnstrants say:
I'VE. the under signed ex-soldicrs of the vOun-
tecr ald regular service. hereby express un-
qualified disapproyal OF the s0-caed Weaver
bll now pending before Congress, well as OF all
measures OF similar characier other than the jnst
equalization of bounties Tending 10 give pecunary
aId at this late day to those who actuated solely by
love of country, made tender of their lives and all
they h dear during the laje rebellion for the sal
walton of the Nation"
This sensible and spontaneous remonstrance
against Mr. Neaycr's demagOgfc scheme no doubt
represents the opinion OF an oyerwhelm-
lng maIoI1ty Oi The Union veterans Oh tins subject.