The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1880-08-11

WASHINGTON. August No other
act of the Democratic majority dur
ing the recent session OF Congress
was So characteristic and c0ntempti-
BILE as the attempt To lastcn upon
Republican executive officers there
sponsibilitv for the delay in the set
tlcmcnt Of claims for bounty and
back pay and the payment of money
due to soldiers, their widows, or
their orphans The pickpockct. try
ing to escape with his plundor, Joins
in the cry of stop thief - for the
purpose of fixing the attention OF
his pursuers upon some other per-
son: so the Democrats In Congress,
conscious that the delay in question
was caused by their action, and by
that alone, try To escape righteous
condemnation and to throw the
blame upon the party which has al
ways been the soldiers friend. The
attempt was made by Representa-
tive Alexander II. CotfToth. of the
Seventeenth District OF Pcnnsvlva-
MIA. the special champion on the
floor of the House OF the bill to pen
sion all Confederate soldiers who
served in the Mexican war, and he
was supported in the attempt by his
party. The tcchnicalities OF legi-la-
ton conceal from the public eye the
real causes of the delay. so that Mr.
Coffroth could regard with compla-
ceucv his hypocritical bid for the
votes Of soldiers, knowing that the
information which would reveal the
character OF his complaint could not
secure the wide circulation which
his complaint obtained, and would
in most cases fail TO meet the ewes of
those directly interested in the sub
iect. The facts given below should
be carefully considered by every
soldier. They VIII soon be ernbod-
led in a statement to be prepared for
circulation by the Republican Con
gressional Committee Is q complete
refutation of the miserable SANDER
of which Mr.. Cofiroth and the Dem
ocrats in Congress have been guilty.
The following preamble and resolu-
ton were reported 10 the House for
adoption April %, 1850 by Mr. COT
froth. Chairman Of the Committee on
Pensions and of the Committee ON
Bounty and Back Pay:
WHEREAS. There Is great and Just
complaint being constantly madeby
soldiers on account of the long delay,
in many instances nearly a year, in
the payment of the bounty back
pay settled and allowed to them by
the Second Auditor of the Treasury,
therefore be it
Resoirod, That the Secretary Of the
Treasury be, and he hereby Is. re-
spectfullv requested and direcred 10
inform the House of Representative
the cause Of delay in paving bounty
and back pay found TO be due to the
soldiers and other persons entitled
thereto. and why it Is that he per-
mits these claims TO remain unpaid
from SIX to twelve months before he
asks Congress foran appropriation of
money to pay the same.
This preamble andresolution were
adopted. and in due time the Secre-
tarv made answer, the substance of
which was published in the Times
Immediately thereafter. This an
swer. ike the answer to Mr.. Speer's
INQUIRY in relation the moonshiners
OF Georgia. Eas noJ palatable to
Democrats. and was. therefore, al
lowed to 90 the way Of other eXecu-
tive documents for which the Demo
crats had no use. Mr.. Cohroth knew
that the answer would give him no
comfort. but in the resolution he had
shot his arrow. and in that had ac-
coInplished his purpose His posi-
ton as Chairman OF the Committee
on Bounty and Back Pay made it
impossible for him TO be ignorant of
the real causes of the delay. and he
could easily have rise in his place
and described them. That course,
however. would not have aided his
party, and would have shown the
resolutions real intent. II would
have shown to the soldiers and their
heirs who look to a Republican adj
ministration for their dues. and
whose indignation he sought to ex-
cite. that the delay was the result Of
compliance with a Democratic law
which the Treasury Department
could not set aside. The facts viii
plainly reveal this To the soldier