The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1880-02-14
THE PENSION BILL.

Arguments in Behalf of tho Veterans of tho
Indian and Florida Wars--Thc Duty of
the Country The States that Isavo De-
sired It.
In addition to the synopsis Of the
report Of the House Military Commit
tee, prepared with great care by Judge
.Mackcy, Of the Committee Of Mexican
War Veterans, and adopted by the
Committee, we append the conclusion
of the report. After giving the statis-
tics already published, the report con-
cludcs:
Measuring the chances OF life bv
any reasonable scale Of probabilities,
and applying the knowledge derived
from vital statistics to This number of
men ofthcir average age when dis
charged from service, il is not unrca-
sonahlc to conclude that after the lapse
Of thirty-two years not more than one
third of their number, or $4,000, now
survive, even if they had been subject
cd to purely normal conditions in the
peaceful and ordinary pursuits Of life.
But the period that followed close
upon the termination Of the Mexican
war was one Of intense activity
throughout this country. The vctcr-
ans of that conflict were among the
foremost pioneers i'm The development
Of the vast domain acquired by their
triumphant arms. Laying down their
military equipments when the war
was over, they joined, and let in a
ma urc, that 4rhat multitude of
American citizens who travcrscd path
less and trcclcss plains for thousands
Of miles, and, entering upon the
Pacific slope, became the builders of
States.
1t requires no very profound knowl-
edge Of the laws that regulate ;hc
dAration Of human life to demonstrate
that periods OF extreme activity and
excitement, when mind and body are
strained to their utmost tcrs'on arc
attended by II very high dcatl,-ratc.
This is the teaching alike Of history
and of common observation.
Within the sixteen years that fol-
lowed tho close OF the war with AIcXi-
CO the people of the United States
achieved more in the material develop
mcnt OF the country, and in the gcncr-
al and permanent expansion nf all
useful industries, than had been cfE.cs-
,, ed 10y them du ing the two preceding
generations. They acted history on
stupcndous scale, and achieved
brncliccnt results, that challenged the
respect and admiration of mankind.
During the last four years of that
pcrio:: an ,lncxamplcd civil war was
raging, which taxed TO their utmost
the vast resources Of this republic,
and embraced within it's theatre, as
contcnding forces, thirty-six powerful
commonWcalths. The vast majority
OF these veterans bore parts of more
or less importance in that mighty
struggle which involved in its progress
the actual operation in the field Of
armies that aggregated over two mil
lions of soldiers.
These veterans were exposed to all
the tolls and privations Of that four
years war, and to the casualties Of its
more than one hundred battlc-iiclds.
When we consider these causes that
were so potent in the rapid drstruc-
ton Of life, and which battle all culcu-
lations based or vital statistics that.
arc applicable to purely normal con-
dltIons OF society, and the further fact
that thousands Of these veterans came
out OF the Mexican war with the seeds
OF mortal disease implanted in their
constitutions, the committee arc salts
fled that there arc not now living
more than 1000 soldiers Of that war
who will be entitled to pensions under
this bill. The committee arc con-
vinccd that this is not an undcrcsti-
mate in view ofall the circumstances,
and especially Of the fact that the
actual military operations against
Mexico commenced in April, 1916.
and the first battle was there fought
on May 6 of that year, more than a
third of Il century ago.
There were 5000 sailors cmD|oycd
in the naval operations against Nlccxi-
co, of whom 2,700 served less than
sixty days within the theatre Of opera
tions.
or the remaining $500, the commit
tee estimate that there arc not more
than 600 now living, and, including
the widows of this class, they will not
add more than 700 to the bcnciiciarics
OF the bill The committee therefore
present the following tabulatcd state
ment, showing tho number Of surviv-
ors OF all classes who will be entitled
to pensions under this bill:
Surviving veterans Of Mexican
,,,. war. ............. 1000
WiuoWs. ................. 900
Soldiers and their widoWs., 700
Surviving soldiers and widows
Of Black Hawk war. ..... 200
Soldiers and widows of Creek
and Florida wars. ..... 5000
1880
From this aggregate must be deduct
cd those soldiers and so;I.