The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1880-10-12
THE TRUTH Or HISTORY
In Regard to the Arrears O
Pension Bill.
1t Was q Democratic Measure From
First to Last,
AND WAsPAssED OVER SHEER
MANS VIOLENT OPPOSITION.
And Now the Republicans Claim It,
and Seek to Rob the Gallant
General Rice of His HOnOrs.

2 ~ " OStoOCt uC
Campaign Text hook issued by author
ity of the Republican Congressional
Committee talsifies the records of the
Democratic and Republican parties on
the question of pensions. Take the act
providing for paying arrears of pensions.
The Textbook says:
"The plain truth of the whole matter
is that the Democratic Congress has in
herited legacy OF hate for the Union
soldier, and while it would pretend to
love him just before an important cleo
tion in order to catch his vote, the mo-
nent it is over-should Hancock be
elected or counted in-they would fflng
him aside like piece of waste paper
1t needs but little evidence, in addition
to that already given, to prove this
Take. for instance, the Democratic op-
position TO the bill voting arrears Of
pensions This bill was introduced
April 2, 1878, into the House Of Rep
resentatives. in the second session of
the Forty-fifth Congress, by Hon Henry
j, B, Cammings Of Iowa, and in the
same session, June 19, 1878, it was
passed in the House-yeas. 1874; nays,
6l."
Now, the "plain truth" as establish.
ed by the Congressional records, is that
the credit OF the Arrears Of Pension
Act belongs exclusively to the Demo
cratic party. and had its origin in the
Forty fourth Congress. General A. v
Rice, OF Ohio-himself soldier who
lost leg in battle-while member Of
the Committee on Invalid Pensions, pre-.
pared and introduced into the House On
the 22d day of March, 1876. the origin
al bill on this subject. He labored day
and night to press it through, and made
o lengthy speech in advocacy OF it on
the 81 day of March, 1877, and sncceed-
ed in having it pass the House the same
day. The bill then went to the Repub-
lican Senate, and was left to die there
General Rice was reelected to the
Forty-6fth Congress. and made Chair.
man of the Pension Committee, and at
once resumed his ,,abors in behalf of the
Arrears Of Pensions Bill. His Com.
mittee held many meetings on the sub
ject The soldiers in all parts of the
Union had their attention attracted to
it, and petitions, letters, &c, came pour.
ing in, AMI the Committee prepared &
new aud Improved bill from the one o.
the sForty-fourth Congress, which the
General introduced into the House Oc
tober 20, 1877.
Five months after this, during which
time the soldiers were everywhere ex
pressing their gratitude to General Rice
other members of the House, seeing th'
popularity of the measure, sought 10 at
tain for themselves. small portion o
the glory to he achieved by their servi
ces in putting this Law upon the statute
books, among whom was Mr.. Cum
mings, of Iowa, Republican, who in
troduced into the House, on the ID da,
of April, 1878, the identical bill draw
lby General Rice in the Forty.fourtl
Congress.
On the 18th of June following MI
Haskell, of Kansas, having the priv
Aeee Of moving to, suspend, the rules, b,
used it for the passage OF the Cumming
Pension Bill. General Rice stated tina
this was not the one reported unani
.mously from the Committee. but it be
!, ing SO near the close of the session b.
feared its failure, and urged his Demo
cratic friends to support it, and the bill
Ipassed.
i When the appropriation for the bill
came up in the House General Rice sue
ceeded in getting attached to it part o
] the improvements of his own bill owe
the Cummings Bill. On the 26th o
February, 1879, when the appropriation
for the bill was pending in the Senate
John Sherman, Secretary of the Treas
ury. addressed q communication there
in which he declared that if the appro
priation was made it wpuld take million.
of dollars from the Treasury and i'm
pair the resumption of specie payment
In spite OF this opposition the Demo
cratic Congress passed the appropria
tion, and up to the present time Owe
$24, 600, 600 have been paid under it tt
soldiers and their families.
This is the true history Of the Ar
rears Act, which will be seen to hav,
been purely Democratic measure. No
only has the act not impaired resump
ton, but it has been blessing, carrying
relief into thousands OF soldiers fami
! lies,