The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1880-06-04

o. hn -rf I
write an account OF the M terious panic that cur
forces had after crossed the river and we're CO.
ing 20 the rear Of Gand Gulf and then he ted
me oI ilis case ne said that "a few weeks before
be had happened 20 - accidentally into the United
pension. This man had sworn that ne had re-
ceiyed an injury on the night of the Soth April.
Ioo aiIer We nau crossed ihe river and were march
ing up 20 Ze: In the rear OF Grand Cult and In tie
presence OF the enemy. Upon examining the re-
cords il appeared that no enemy was r.-aserf -,
that occasion, and that there was no cnEauerneur-
Macsuiey was called as . yritnsss ana sslsi n 81,
knew OF any action that occurred on the night 1F
Corps and the enemy. and De replied that De ara
not. He was then asked what, 1i any. knowledge
tack 81 any kind On mat nisht Hc 5afi be-i15
none at an. but said DE, Il know that on thgt
little later had the most my sterious panic thai
ever struck an army. remember That pau.e=
ly the alarm came down the line from the head 1f
The column There were four divisions ut usI that
shot wa fired and the firing commenced an along
the line; and in the CONSERVATION and tuVlult az
broke his ankle joint put 30 ont 0f place and be
had suffered IRON that injury ever since Upon
as it appeared from the War Department records
that there was 10 engagement that niEht and ro
and would probably have been convicted ID tfeuer1l
Mscauley had not happened ia 90 testify 20 TIE
were perfectly amazed, and the man was acquitted.
as a matter 81 course No one knows the cause nt
day
This bill makes the af6davits OF the APP
pHcant competent evidence. in the courts
OF the United States and in the courts uf near
" all Of the States, interested parties are a.
lowed TO testify, and their evidence Is accept
ed as competent testimony, but. strange TO
say, that the affidavit of the applicant i'm the
Pension Department has scarcely the weight
OF teutiser, unless, perhaps, IL contravenes ia
some way the applicants claim or contra
diets the evidence in its support then il has
the weight of a UliilSt0ne 1t this court Is or
gauiZeO the soldier viii know that his claim
Is before learned judges who viii give his
sworn statement fun credit, and that his
testimony VIII be considered rs III it had
been given in court Of justice. ] would
not ask the Government to place upon the
pensIon-roii the name Of any soldier unless
he Is entitled 20 and deserves "a pension.
We are daily reminded of the large au-
preparations made 10 pay pensions and ~
the constantly increasing Peu~ion-roll. Cor
greSs cannot appropriate money for q more
worthy OF Just purpose. Congress anurO-
PIRATES millions upon millions of dollars for
other purposes that do not have n fifhp of
the merit of the pension appropriations.
Now, how many members of this House.
when ths great civil war was CDuVuI~inE the
country made speeches inducing men d. 20
to the tented fieli@ Do we remember now
what Inducements we held out toour fellow
clilLenS 10 volunteer. We promised them
that our great Government should Doe q Iu=-
band TO tEg widow Of the fallen soldier. q
guardian TO the soldiers orphans. and the
supporter of the wounded aud disabled. We
10 the patriotism of our people. %
their love OF country. and sye held un before
them the everlasting honor that would be
given 10 tile men that would put down the
rebellion and who would save the Govern
ncut from dISmamOermgut and our homes
from devastation ard destruction From
tvery hillside and from every valley voIun-
teer~ flew 10 the rescue. The husband bid
his wife farewell ana looked into the bright
eyes of his little children in the hope that La
would soon return TO his family, and that Doe
would merit and receive the gratitude Of his
cOuutTymeu. but, alas, DE never returned
he fell upon the battlefield perehauee he
sleeps IN one Of the unknown graves. -' or
IL he returned. LC shortly thereafter died
from wounds or disease contracted i'm tta
service. The son took leave Of his dependent
parent and went in the full hope of safe
return; hut Ae, tCo, fell in battle or diet
from disease.
Hundreds of thousands OF others. full If
lie, health, vITur, went nut 20 battle man
iulY Tor their country, but returned diseased
and disabled and MANY of them today NOT
lar from being walking corpse. The
widow of the dead soldier applied Tor pen
sion, aud her name was placed on the pen
Slon-roil hut because some euyiouS or mali
CloUS person residing i'm the ueighb1rhoaT
wrote 20 the Pension Department throwing
doubt upon heTrigiit 10 her pension. q special
agent was dispatched, and while intoxicated
prepared and took statements. without arv
notice To her, and then made his report. and
now her name Is dropped from the pension
roll. The soldier himself by the same means.
and without notice 90 him. las had his name
stricken from the UnnSiOu-rOl. Thousands
OF others have been struggling through
poverty and iu want FOR years iu the hope Of
having their pensions granted. Over two
hundred thousand of the brave soldiers who
aided in crushing out the rebellion are uHr,
anNiously and in painful suspense waiti. q
Tor action on their pension application uu til,.
ln the Department Many thousand of these
applications have been pending there for am
lneNcuSable length of time from five I'd
twelve years. The applicants have not been
able 10 supply the afiidayits demanded. from
commissioned officers and surgeons. ar 20
comply with the peculiar rulings Of the Pgr.-
sion Office IN regard to the evidence demand
ed Already in this Congress two thou-ard
and five hundred bills granting pensions 20
soldiers have been relsrredt0 the Committee
oH Invalid Pensions. Now. ] appeal 10 the
members of this House IL this long DELAY fn
doing Justice to the wounded and disabled
soldier is right, and Il It is complying with
the promises made 10 him when he vuluu-
tcerCd.