The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1881-01-27
PENSIONING GRANT.
Debate in the United States Senate on the
Proposition.
WAsu1NGTos. January 2

lue lcS uial OAACi3 SCHoLoi AIoG"u t1oN~N
unanimous consent 10 take up the bill TO
retire Gen. Grant.
Senator Vest objected.
Senator Logan then moved to lay aside
all prior orders to take up the bill.
Senator Bayard suggested the proprie-
ty of deferring the consideration Of the
proposition in view of the probability of
early action upon a general measure to
supply what he regarded US a deficiency
by providinga pension for our ex-Presi-
dents. He thought that provision for the
single individual named could be amply
covered in general law.
Senator Logan said.it was true the
proposition was an exceptional one, and
proceeded to show why the bill should be
passed.
Senator Hill, of Georgia, said he was
not prepared to vote on the proposition
to-day, and would therefore vote against
Senator Logan's motion, but his inclina.
tion was to vote for the bill if he could
do so consistently with his sense of duty
to the public. He would not DO so, how
ever, for the reasons given by Senator
Logan in its favor. After stating what
he characterized as the three great epochs
in American history, namely, the settle
ment of the colonies, the establishment
of constitutional government, and the
revolution beginning in 1861, which lat
ter had accomplished great results, Sena-
tor Hill said he regarded Gen. Grant as
the most remarkable man which the
events of that revolution had developed,
and, in his judgment the man without
whom the revolution would not have
been successful. This, be said, was not
a hasty or ILL considered remark. What
ever his merits or dement's, Gen. Grant
would take his place in history as the
great representative of the revolution of
1861, simply because from the peculiar
circumstances that surrounded him he
would be regarded as the one man on
either side of the line without whom that
revolution would not have been success
full. Whether this reason would prompt
him to support Senator Logan's bill or
not he was not now prepared to say. In
speaking as he did he did not desire to
cater to the opposite side of the Chamber,
nor did bis remarks measure in the
slightest degree any opinion he might
entertain of Gen. Grant personally.
Senator Vest said he had objected to
the consideration of the bill on principle,
and he was equally opposed to any legis-
lation on the subject Of the kind suggest
ed by Senator Bayard. He did not pro.
pose to be dragged o.day into any parti-
san discussion in regard to the late war
ifhe could avoid it. Gen. Grant would
beyond question pass into history as the
great general of that struggle. He
entertained the greatest admiration for
the generals military skill, and disclaim-
ed any intention to utter word against
him personally. The Southern people
had in every way evidenced their admi-
ration of Gen. Grant as soldier, and OF
the course pursued by him at the close
of the war, when on the field of Apo
mattox he handed back to Robert E. Lee
his sword, and when afterwards he went
as agent to the Southern States and
reported to the President the undoubted
loyalty and patriotism of the Southern
people, every Southern heart beat with
gratitude to him. When special Office
was created for him, with the rank Ct
General, no Southern man interposed a
single objection, and when at Cairo and
other points, after visiting every South
ern State, Gen. Grant attested that the
people of the South were as loyal to the
Constitution and the flag as the people
of the North, the Southern people again
evinced by their loud acclaim their graf.
itude for that testimony. But when
Gen. Grant deliberately left the place
provided for him by the representatives
of the people, when he entered the arena
of partisan politics, when he took the
chances of political life, he held that he
should stand the hazard of the die. This,
therefore, was no Democratic funeral.
It belonged to the Republican side ofthe
House to provide for their wounded and
their dead In the late conflicts. When
the corpse of Gen. Grant was dragged
from that bloody arena in the City Of
Chicago the funeral and obsequies be-
longed not to the Democrats of the Sen.
ate chamber. We have funerals enough
of our own, Laughter, and we have our
own wounded that we are supposed to
take care of. Senator Vest added he
was aware that for what he said to-day
he would'be followed, as he had been on
recent occasion by the partisan press
of the country, with the cry of "Rebel,"
"unreconstructed Democrat" and that
worst of all stigmas, Bourbon" Be it
so. Sometime ago he had said, in
regard to that distinguished parsonage,
John Brown, that he thought he had
been properly executed at Harper's Fer
ry, and Immediately many of the par.
tisan press of the country undertook to
defend every act of John Browns and to
stigmatize him Senator Vest) as disloyal
to the government, although he bad only
repeated the declaration of the Republi-
can party made in open Convention in
1860, when they stigmatized the same
man as q criminal. No apprehension Of
such abuse would defer him from dis.
charging his duty on this occasion
he naQ no nOSLlllLy tOWdruS 0ell. NTauC
but was opposed to the bill because he
thought there was something else for the
representatives of the people to do than
to provide places for gentleman, nc
matter how distinguished, who had taken
the chances of political life.
Senator Logan expressed his regret
that any senator should attribute par
tisan motive to the proposition, and he
said this with the greater emphasi;
because it was ono which he himself had
based simply upon Gen. Grants distin'
guished military record. So far as The
killed and wounded were concerned the
Republican side had tried to do we'll by
their own.
The remarks of Senator Logan were
cut short by the expiration of the morn.
ing hour and the Chair, Senator Ed
mands, announced as the regular order
the Indian land.in-severalty bill.
Senator Logan then moved to post.
pone the pending and prior orders in
order to proceed with the Grant retire
ment bill.
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