The National tribune., 1881-09-17
The Nations Creditors.

The creditors of the United States may be
divided into two classes, viz: l. Those who hold
the promises to pay, or bonds, of the Government
2. Those who. by their services in the army and
rity of the Union, and thus guaranteed the pub
lie credit.
The first class have been, are being, and should
be paid whatever or is due them, and strictly
according to the letter and meaning OF the obi
cations they held or yet hold When they have
all been thus paid principal and interest, the
Government will be discharged from all claims
in the premises.
As regards the second class, however the case
is different Neither the Government nor the
American people can ever fully discharge the
preserved the one and secured to the others the
blessings to be derived from a Union founded
upon the principles of perfect freedom and even
handed Justice to all men. Money can never
fully discharge the obligation, nor can gratitude
extinguish it. however much it may be appre-
ciated by those upon whom ii is layished. But
money can discharge one portion of the debt
that is so much of it as depends upon any con-
tract, expressed or implied entered into by and
between the Government and its defenders
and, such being the case, there should be no
backwardness on the part of those who have con-
troll of the public purse, nor on the part of the
people who contribute to the National support.
discharge of such obligations are forthcoming,
The soldiers and sailors should he paid whatever
may be their due, just promptly, (and even
more willingly, if anything, as are, and ought
to be- the holders OF the bonds or other evidences
of Indebtedness of the United States. If the
laws are found insufficient to warrant such pay
then the laws should be amended at once, so that
the proper relief may he extended And, refer
ing to the question pensions: while the existing
provisions are, in the main, liberal, yet there are
large classes Of cases where injustice is being
done, notably those falling within the operations
of what is known as the arrears Act. Thou
sands otuniust ratings were made under the ar
bitrary rulings OF the late Commissioner, Mr.
Bentley, and which, without further legislation.
are likely to remain as monuments Of his disre-
gard Of the commonest principles of equity.
gain. as regards those who for months languiShed
in southern prisons, and there contracted diseases
which, however, were not manifested, it may be,
until after discharge from the service; legislation
is necessary to enable many Of them to obtain
the pensions that every one who knows anything
of their cases is satisfied they ought to have.
And law is required. cOnferrng upon the Com
under his supervision, or as an adjunct
to his Department, the powers of a court of
equity, so that whenever meritOri0us case
arises the applicant may not have to appeal to
Congress for that relief which the strict letter of
the statute denies him. And, as we have already
intimated. these laws should be enacted as expe-
ditiously, and, when enacted. carried out as
faithfully and promptly as are the laws providing
for the payment of the public bonded debt or any
part thereof, or Of the interest thereon.
The Government and the people owe it to
themselves to to it, that in settling with the
Nations creditors no distinction be made between
those who furnished the money for carrying on
the war and those who furnished the bone sinews,
blood and muscles by which it was brought to Il
successful ending